Polite to Stranger
Cultural · Traditional · Arts
茶道には表千家、裏千家、武者小路千家の三千家がございまして、それぞれ点前が少しずつ異なります。 — Tea ceremony has three Sen schools—Omote, Ura, and Mushakojisenke—each with slightly different procedures. (Cultural · Traditional · Arts, Polite to Stranger, JLPT N3)
You
茶道には表千家、裏千家、武者小路千家の三千家がございまして、それぞれ点前が少しずつ異なります。
さどうにはおもてせんけ、うらせんけ、むしゃこうじせんけのさんせんけがございまして、それぞれおてまえがすこしずつことなります。
Tea ceremony has three Sen schools—Omote, Ura, and Mushakojisenke—each with slightly different procedures.
Romaji: Sadou ni wa Omote-Senke, Ura-Senke, Mushakouji-Senke no san-Senke ga gozaimashite, sorezore otemae ga sukoshi zutsu kotonarimasu. / Reply Romaji: Donna chigai ga aru n desu ka?
Reply
どんな違いがあるんですか？
どんなちがいがあるんですか？
What kind of differences are there?
Gesture & etiquette
Count three on your fingers as you name each school. If demonstrating any whisking motion, hold imaginary chasen (bamboo whisk) and make brief 'M-shape' motion (Ura) or straight 'I-shape' (Omote). Speak with respectful tone, no playful body language.
After Sen no Rikyu's three grandchildren established their own lines: 表千家 (Omote-Senke, eldest line, conservative), 裏千家 (Ura-Senke, largest membership, most international), 武者小路千家 (Mushakojisenke, smallest, refined). Differences: tea bowl handling, whisking style, sound during sip. All share fundamental wa-kei-sei-jaku philosophy. Each headmaster is called 「家元」.