Ritual tea drinking, which originated in China, was first practiced in Japan during the Kamakura period (1192–1333) by Zen monks, who drank tea to keep awake during long sessions of meditation. It later became an active part of Zen ritual honouring the first patriarch, Bodhidharma (Japanese: Daruma).
Why is the tea ceremony important to Japanese culture?
Japanese Tea Ceremony represents harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity which we must embrace in order to achieve the main purpose of the tea ceremony. This event is unique as every process from the tea equipment preparation until the tea is drunk has a distinctive technique.
What is a tea ceremony in Japanese culture?
The tea ceremony is known as chanoyu, or sado , in Japanese, and the art and performance of preparing and presenting matcha powdered green tea is called otemae. Chakai are informal gatherings held to appreciate the ritualized serving of tea, while the more formal occasion is a chaji.
What is the purpose of the tea ceremony?
It is a ceremonial way of preparing and drinking green tea typically in a traditional tearoom with tatami floor. Beyond just serving and receiving tea, one of the main purposes of the tea ceremony is for the guests to enjoy the hospitality of the host in an atmosphere distinct from the fast pace of everyday life .
What happens at a Japanese tea ceremony?
Chadō or sadō (“the way of tea”; sometimes also called chanoyu, “hot water for tea”, or ocha, literally just “tea”) is the ritual of preparing and serving green tea . It takes place in a room, sparsely decorated with tatami mats and a hanging scroll or flower arrangement, with up to five guests kneeling on cushions.
What is the host of a Japanese tea ceremony called?
The Japanese tea ceremony is called sadō (茶道) or chanoyu (茶の湯) in Japanese, which means the way of tea. The ritual is quite simple, but all the steps and movements have to be executed precisely- so it's not easy. The person preparing the tea is the host (亭主, teishu) .
What is Japanese tea called?
Japanese tea ceremony (known as sadō/chadō (茶道, “The Way of Tea”) or cha-no-yu (茶の湯)) is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha (抹茶) , powdered green tea, the art of which is called (o)temae ([お]手前/[お]点前).
What is Buddhist about the tea ceremony?
In ancient times, Buddhist monks designed the tea ceremony to directly work to affect all five senses, to wake up the person both physically and spiritually . The double nature of the ritual works in such a way that it brings a deep inner peace and tranquility by bringing the mind and body together.
What is the way of tea the four values of the tea ceremony )?
Tea ceremony can be explained by this simple phrase: ichi go ichi e which means each moment only occurs once. ... Building on this philosophy, Rikyu introduced the 4 main principles of tea ceremony: WA, KE, SEI and JAKU , also known as, harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.
What does the tea ceremony symbolize for the Samurai?
Every time samurai came back from the battlefield, they practiced the tea ceremony to search the peace in their mind . Also many of them obsessed by collecting the fancy and valuable tea things to show their power.
What does tea symbolize?
Tea not only serves as a symbol for a peaceful life but the act of drinking tea can provide the means to come in contact with it.
What do you say at a tea ceremony?
Address the family members you are serving tea to in kinship terms, and hand them the teacup with both hands. When serving, you must say, “ [kinship term], please drink the tea.”
What are some of the etiquettes for a guest invited to a tea ceremony?
- Let the host seat you.
- Enter on your knees. Avoid stepping on the center of the mats. ...
- Turn the cup slightly when it is passed to you to avoid drinking from the front where the last guest's lips touched (for hygiene).
- Eat what is given to you.
What food is served at a Japanese tea ceremony?
Cha-kaiseki is popular among Japanese who like a tea ceremony. Kaiseki-ryori consists rice, miso soup and three dishes in the past. Nowadays, it consits about rice, miso soup and about eight dishes. Many Japanese restaurants serve alcoholic drinks instead of tea.
What type of flooring do people sit on during the tea ceremony?
In traditional homes, people eat and sleep on straw floor mats known as tatami . Numerous Japanese cultural activities, from Zen meditation to the tea ceremony, are done completely or partly while sitting on the floor.
What are two of the principles that should be a part of every Japanese tea ceremony?
There are many things we could take away from this article to help us do just that, and they all revolve around the four principles of a Japanese tea ceremony: harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity .
