The Japanese tea ceremonies are distinctive cultural tradition of the Japanese. It started in the 15th century. It has developed and altered over the years and nowadays there are a number of various techniques and tea school in Japan. Even with the presence of different techniques and tea schools, all of them still share the same general philosophy, which is considered to be established by its start in Zen Buddhism.
The Japanese tea ceremony’s guiding philosophy is based on the values: Wa as Harmony, Kei for Respect, Sei for purity and Jaku for Calmness or Serenity.
Among the chief historical figures in the ceremony is Sen no Rikyu who was considered to have accentuated these values in the improvement of the tea ceremony. Sen no Rikyu is attributed by having developed the entire steps in the ceremony and have turned it into a rite which he taught to his students.
The Tea Ceremony of Today
Nowadays, the Japanese tea ceremony is actively taught to students of different ages. There are active tea ceremony clubs in most high school, the metropolis and the rural areas. Though the tea ceremony was exclusive only to well-off people in the past, at the present it can be enjoy by people regardless of their status in life.
Apart from individuals who study the tea ceremony as their hobby, the ceremony is also deemed to have marked in special occasions or holidays of the years. This is mainly the reason why majority of the Japanese have experience tea ceremony.
The Setting
The Japanese tea ceremony normally happens in a conventional Japanese room called the tatami. A conventional tea room has an elevated niche at the facade of an area that is which is plainly and stylishly adorned with a dangling scroll and has a beautiful floral arrangement.
The Japanese Tea Ceremony
There are various steps from which the main host may accomplish in the tea ceremony. The most significant thing to do for the visitors is to make an ambiance of silence and serenity.
At first, the host will welcome all the waiting guests by giving them with the conventional Japanese sweets. Then, the host will initiate the tea and the tea utensils which will be utilized in making the tea. There a many utensils exclusively used for making the Japanese tea ceremony possible. Then, the host will inform the guests to rest and take pleasure from the sweets served as the tea is being prepared. At this time, normally there are no spoken words. The guests would only observe the host while preparing for the tea.
The moment the tea is read, it is then served to each of the guests.
After the guests have enjoyed the tea, the host will clean all of the used utensils then invite each guest to hold the utensils and hold them. All utensils together with the tea container, serving spoon and bowl are custom made by expert craftsmen. With this, the guest may ask the host anything about the utensils such as who made them and what style were used to create them.
Lastly, the host will then take all of the utensils and the tea out of the room and be grateful for the guests for visiting and initiate the end of the tea ceremony.