Product Description

6820 An iron nyoi (priest’s staff) of warabi (bracken) form

Japan 19th century Edo period

Dimensions: H. 44.5 cm (17½”); with stand H. 19½” (49.5 cm)

Nyoi literally means “as one wishes”. They appeared in Japanese monasteries as early as the 9th century and went on to become an integral part of the Buddhist priest’s regalia, used as an aid to meditation. They were also taken up by the literati who used them as objects of reflection to be held during sencha, the Chinese tea ceremony. This style of tea ceremony originated in China during the Tan dynasty and was particularly popular during the mid Tokugawa era when it was referred to as the original way of Tea.