Authentic Japanese tea ceremonies, rooted in centuries of tradition, provide revitalizing moments of quiet contemplation over simple objects and pleasures. They provide a respite from the constant distractions of phones, the cacophony of traffic, and other stressors in today’s hyperconnected world.
A recent English-language tea ceremony at the Sanshotei Tea House drew bilingual native Japanese and foreign tea enthusiasts. The Tea House is situated within Yokiso Garden in Nagoya, Japan. I experienced hospitality, delicious tea, and an insight into Japanese tea culture. Nagoya is Japan’s fourth most populous city; yet, Nagoya still harbors old cultural treasures within its modern environs.
At Yokiso Garden, a six-minute walk away from a bustling eight-lane road, visitors are more likely to hear the splashing of Japanese carp in a pond, the swish of breeze-tossed bamboo plants, or the clip-clop of geta, traditional Japanese clogs, on cobblestone and gravel than the sounds of automobiles. To reach the tea house, one passes through a garden path, known as a roji in Japanese. Walking under tall, green trees along the verdant path by a carp pond was soothing.
The Urasenke Tea Ceremony
The tea ceremony host and her attendants, Japanese and foreign-born, wore silk kimonos, beautifully emphasizing the respect they hold for ancient Japanese culture. As the tea ceremony unfolded, our host, Soten Kato, sitting on the tea house’s straw mat floor in an upright kneeling position, called seiza in Japanese, greeted us and taught us about the symbolism and customs as the ritualistic ceremony unfolded. Soten is not her birth name. She explained that the grandmaster of the Urasenke Tea School honored her with the name Soten after she completed many “long years as a Urasenke school learner.”
Ancient symbolism and practices are essential aspects of the tea ceremony. However, much of the experience is about enjoying the present moment. Many Japanese consider chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony, as the quintessential artistic expression of Japanese hospitality. Soten spoke of ichigo-ichie. Following this concept, hosts strive to make the fleeting moment of the gathering into a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Guests should be comfortable, relaxed, and aware of their five senses during the tea ceremony, which can never be precisely the same at other times and locations.
Overcoming Barriers – Symbolic and Otherwise
A thoughtful host consciously chooses the tea utensils and art objects included in the ceremony. Tea houses typically feature a decorative scroll hanging from a wall in a small alcove. The alcove is a crucial feature in many tea houses. Scrolls often express a desired theme. For our ceremony, Soten chose one with the Japanese kanji “楽,” meaning “enjoy,” written on it.
Many hosts also purchase or pick flowers and arrange them under or near the scroll to effect a particular atmosphere in the tea house. Our host said she mixed white, yellow, and purple flowers to “produce a new beauty” for us.
In Japanese and many other Asian cultures, symbolic barriers often separate the “normal mundane world” from the spiritual world. Typically, a gate at the entrance to a temple or shrine, or a rope tied around a sacred tree or stone, indicates that on the other side lies a spiritual realm. These barriers are called kekkai in Japanese. For the tea ceremony, Soten used freshly harvested and trimmed horsetail plants to create a symbolic barrier. While one of the other tea hosts prepared matcha tea for the guests, Ms. Kato told us that she apologized to the horsetail plants before cutting them.
Customs Refined Over Centuries
We watched with pleasure as another host, who appeared to be mindfully preparing tea, wiped an array of tea utensils with a silk cloth. They meticulously folded the fabric and whisked matcha into tea bowls. Following customs refined by tea schools over centuries, her precise, graceful movements reminded me of a silent ballet. The swish of her whisk was audible.
Soten’s kimono-clad tea ceremony students slowly and carefully walked through the tea house. They knelt to serve us delicious sweets known as wagashi. Wagashi used in tea ceremonies are typically associated with timely themes. Ms. Kato explained that this event’s swallow design reflected the season and symbolically represented the beginning of new families. Another reason for consuming wagashi is that it leaves a sweetness in the mouth. Many say that this intensifies the matcha consumed soon afterward.
Finally, the matcha was brought and served to us in an assortment of tea bowls. Each bowl had a unique design, shape, and provenance. My bowl was crafted from bamboo. My wife received a ceramic bowl with colorful hydrangea flowers painted on one side. Our host served these bowls to us with the front, the most beautiful aspect, facing us.
Before I drank, I rotated the bowl clockwise about 90 degrees while admiring the workmanship. I sipped with the front facing outward. Vegetal sweetness mixed with umami filled my mouth. My eyes feasted on the beauty of the ancient tea house and yellow calamus flowers. The sky reflected in the pond. After draining my tea bowl, I rotated it back again and gently placed it in front of me.
Beyond the Tea Ceremony
After all guests finished enjoying their tea, there was time to ask questions about the scrolls, bowls, tea, and other items. Soto Kato enthusiastically answered all questions and sincerely thanked us for joining her. She tells me that she wants to share, “What I believe and what I have known, and what good things you can find in the tea ceremony.”
With matcha flavor lingering on my tongue. I walked away from the peaceful sanctuary of Sanshotei Tea House and Yokiso Garden’s green surroundings toward Nagoya’s modern subway system. The subway would carry me beneath asphalt streets and glass, concrete, and steel buildings. The Japanese tea ceremony was born during Japan’s medieval period. Yet, the lessons I believe it teaches — appreciating every moment with all our senses, behaving respectfully, and bringing joy into the lives of others — will always be valuable.
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