Drinking hot tea alone is always a relaxing, happy moment for me. Talking over tea with friends and family is fun. The smile on a guest’s face as he or she enjoys the tea I serve makes me happy.
TRY TEA CEREMONY! TASTE OF JAPAN.
In the tea ceremony, all Japanese sense of beauty and manners are condensed. No vibrant color, no glittering. Simple and peaceful. Just experience in a simple way. Even Japanese people do not have a chance to experience the tea ceremony because it seemed to be snobbish, and needed much knowledge. We would like to share the joy with you. I would like it easier to try!
Seeing is believing! Just give it a try!
In my home, it was natural to serve a cup of tea to a guest, which enabled both guest and host to feel relaxed and comfortable. When I was a child, I used to serve tea to our guests and was praised and thanked for doing so. I walked slowly and paid much attention to be polite.
In Japan, when we have a guest, we’d serve a cup of tea (green tea). Nowadays it is common to serve coffee or black tea instead of green tea. The custom of serving drinks is seen everywhere in the world, but the Japanese tea ceremony is unique. The unique aspects of the tea ceremony provide something calm and peaceful.
- Please watch this video.
- Do you like to drink tea?
- Do you want to get away from the daily grind?
- Do you want to try something uniquely Japanese?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, I recommend you experience the Japanese tea ceremony. You will be able to experience a brand new way to enjoy time drinking tea. It will free you from your daily chores if only just for a little while. You may even feel refreshed as if you had done some meditation. I think the tea ceremony is the most sophisticated and simplest way to enjoy tea. Both host and guest alike share in the moment of serving and appreciating tea.
What Is a Tea Ceremony?
Matcha is the powdered green tea used in the tea ceremony. It’s full of vitamin C and very good for you. Green tea was brought from China by a Zen priest. It had been used as a medical treatment among priests for a long time. Tea was grown in Japan and soon spread from priests, nobles, and Samurai class to common citizens in the 15th century.
Sen no Rikyu (1502-55) appreciated the simplicity and spirituality in the manner of drinking tea. The procedures and behaviors involved in tea serving and drinking were sophisticated. As time has passed, things have changed. Even in Japan, the number of people learning the tea ceremony is decreasing, however, the experience can still be found. Anytime. Anywhere.