TEA CEREMONY

〈History of tea ceremony〉
During the Muromachi Period, Murata Juko founded "Wabicha" and later, Senno Rikyuu perfected the tea ceremony. In the early days of the Edo Period, it became known as "Sado."
This is a form of traditional Japanese lifestyle culture that finds its basis in hospitality and service. With a present string of actions, all the different styles have slight differences in the way they serve tea to the guest.


We belong to tea ceremony club. We practice it twice a week in a tea house on campus. Powdered green tea tastes a little bitter,but it matches Japanese cake, "Wagashi". It is a traditional Japanese cake. It is often served with tea.Wagashi is made from natural based ingredients.There are many types of wagashi. We eat "Higashi" in autumn and winter. Higasi is dry and contains very little moisture. In spring and summer, we eat "Namagashi" . It contains a lot of moisture,so it can't last.

This below picture is Namagashi.

〈Tool of tea ceremony〉

・Chawan(Tea bowl)

It is like a tea cup. It is made of clay. Chawan is Japanese traditional handiwork.There are many regional styles, for example, Kiyomizu, Bizen, Seto, Oribe, Kiseto, and Hagi ware.

・Chasyaku(Tea scoop)
It used to scoop up the powdered green tea. It is made of ivory, bamboo, mulberry, maple cherry, ume tree and so on.

・Chasen(Tea whisk)

The chasen is used to make tea. It used to blend green powder with hot water. It is made of spared bamboo.

There are many styles of tea-serving manners, depending upon the occasion,season and so on. For example, Hatugama(First kettle), Robiraki(Open furnace), Haruchakai(Spring tea ceremony), Akichakai(Autumn tea ceremony) and so on.

There are two main ways of preparing "matcha" of tea ceremony. Thick (Koicha) is more bitter than Thin(Usucha). We prefer Thin to Thick.

She is performing tea serving manners.

We held tea ceremony of autumn, and we wore Kimono. Kimono has various patterns. It is very beautiful. We usually don't have a chance to wear Kimono,so we are looking forward to hold tea ceremony every time.

〈Temple〉

We always use famous traditional temples when we hold a tea ceremony. There are Japanese gardens. Those gardens have Sekitei(Stone garden), Tourou(Garden lantern) and so on. We can learn traditional Japanese culture in tea ceremony.

〈Way to drink〉
1.Greeting
If the tea cup is put in front of you, say "Otemae chodai itashimasu."

2.Taking the tea cup
Take the tea cup with your right hand and put it on your left,then raise it little. Place the tea cup in front of you and turn it 45 degrees clockwise.

3.Drinking
Drink in three and a half sips. Then, make a sound and drink remaining foam.

4.Wipe the edges
Wipe the place where you sipped, using three fingers,and wipe your fingers with a "Kaishi". (Kaishi is a paper that you use when eating a Wagashi.) And turn the tea cup counter clockwise until the front of the cup is in front. Finally, put the cup just outside of the edge of the Tatami.

5.Take in the view of the tea cup
Put your elbows on your knees and look at this. After that, face the front of the cup forward and put it on the edge of Tatami.

(picture)

http://www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp/circle/washinkai/index.html

by Mari Kunimatsu

Chihiro Fujimura

Marisa Funabashi