motifs could be present on , such as the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, a group of Chinese Taoist philosophers, who gathered in a bamboo grove to talk and drink. in tea ceremony Several variants of are also used in Japanese tea ceremony. Tea ceremony are always made of silk. are usually undecorated squares of silk used to ritually purify tea utensils during a (tea-making procedure). Those used by men are usually deep purple, while those used by women are usually red or orange. Other colours are sometimes used, as are decorated with images. are larger squares of silk with various patterns used by hosts and guests to handle (tea bowls) during certain , usually those involving the making of thick tea, in some tea traditions. are small squares of brocaded silk used by hosts and guests to handle during certain , usually those involving the making of thick tea, in some schools of Japanese tea ceremony instead of . See also References Fukusa, The Shojiro Nomura Fukusa Collection, by Mary Hays and Ralph Hays, 1983 (Mills College), published in connection with its exhibition of the same title Fukusa, the Gift Cover – the Beauty of Exchanging Gifts, catalogue for show organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture for the exhibit at the Kyoto National Museum, August 24–September 8, 1991. Fukusa, Japanese Gift Covers, by Takemura, Akihiko, 1991 (Iwasaki Bijutsu-sha, Tokyo). "Fukusa: Textile Gift Covers", by Peter Sinton Spring 2007 Daruma Magazine (issue 54). Fukusa: Silk, Gold and the World's Most Elegant Return Receipt, catalogue for exhibit at Orientations Gallery in New York, 1990. External links Victoria and Albert Museum, Story on a fukusa: obtained from the emperor by a misunderstanding Chadō Japanese culture Textile arts of Japan Japanese words and phrases Shinto religious objects