Origins & Cultural Role
In Japan, the tea ceremony is a cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of powdered green tea, called matcha. The art of tea ceremony is called Chado, or the Way of Tea.
Origins of the Tea Ceremony
The tea ceremony has its origins in the 9th century, when a Buddhist monk brought some tea back from China to his home in Japan (Pitelka 2014). In early modern Japan, the tea ceremony was primarily influenced by rituals, material culture, and political authority. At the time, the Tokugawa Shogunate created a class of tea professionals by embedding tea practice into the everyday lives of warriors (Oshikiri 2016). They built an annual ritual around the Shogunate’s acquisition of its annual tea supply, a formal event that helped build tea culture into political administration itself, with shoguns and domain lords spreading the practice via public rituals and regular consumption. At that time, the primary folk group practicing the tea ceremony was the warrior elite, which made it a part of their dominance in society. Practicing tea culture was an expression of class and cultural refinement, affirming one’s place among the elite (Oshikiri 2016).
Cultural Role of the Tea Ceremony
In Japan, the tea ceremony is a cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of powdered green tea, called matcha. The art of tea ceremony is called Chado, or the Way of Tea, and its practice emphasizes harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. These ceremonies, which involve specialized equipment and rehearsed gestures, are a way to demonstrate cultural refinement beyond the usual hospitality (Corbett 2014). Tea culture began in the sixteenth century in the imperial capital at Kyoto (Pitelka 2014). Sen no Rikyu, a sixteenth-century tea master, is credited with refining Chado as it is now practiced. His teaching of the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic of simplicity and humility has had widespread influence, especially on the architecture of tea gardens (Gardner 2020). Over time, it spread throughout all the social levels in Japan. The procedures for making the tea form the basis of tea culture, and vary with the seasons and utensils. The core elements include the host serving a meal and preparing a bowl of thick tea to be shared by the guests, followed by another round of thin tea.
Thick Tea
Thick tea, Koi-cha, is made with the highest grade of matcha - often denoted as "ceremonial". It possesses a vibrant green color and has a high level of sweetness. It must be kneaded with a whisk to blend the large amount of powdered tea with the water. The result should be a shiny tea with no foam. The preferred temperature of the water is 70 degrees Celsius, or 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Quantity: 4 grams matcha to 30 ml of water
Thin Tea
Thin tea, Usu-cha, is made with less matcha and more water. Compared to thick tea, it is prepared with half the amount of matcha powder, and double the amount of water. It is whisked with bamboo whisk containing 50-120 prongs in a "W" motion with the wrist. The surface of the tea should be covered with a fine foam. The preferred temperature of the water is 70 degrees Celsius, or 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Quantity: 2 grams matcha to 60 ml water
