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).
How old is the tea ceremony?
The Japanese Tea Ceremony, also known as the Way of Tea, is a ritual in which tea is served, following a strict protocol. It dates back to the 9th-century CE and has been part of Buddhist and warrior traditions. Sen no Rikyu was a Japanese tea expert from the 16th-century CE. He set the foundations of the tea ceremony.
What is the purpose of the Japanese tea ceremony?
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.
Is the tea ceremony Chinese or Japanese?
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 food is served at a Japanese tea ceremony?
The meal typically includes rice, soup and a few boiled side dishes , which are served with Sake (Japanese wine).
Is the Japanese Tea Ceremony religious?
The Religion and Science Behind the Japanese Tea Ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony or the Way of Tea is an important Japanese cultural activity that involves the ceremonial presentation and preparation of powdered green tea or matcha. Zen Buddhism is the primary influence in the conceptualization of the tea ceremony.
How long does a Japanese tea ceremony last?
A full-length formal tea ceremony involves a meal (chakaiseki) and two servings of tea (koicha and usucha) and lasts approximately four hours , during which the host engages his whole being in the creation of an occasion designed to bring aesthetic, intellectual, and physical enjoyment and peace of mind to the guests.
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.
How do you perform a tea ceremony?
- Step 1: Invitations. ...
- Step 2: Preparing the Ceremony Room. ...
- Step 3: Receiving the Guests. ...
- Step 4: Cleansing of the Tools. ...
- Step 5: Preparing Thick Matcha Tea. ...
- Step 6: Preparing Thin Matcha Tea. ...
- Step 7: Cleansing of the Tools. ...
- Step 8: Guests Depart.
What does the tea ceremony symbolize?
The tea ceremony represents purity, tranquillity, respect and harmony and a lot of preparation goes into this important event.
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) .
How is Japanese tea served?
A Japanese sweet is served before tea and is supposed to be eaten before the tea is drunk. The tea bowl is placed onto the tatami mat in front of you, with its front facing you. Pick it up with your right hand and place it on your left palm. ... Drink the tea in a few sips and place it back onto the tatami.
Who started tea ceremony?
The most famous exponent of the tea ceremony was Sen Rikyū , an aesthete at the 16th-century court of the military dictator Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who codified the ceremony into a style known as wabi-cha (meaning roughly “simplicity,” “quietude,” and “absence of ornament”), which still enjoys popularity in Japan.
Is oolong tea Chinese or Japanese?
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea . It's made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant used to make green tea and black tea.
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.”
