A bamboo tea scoop (chashaku) carved by Kobayashi Taigen, head priest of Obai-in at Daitokuji temple in Kyoto — one of the most historically significant Zen complexes in Japan, the spiritual home of the tea ceremony lineage that traces back to Sen no Rikyu.
The mei (poetic name) inscribed is "早乙女" — Saotome, the Rice-planting Maiden. In Japanese seasonal poetry, the saotome figure stands in the flooded paddies of early summer, planting seedlings by hand under an open sky. The name carries a sense of quiet labor, seasonal rhythm, and the beauty found in acts both humble and essential. It is a name that a priest of Taigen's standing does not assign carelessly.
The bamboo is clean and natural in tone, shaped with assured restraint. The scoop arrives with its original bamboo tube, the calligraphy inscribed in Taigen's own hand, and a wooden box — the full three-piece presentation expected of a temple master's chashaku.
For the collector: a named scoop from a sitting Daitokuji abbot is among the most meaningful acquisitions in the tea utensil category.
Length: approx. 18.5 cm Condition: Excellent, near-mint condition. Includes: Bamboo tube with calligraphy, wooden box
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
