THE WAY OF TEA
Here in the UK, we’re no strangers to the benefits of a great cup of tea, but Japanese tea ceremonies show us that we should take longer moments to pause and reflect.
Behind every great cup of tea is a well-rehearsed ritual. Picking out the type of tea to fit your mood, boiling the water and preparing it all in your favourite cup. In Japan, however, making tea for yourself and friends is not just something that’s done during a five-minute break, but practiced as a craft.
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A full, formal Japanese tea ceremony can be a multi-hour event and include food, a range of tea flavours and types, as well as key customs. The purpose is to create an atmosphere distinct from the rapid pace of day-to-day life.
“Each action has an intention and I think this is what makes the tea ceremony meaningful. It requires a pure and simple approach, to be aware of the ‘now’, and of the impermanence of every moment – all with control and focus,” says Yuri Yasuda, founder of Sayuri Tea, a company which specialises in sourcing the best matcha tea from Japan.
ENJOYMENT AND HOSPITALITY
The central theme of a ceremony is serving guests and creating an air of enjoyment. Movements and gestures are carefully choreographed to show respect and hospitality to the people, the tools, and of course, the tea.
“Each action has an intention and I think this is what makes the tea ceremony meaningful.”
The perfect set up is essential. All attendees should be stripped of glitzy jewellery or outlandish clothing, and never wear heavy fragrances that can interrupt the delicate taste and smell of quality tea. The venue is also important – it should ideally be a space covered with straw tatami mats and facing an alcove filled with flowers or featuring a garden view to enhance tranquillity.
For shorter tea ceremonies, guests are served a sweet before the tea drinking begins. Once guests receive a tea bowl, they should rotate it clockwise by 90 degrees so that it faces them. As the tea is finished, this must be rotated back so that the host can refill, or close the ceremony.
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Longer ceremonies include multi-course meals referred to as Kaiseki Ryori. These meals traditionally have a set format. The courses include soups, sashimi, and dishes that are boiled, grilled, deep fried, steamed and vinegared, as well as dessert, followed by a bowl of matcha, and standard green tea.
“The Japanese tea ceremony includes the practise of both chanoyu and chadō. Chanoyu simply means ‘hot water for tea’. It is a process that takes years to master,” explains Ausra Burg, founder of My Cup of Tea and author of Japanese tea exploration book Tea Stories: Japan.
“From chanoyu came chadō, which translates as ‘the way of tea’. This is the spiritual journey taken through chanoyu. It is essentially the elevation of aspects of everyday life to a higher spiritual realm. Practitioners of chanoyu integrate the principles of wa, kei, sei and jaku (harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity) into their study of tea and daily lives.”
Ausra works with all kinds of tea from across the world, but says it is these Japanese ideas which she always comes back to. “I try to apply these principles whenever I make tea for myself, or with company – it transforms an ordinary act of hospitality into a meditative ritual,” she says.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Takahiro Yagi, the sixth-generation owner at craft tea caddy maker Kaikado, based in Kyoto. Preparing tea for others “always comes from the principle of rita which is altruistic behaviour,” he explains.
“Then drinking tea by myself is to of course enjoy the tea, but also enjoy ma, which means the margin or blank space; it’s a time to make my brain clear.”
“It transforms an ordinary act of hospitality into a meditative ritual.”
A BRIEF HISTORY
The traditional Japanese tea ceremony came to life in the 15th century as tea became available across all social classes in Japan.
The first person to codify much of the ceremony as it is today was Sen Rikyu. He created the style known as wabi-cha in the 16th century, which translates loosely as simplicity or tranquillity. In this version, tea masters use simple, rustic objects, such as tea stirrers, bowls and scoops. Each activity is related to the interplay between guests, the host and the utensils, while the care and dedication in the serving, drinking and cleaning of the tea is where the meditative qualities of the ceremony reside.
“I think the most important figure in chanoyu is undoubtedly Sen Rikyū,” says Yuri (pictured left). “He redefined the tea ceremony physically and conceptually: the procedure, the utensils, the teahouse architecture, and even the tea-garden landscaping. Much of the artistic approach that he took remains to this day.”