Kensui (a utensils used for making Japanese tea) (建水)
Kensui is one of the utensils which are used for making tea. It is used as a waste-water container into which to empty the water which has been used for cleansing or warming chawan (tea bowls).
In the Case of Sado (Japanese tea ceremony using Matcha [powdered green tea])
The materials of kensui for Sado are earthenware, porcelain, magemono (wooden bucket), metal artifact, and so on. In recent years, the light and tough kensui such as those made of acrylic plastic are also found.
They look like cylinders, wooden buckets, or pots in shape. Most of them have a mouth which is opened so widely to pour the waste-water away easily.
In Sado, kensui is basically used as follows. However, this order can be changed depending on the schools or how to perform temae (procedures for making tea).
At the end of seki-iri (entering the tea-ceremony room called chashitsu and taking your seat), bring the kensui into the room holding its mouth by the left hand, with a futa-oki (a rest for the lid of a teakettle) in the kensui and a hishaku (a ladle) over the mouth of it, and sit down on the temae-za (the place where the host sits on preparing tea in the tea-ceremony room). Hold the hishaku by the left hand once, and take out the futa-oki from the kensui by the right hand and place it on its appointed position. Pour away the hot water which was used for rinsing chawan on chasentoshi (stirring powdered green tea and hot water with tea whisk) into the kensui. After completing temae, hold the kensui by the left hand first and leave the seat.
In the Case of Senchado (Japanese tea ceremony using Sencha [brewed green tea])
In the case of Senchado, kensui is also called 'yukoboshi' or 'koboshi.'
Materials of the kensui for Senchado are mainly metal artifact.
They are usually cylinder-shaped. The biggest difference from the kensui for matcha is that the kensui for Senchado has a mizukiri (a drainer) like a lid fitted on the mouth of it.