What chasen kaeshi means
Chasen kaeshi is the small gesture of lifting the whisk straight up out of the bowl and briefly resting or turning it against the rim of the chawan before placing it back on its stand. Schools such as Urasenke teach it as part of finishing a bowl of usucha, both as care for the whisk and as a quiet visual closure to the preparation. Any loose tines or trapped foam fall back into the bowl rather than dripping across the table. The motion is gentle and never used to scrape or wring the chasen.
Also called
Chasen kaeshi also appears as whisk return.