The Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese Tea Ceremony also known as chanoyu,chado or sado is a traditional choreographic ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea called Matcha. The tea has a bitter taste, so it is generally served with traditional Japanese sweets to balance it.

The Tea Ceremony is an art form cuts through all Japanese culture since it embraces many art forms such as architecture, gardening, ceremics, textiles, Japanese calligraphy, flower arragements and Japanese cuisine, plus sculptring of ashes and building of a beautiful fire.

Tea Ceremony came about when Japan adapted both Chinese pratices of drinking powdered tea and Zen Buddhist beliefs. In 1500s, Sen No Rikkyu incorporated the ideas of simplicity and that each meeting should be special and unique. It became more than just drinking tea, it is a spiritual experience that embodies harmony, respect, purity, and tranqulity.

The study of Tea Ceremony takes many years to learn and lasts a lifetime. Even to participate a guest in a formal Tea Ceremony requires a lot of knowledge including gestures, phrases expected from them, and a proper way to take the tea and sweets from host.

In Japan, many choose to take classes or join clubs at dedicated tea schools, collages or universities. There are schools teaching methods of preparing and enjoying tea. 

There are significant rules in making Tea Ceremony. Host should wear kimono while guest wear kimono or subdued formal wear. If the tea is to be served in a seperate house, guests should wait in a garden shelter until summoned by the host.

Performing this ceremony requires a lot of actings. Even the utensils that you are going to use is significant. First of all, each utensil- including the tea bowl, whisk, and tea scoop is ritually cleaned using prescribed motions. The utensils are placed in a precise arrangement according to the ritual being performed. When the ritual cleaning and preparation of utensils are completed, the host should place measured amount of hot water, then whisk the tea using precise,prescribed movements. The bowl is served to the guest of honor (shoukyaku)- first guest, by the host or assistant. The host and guest bow together after which the guest slowly sips. When finished, the guest then slowly turns the bowl in his hands. The guest then returns the bowl to the host who ceremonially repeat this process with each guest. After this process, host purifies the utansils once again, bows, and leaves the room just as he or she entered (traditionally, backing out). The guest then remain a few moments to absorb the peaceful atmosphere, each leaving just as they entered.

Japanese Tea Ceremony is very different form our ways to serve tea and holding formal British style tea parties. I think the symbolosim and traditions of the tea ceremony leaves much to be appriciated. I had a chance of experience a tea ceremony with a Japanese friend of mine. In reality it is not something that can be described, it must be experienced.