Shifuku (bag for the chaire) is made of brightly decorated silk.
The chaire holds matcha (tea).
Photo courtesy of Wayne Muromoto

Tea has appealed to people all over the world and has become a very popular beverage worldwide; but it is the Japanese that have given tea a place of importance and reverence within their culture. Tea drinking is one of the traditions that have carried over into modern times. For the Japanese, it is a ritual strictly governed by tradition and formal procedures.

The History of Tea
Tea was discovered nearly five thousand years ago, when a Chinese man named Lu Yu, investigating the properties of various herbs, roots, and plants, discovered that brewing the leaves of tea made a refreshing drink that also relieved fatigue. He wrote about his findings in a book called Ch’a Ching (The Classic of Tea). His book included historical, botanical, and medical information pertaining to tea. The book also included information on how to cultivate, brew, serve, and drink tea.

Tea was first imported to Japan around the year 800 A.D. about the same time Buddhism was also adopted from the Chinese. Tea seeds were brought to Japan by scholar-priests who studied in China. Its use was confined to the aristocracy and court nobles, and soon the practice of drinking tea died out altogether. It wasn’t until the late twelfth century that the priest Eisei realized while studying Zen Buddhism in China that tea was an indispensable part of Zen temple life. Upon returning to Japan he brought back some tea seeds and proceeded to grow tea plants in an effort to gain more interest in Zen. Eisei also wrote a book entitled Kissa Yojoki (Preservation of Health Through Drinking Tea) in which he praised the medicinal virtues of tea, saying that it improved the health and increased the longevity of the drinker. By the fourteenth century, tea drinking spread from the upper class to the samurai, Buddhist clergy, and even some commoners. Tea gatherings among the samurai were quite popular. Gradually, tea drinking became a part of Japanese life. By 1400 tea was being sold on the streets to commoners.

Teaism
After the Onin Civil War (1467-77), merchants began to thrive. It was during this time that three men came to prominence in Japanese society. Their names were Murata Shuko, Takeno Jo-o, and Sen Rikyu. These men took an interest in tea and began to study the art of tea making. They held lavish tea gatherings in order to display their interest in tea and became known as tea masters. These three tea masters helped to refine the art of tea drinking and turn it into the ritualistic, religious and cultural art form we know today as chado, the Japanese tea ceremony. Sen Rikyu became the founder of the Urasenke Foundation which is dedicated to the preservation and education of chanoyu, which means Japanese tea ceremony.

The Chado Philosophy
Cha means tea, and do means way or path, thus chado means the way of tea. Sen Rikyu summarized the principles of the discipline of Tea into four concepts: wa, kei, sei, and jaku. Wa, similar to harmony, is the feeling of oneness, and important between nature and people. During the tea ceremony harmony is also important between the hosts, and their guests. Kei, mutual respect, is also an important factor during the tea ceremony. The host shows respect for the guest and all the inanimate objects used in the tea ceremony, and the guest in turn shows his gratitude toward the host by expressing appreciation for the tea and the utensils used in the making of the tea.

Sei, also known as cleanliness and orderliness, is a very important in the study of tea. Sen Rikyu believed that even in the most mundane acts of washing dishes and cleaning floors lay the seeds of enlightenment. When the host cleans the utensils used in the tea ceremony he is also purifying his heart and mind. Sei also implies simplification, which means the elimination of all the unnecessary elements. It is believed that through constant practice of the first three concepts one can attain jaku, a state of tranquility.

The Setting
The setting of the tea ceremony is just as important as the event itself. The teahouse is usually surrounded by a garden, which is heavily influenced by Zen aesthetics. The purpose of the tea setting is to create an environment where he can cleanse his thoughts of the unimportant to undergo an experience that is almost spiritual in nature. The setting helps to create a mood that is quiet and peaceful.

The tea house is a simple structure with a thatch roof; the entrance is smaller than a normal doorway, requiring those who enter to bow in reverence. The guests remove their footwear before entering the tea house and go into the yoritsuki (changing room) where articles of clothing and other items must be left. No unnecessary items are allowed in the tearoom. The guests then proceed to the machiai (sheltered waiting room). In this room the guests admire the decorations and sip hot water until further notice. The guests may also admire the roji (garden path) until the host invites them into the tearoom.

The tea room is very simply decorated. A scroll with the wa, kei, sei, jaku symbols hang in the room. On the floor are wall-to-wall tatami mats. There is a ro (sunken hearth), with a kama (large kettle) filled with heated water. There is also a small shelf where the rest of the utensils used in the ceremony are kept.

