Japanese Tea Ceremony
Article by:
Susan Paterson, February 2008
While touring the maple-bloomed gardens and incense-filled temples of Nara and Kyoto, cities steeped in the residue of an older way of life, you'll often get the opportunity to partake in tea and cake. The idea of this quite naturally evokes thoughts of ease and contentment. The experience for the uninitiated, however, can be a little more complex. Seemingly simple acts such as taking tea can prove daunting for those unfamiliar with the requirements of Japanese etiquette and floundering for a way in.
Although the average foreigner is by no means expected to be an expert in ceremonial nuances, uncertainty about what to do can induce anxiety. You may find yourself muttering questions such as: how do I sit on the tatami mat? How low should I bow? Which way do I hold the tea cup? Should I slurp, and how loudly? Above all, how do I eat the cuter-than-cute pink sweet-bean cake in the shape of a rabbit with that small stick?
How do I eat the cuter-than-cute pink sweet-bean cake in the shape of a rabbit with that small stick?
A great way to engage more deeply with the significance of the tea offering without the stress and embarrassment is to enrol in a short course on formal tea ceremony - chadō (literally 'the way of tea') - when you arrive in Japan. A lesson will typically involve an introduction by an instructor to the significance of chadō (perhaps using gorgeous handmade models of teahouses), the three levels of bow (ranging from formal to informal), and the consideration given to the calligraphy, ceramics, ikebana and kimono chosen for the ceremony.
Traditional, formal ceremonies use matcha, a bitter, vibrant, powdered green tea. The matcha is prepared using hot water that is poured using a hishaku (bamboo ladle) into the chawan (tea bowl) where a scoop of powdered tea has been added. It is then whisked briskly with a chasen (bamboo whisk).
Your instructor will show you how the tea is made, introduce you to the intricate cleansing rituals and offer you the chance to make some tea yourself. Each action - the ladling of the water into the bowl, the requisite number of quarter turns made of the bowl (both before drinking and after), the number of sips taken to finish the tea (three and a half) and the art of the appreciative slurp - is choreographed and fascinatingly precise.
A traditional Japanese teahouse
Always remove your shoes before you enter the teahouse and, once inside, kneel on the tatami mat. The cup is placed on your open left palm, and held and turned with your right hand. The most decorative part of the cup ought to face away from you and towards the host as you drink. Your audible final half-slurp will let your host know that you're done.
Your audible final half-slurp will let your host know that you're done.
Sweets are eaten before the tea to alleviate some of its astringency. They will sometimes be delicate sugary flower shapes or other attractive designs. The Japanese version of a cake to be served with tea is made of sweet bean paste, comes in numerous shapes, sizes, colours and flavours, and is delicious. Slice it into sections with the small piece of bamboo that looks similar to a knife and then spear it (as you would with a toothpick) to eat it.
At the heart of the ceremony are the principles of harmony, tranquillity, purity and respect. It was once the domain of Zen Buddhist monks, who employed it as a spiritual ritual. Gradually, over the centuries, it became available to all ranks of society. Teahouses were traditionally built with a small door raised off the ground so that samurai, the highest order, would be forced to
bow and remove their swords to enter.
The tea ceremony is a complex ritual that takes years, often a lifetime, to learn. In addition to the precise preparation, serving and sharing of tea, the elements of kimono, calligraphy (usually in the form of a hanging scroll), flower arrangement and ceramics are all significant. A tea master must be versed in each of these disciplines.
Once equipped with a little chadō know-how, however, you'll probably find your tea-drinking companions will be open to sharing some of their insider tips, and you'll feel much more at ease over your matcha and pink sweet-bean rabbits.
