The Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony, "chakai" or "chaji" as its known in Japan, is one of the most elaborate ceremonies ever invented for sharing a beverage within a very formal and almost religious setting. It actually won’t be wrong to say that the Japanese tea ceremony is a lot more than just "sharing tea." It's a ceremony of spiritual purification and homage for a thousand-year old cultural tradition.

Tea ceremony is such a formalized affair that in Japan there are schools that teach how it should be performed without any errors. There are different ceremonies for summer and winter; for outdoors and indoors; and for the type of tea served. The ceremony requires a special location, special utensils, and a special set of rules even for entering and leaving the ceremony room, or whether to talk and what to say during the ceremony.

In its simplest description, a tea ceremony is one in which powdered green tea and hot water is whipped by a whisk and served to the guests in a unique bowl called "chawan."

Other special utensils used in the ceremony include "chakin" (a cloth used to clean the tea bowl); the tea caddy where the powdered green tea is kept; "chashaku" (the scoop used to transfer the tea from the caddy to the bowl); and "chasen" (the whisk used to whip the hot water and tea mixture into a froth). These utensil are sometimes collectible antiques and they are considered to carry such spiritual significance that there are strict rules even for touching and handling them.

During the less-elaborate chakai ceremony, snacks and sweets are served to the guests. The chaji ceremony, on the other hand, is accompanied by a full-course meal and may last up to four hours.

The traditional rule requires that the server wears a kimono even if it's a male. However, in modern day Japan, Western-style clothes are not that uncommon, especially in the chakai ceremonies.

There are people who spend a lifetime studying, learning and practicing (and teaching) the Japanese tea ceremony. It really elevates the sublime pleasure of drinking a cup of good hot tea to a different level all together.

Check out this Japanese Tea Ceremony utensil collection.