There are two types of ceremonies—the formal ceremony, which usually lasts four or more hours and includes a meal, and an informal ceremony that lasts about twenty to thirty minutes. The type of ceremony usually depends on how many guests are present. Both ceremonies have strict rituals and procedures that must be followed.

Utensils
Utensils play a very important role in the tea ceremony. The type of utensils used tells the guests how important they are. It is also a way for the host to impress the guests with a rare or expensive cup or implement. Kensui (rinse water container) is used to hold water that was used to clean and purify the tea bowl. The container is made of bronze, wood, or pottery. The futa-oki (lid rest) is used to support the lid of the kettle when it is removed from the fire. It can be made of bamboo, porcelain, bronze, or iron. The chasaku (tea scoop) is usually made of bamboo, but may be made of ivory or plain or lacquered wood. Scoops with a node on the handle are called shin type; those without the node are called so type. The artisans who craft the scoops usually give a poetic name to each, such as “Outgoing Boat,” “Spring Wind,” “Firefly” and so on. The name of the scoop enhances the theme of a particular gathering. Tea scoops are highly valued and are carefully stored in containers that are signed by the individual who made the scoop. Occasionally a tea master will also sign a container, indicating his high appreciation for that particular tea scoop. Chosen (tea whisk), which is made of bamboo, is used to whip the tea to make it frothy. The best tea whisks have come from the Nara region. Each whisk is made from a single piece of bamboo that has been carefully split then tied with thread. The Hishaku (water ladle) is used to dip water out of the kettle and the water jar. The Mizusashi (water container) is usually brought into the room at the beginning of the procedure for making tea. The container may be made of any variety of materials, including porcelain, metal, bamboo, or wood.

The Tea
The kind of bowl used depends on the kind of tea prepared. The leaves of the tea are ground into a fine powder; hot water is added and whipped with the bamboo whisk. For koicha (thick tea), which is usually served at more formal tea gatherings, chaire is the container used to hold the tea. It is usually ceramic with an ivory lid; the underside is lined with gold foil. Tradition has it that gold foil will turn color if there is any poison in the tea, a situation that many of Japan’s historic figures feared. The chaire is displayed in a shifuku (small silk bag) when not in use. The usuchaki (thin tea bowl) is usually made of lacquer, often with a gold design. It can also be made of wood, bamboo, or lacquered papier-mâché. Chawan (tea bowls) for thick tea are usually plain with design, heavier and more solid than those used for thin tea.

The Tea Ceremony
In both the formal and informal tea ceremonies the same strict procedures are followed; the only difference is the length of time. The formal ceremony lasts a lot longer than the informal ceremony. Also a light meal is served at the formal ceremony, while only a simple sweet snack is served at the informal ceremony. The kaiseki (meal) served at a formal gathering consists of typical Japanese fare such as miso soup, broiled fish, hard boiled eggs and seaweed, artistically displayed. A central factor in a tea gathering is stimulation of the sense of taste, so the food is chosen according to the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty.

For the informal tea ceremony, wagashi (simple sweet tea) is served. The type of sweets served at a tea gathering is often chosen to correspond with or evoke the season of the year. For example a light green confection called shitamoe (sprouts underneath) may be served to convey to the guests that spring is drawing near, if cherry blossoms are in bloom, the sweets may be shaped and colored like a fallen cherry blossom petal. The sweets are eaten before the drinking of the tea to enhance the taste of the tea and also to enhance the beauty of the tea gathering itself.

A Japanese tea gathering is a display of specific customs and manners held in a Japanese-style room. It is best to wear a kimono, the traditional dress worn in Japan. There are specific articles guests are required to bring: kochakin (a slightly dampened linen cloth) in a small case, hrishi (a folded pad of white paper), a kuromoji (a small pick in a case), a kokubasa (small piece of fabric usually made of silk), a fukasa (silk wiping cloth), and a white folding fan. The sweets are placed on the folded paper pad; the pick is used to eat the sweets; the linen cloth is used to wipe the rim of the tea bowl after drinking thick tea; the small piece of fabric is used as a pad to place the utensils when viewing them or used to hold the tea bowl if it is too hot; a fan, used when making a formal greeting.

In the tearoom, the guests are seated around the host with their knees folded under them. The host purifies the utensils, makes the tea and serves it to his guests. The guest first eats the sweets , then drinks the tea and expresses appreciation for the tea and the tea bowl. If the ceremony is formal, the guests will go into the garden to wash their hands, enter the tea room again, then eat the kaiseki meal that the host provides. If the ceremony is informal, then the tea ceremony ends after drinking the tea and admiring the utensils