WARNING raw ash is caustic and can burn you so be careful when handling it when wet. Also any dust is not good for you so wear a N95 mask when handling the dry ash.
This is my method for making the ash bed for the sunken hearth used during the winter months.
This can take many days, weeks or even months depending on how long it takes for the washing and drying.
The sifting of the ash is what makes it “Omotesenke”.
You must use an approximately 3mm sieve to make Omotesenke ash. Other schools of tea use finer or coarser sizes.
The basic idea is to take and wash the raw ash skimming any foam and letting it settle. When it is clean you mix it with the ash from last year and then add concentrated black tea until it is the consistency of wall plaster. Let this dry until it is just damp enough to stick together and then force it through a 1/8” or 3mm sieve.
At the end of ro season you can take the now completely dry ro ash and put it in a large mortar grinding it down to a fine powder to use in the furo or an even finer powder to use in the doburo. Then at the end of furo season the process is repeated.
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