Qualifications and Licenses
| Qualification | License | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner（初級） | Nyūmon（入門） | Nyūmon, or “entrance into the Urasenke gate,” begins with learning how to bow, and learning the basic methods for folding and using the fukusa, folding and using the chakin, and so forth, which are fundamental to all of the procedures that follow. Each of these is taught separately in a process called warigeiko, or “divided practice.” Then the new student learns the basic temae for preparing usucha. After usucha, the student will be taught the basic temae for koicha, and also for laying the charcoal. |
| Konarai（小習） | The konarai, or “specific practices,” consist of sixteen temae that cultivate the ability to handle various particular circumstances. | |
| Chabakodate（茶箱点） | These temae involve the use of a chabako, or portable “tea box” containing the tea implements. | |
| Intermediate Student（中級） | Satsubako（茶通箱） | This temae involves serving the guest two varieties of koicha. |
| Karamonodate（唐物点） | This temae is to learn the special technique for handling a karamono chaire. | |
| Daitenmoku（台天目） | This temae teaches the technique for handling a tenmoku style tea bowl placed on a tenmoku stand (dai). | |
| Bondate（盆点） | This temae involves a karamono chaire set on a tray, and its focus is to learn the deferential handling of a meibutsu or comparable chaire. | |
| Wakindate（和巾点） | This koicha temae was created specifically for using a kobukusa made of fabric received from a notable person. A wooden nakatsugi caddy is used for the tea powder. | |
| Upper-level Student / 4th-degree Instructor（上級／助講師） | Gyō-no-gyō daisu（行之行台子） | This temae constitutes the basis of the “deeper secrets” (okuhi). It employs a daisu utensil stand and implements arranged on it in the style called midare kazari, or “unmatched display.” |
| Daien-no-sō（大円草） | This temae, an additional one among the “deeper secrets,” features the use of a large round tray (daienbon). | |
| Hikitsugi（引次） | This is the initial teaching license. Instructors holding Hikitsugi may apply for licenses through Gyō-no-gyō daisu for their students. | |
| 3rd-degree Instructor（講師） | Shin-no-gyō daisu（真之行台子） | This temae, also called okugi (secret essence of temae), embodies the fundamentals of the most advanced stage of chadō. It employs a formal shindaisu (black-lacquered daisu utensil stand). |
| Daien-no-shin（大円真） | This temae, an additional one among the “deeper secrets,” features the use of a large round tray (daienbon) and shindaisu. | |
| Sei-hikitsugi（正引次） | Instructors holding this teaching license may apply for licenses through Shin-no-gyō daisu for their students. | |
| 2nd-degree Instructor（専任講師） | Chamei and Monkyo（茶名・紋許） | A chamei “tea name” is also referred to as a sōmei, as it always begins with the kanji 宗, pronounced “sō.” The Iemoto may grant a chamei, together with permission to wear the Urasenke “tsubotsubomon” crest, to an instructor who holds Sei-hikitsugi. With these, the instructor is simultaneously elevated to the rank of 2nd-degree instructor. Instructors holding this qualification may apply for licenses through Sei-hikitsugi for their students. |
| 1st-degree Instructor（助教授） | Junkyōju（準教授） | Instructors holding this teaching license may apply for licenses through Chamei and Monkyo for their students. |
The successive categories and temae described above constitute the basic Urasenke curriculum, referred to as the kaiden 皆伝 (“initiation”). There are many more temae than these, and several higher teaching licenses.