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Description
Fukusa are finely woven silk cloths designed for purifying tea utensils. The host folds and refolds the fukusa many times during the tea procedure (temae). This woman's fukusa is decorated with a pattern of green maple leaves on a pale green ground, suggestive of the spring or summer season. Just as the fan (sensu) has come to represent the guest, the fukusa serves to signify the host's role in a tea gathering. The informality of decorated fukusa make them appropriate for use in thin tea.
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