Japanese tea ceremony as an integrated art




What do you imagine when you think of Japanese tea ceremony? Some think Japanese tea ceremony has a lot of difficult manners and complicated behaviors. So, they think it is not for a beginner.
Japanese tea ceremony has developed as an integrated art. It includes not only drinking tea but also way of thinking, religious background, and artworks such as various utensils for tea and decorations for a tea room. In other words, Japanese tea ceremony requires etiquette of the tea preparation for participants to be comfortable, space including a tea room and garden, industrial arts for participants to appreciate, and food and drink such Japanese sweets and the matcha.
That is why a woman learned Japanese tea ceremony as marriage training in Japan some time ago. She could learn not only manners and behaviors but also art, garden, pottery, history, Buddhism, and so on. People thought she can be ready for a marriage if she could master Japanese tea ceremony.



"Omotenashi" is one of the most important things in Japanese tea ceremony

However, the essence of Japanese tea ceremony is not learning manner or gaining knowledge. These are important, but the most important thing is to give a tea for a participant. This is so simple but deep at the same time.
You clean a tea room, prepare food, and make the matcha from your heart to just invite a visitor to have a drink. The meaning of Japanese tea ceremony is in your action and the interchange of heart with a visitor. So, even without knowledges or manner, anyone can try Japanese tea ceremony if you have hospitality to welcome a visitor. That is called "Omotenashi" in Japanese. The heart of Omotenashi is one of Japanese tea ceremony's spirits.



The Spirit of Japanese tea ceremony

Sen no Rikyu was a Japanese tea master during Azuchi Momoyama period. He invented Wabi-cha which became one of major Japanese tea ceremony forms. Sen no Rikyu taught the spirit of "Wa Kei Sei Jaku"（和敬清寂）. This teaching has become the basic philosophy of Japanese tea ceremony. It’s very important to learn this teaching and have Japanese tea ceremony with this spirits.
"Wa"（和）means that everything is in harmony and you make peace with everyone. Traditionally, Japanese has valued the spirit of "Wa". "Kei"（敬）means that we have respect for each other. In Japanese tea ceremony, everything goes with the respect. "Sei"（清）means that you purify everything around you and inside your heart as well. "Jaku"（寂）means that you maintain the heart of quietness. That is the spirit of "Wa Kei Sei Jaku".
As well as "Wa Kei Sei Jaku", Sen no Rikyu taught 7 rules, which one must follow when welcoming guests in Japanese tea ceremony. Sen no Rikyu's disciple asked "What is a tea ceremony?" The 7 rules was Sen no Rikyu's answer. Sen no Rikyu also said that if you could do the 7 rules, then, I would be your disciple.



Sen no Rikyu's 7 rules

1. Understand your guest's feeling and make the tea.
This means that you make delicious tea and pour your welcoming heart in it so that guest can appreciate both tea and your feeling.


2. Put charcoal on the fire so that water gets boiled well.
You have to know how to put charcoal on the fire to have boiling water. So, this means that preparation is important to welcome a guest in Japanese tea ceremony.


3. Feel a flower as it is in nature
A flower in nature is beautiful. However, this means more than that. By just seeing a flower, try to feel a precious life that is given by earth. You welcome a guest with this kind of sense for a tea ceremony.


4. Try to make tea cool in the summer but warm in the winter
To sense and express the four seasons are important in Japanese tea ceremony. If it's summer, you can prepare cold match but in winter, you would make something warm for them instead.


5. Have enough time and relaxed attitude
In Japanese tea ceremony, you don't rush to do things. You always have enough time to do things in order. You can value your time and guest's time at the same time. By doing so, you and your guest can meet sincerely.


6. Prepare an umbrella even if it's not raining
You should prepare to behave calmly in any time. This is the attitude that one should have when welcoming a guest.


7. Greet your guests from bottom of your heart.
This means that you have respect for each guest.



Japanese tea ceremony makes you beautiful





Japanese tea ceremony is an integrated art. Some people learn more about traditional Japanese literature because it is connected to the root of Japanese tea ceremony and some learn more about utensils and potteries.
You can learn a lot of things from the training of Japanese tea ceremony. Even if you only had the trainings for beginner, your behavior and manner would be beautiful. Then you may notice how the Japanese tea ceremony would change your way of talking, making tea and food in daily life. I am sure you will be surprised how the effects of tea trainings would appear in various scenes and how it has changed you.