Japanese Tea Ceremony

Hi all,

I hope you have all enjoyed the long weekend, well I sure enjoyed mine!

As I said last week, I will be posting you history about tea ceremony after giving you the history of Wagashi.

The history of tea ceremony goes all the way back to 1100BC

When a Japanese Buddusit named “Eisaizenshi” brought back green tea tree from China to Kyoto. That is said to be the beginning of the green tea harvesting in Japan.  Since then green tea have been harvested all over Japan.

When green tea harvesting became one of the biggest market in Japan, gambling started amongst Samurais, where they try and match the tea with its origin.

(1333~)

The whole atmosphere of tea ceremony only begin in the 1504BC, where Jyouo Takeno and others wanted to develop tea ceremony which didn’t involve in gambling of expensive tea ceremony equipment but a ceremony which appreciates the nature and creates a philosophical atmosphere.

This is the room became smaller and the equipment begin to change its values.

Also the beauty of simplicity was developed through people inviting others for a tea ceremony.

The biggest change in the tea ceremony was by famously known “Sen-no Rikyu”,

Who innovated the authentic way of tea ceremony to artistic and pure. Rikyu was even chosen by Oda Nobunaga (Famous Syougun who controlled the biggest tribe in Japan till 1582).

It was only into Edo period where women were allowed to be in the tea ceremony. Although the culture and the demand of tea ceremony has significantly decreased since western culture came into Japan (Meiji period 1867~). This important part of the Japanese culture has been pasted on hiddenlly 

I have actually practiced tea ceremony my self. See me in the photos!

Although for many of you there is a language barrier to learn how to practice tea ceremony in Japan, I have found Australian tea ceremony teacher, so after visiting Japan and you are interested on knowing more about the tea ceremony. There are even steps for picking up chopsticks!

Contact Ryokan Gojyuan here. http://www.uedateaaustralia.com/practice-workshops/sydney-samurai-tea-workshops/

The whole process of tea ceremony is amazing, as getting served and serving others are completely different perspective. Although my legs were giving away after 20 minutes of sitting on “Seiza” position, the insight you gain from the teacher can never be compromised.

Here is a short documentation on Japanese tea ceremony, I think it would be a good starting point before you go to a tea ceremony if you have the opportunity. But like I have said, you can try the tea ceremony here in Sydney too. 

Well thats all for me today, I hope you get the chance to attend tea ceremony at least once in your life time, because it really is a hec of an experience!