The tea ceremony is one of the distinctive traits of Japan. The word 茶道 literally means ‘the way of the tea’. It is linked to peace, tranquillity, and even samurais. It was started by Sen no Rikyū who intended the tea ceremony to be free from social and political trappings. The tea room door was only two and a half feet square, so guests had to crawl inside, which is an act of humbling themselves before the ceremony started.
The Japanese tea ceremony continues to thrive today and I had the privilege of learning how to perform the tea ceremony. Of course, there are many different types of ways, but the precision required is crucial to the whole ceremony. Every day I practised tea ceremony, but still easily made mistakes such as walking the wrong number of steps or using the wrong hand to get a bowl. There are also certain rules being the guest, where there is a certain way to hold the bowl of green tea, eat sweets, and have to comment on the painting on the wall. The beauty of the tea ceremony though is that it is completed in silence and whispers are hardly heard. This allows everyone to appreciate and enjoy the ceremony – looking at the performer make the tea, listening to the boiling water in the kettle, the shuffle of feet, etc. It also is a symbol that you forget all of the things clouding your mind and enjoy the peace and tranquillity the ceremony brings.
Some ceremonies nowadays are even outdoors and these coming weeks in Tokyo, there is the 2010 Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony for both foreigners and locals to enjoy.
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