The tradition of consuming matcha green tea came to Japan at the end of the 12th century. A Buddhist monk Eisai went to China and realized that this tea could be also used for drinking purposes, not just medical ones, as it used to be. He has also discovered that matcha might keep monks awake while praying or during meditation hours. Eisai came up with the idea of crushing green tea leaves and using a bamboo whisk for tea making.
At first, tea ceremonies were only popular among upper-class individuals at their extravagant parties. Sometimes each person would drink from 10 to 100 cups of tea in one evening! But then, more and more people started organizing tea rituals in smaller rooms which could fit 5-6 people only.
The tradition then progressed into having art ceremonies with calligraphy, ceramics, and flower arrangements. It was also important to build an earnest connection between the host and guests since the ritual became more about mindfulness and relaxation rather than having fun. That was achieved by serving tea in a complete silence. Sometimes the host played nature sounds (birds singing, waterfall) in a room for the guests to dive into a deeper relaxation level.
The event itself starts weeks before the schedule in the organizer's and visitors' souls. They must retrain themselves from all negative thoughts they may encounter and be ready to accept each other with an open and kind heart.
On the ceremony day, the host will clean the room and tea tools and prepare meals early in the morning. When guests arrive, he greets them and offers Kaiseki - a number of dishes including soup, rice, seafood, and raw fish. Such a meal can include up to 15 different plates. Usually, there are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options available. The menu changes depending on a season of the year. Sake, desserts and fresh fruits are also served. Guests must wash their hands and mouths before accepting the meal, not only for sanitizing purposes but also to leave the darkness of the outside world behind.
The tools for the ceremony include:
- Tea clothes (chakin) for cleaning the tea bowl
- Tea bowl (chawan)
- Tea caddy/canister (cha-ire and natsume)
- Bamboo whisk (chasen)
- Japanese textile (fukusa) for purifying equipment
- Ladle (hishaku) for transferring hot water from the pot into the tea bowl
- Whisk stand (Chasen Kusenaoshi)
- Tea mats (placed under the teaware)
- Bamboo tea scoop (chashaku) to scoop matcha powder
And the tea preparation process starts:
- Adding 2-3 scoops of matcha powder
- Pouring a small amount of hot water (not boiling, 60° Celsius will work)
- Whisking the tea vigorously
- Waiting until a dense foam appears
- Adding more water
- Whisking again
Each guest takes a sip of tea from a bowl, cleans it, and passes it on.
There are two kinds of served tea: “Koicha” (strong tea) and “Usucha” (weak tea). For the "Koicha" tea, one completes only step 1-3, while for the “Usucha” all the steps. "Koicha" has more bitter and thick taste, and "Usucha" - a sweeter one.
In addition, there are two types of tea ceremonies: the Chaji (2-4 hours) and the Chakai (30-45 minutes). The difference between them is in the durability and amount of meals. A full meal is prepared at the Chaji ritual and a light one with sweets for the Chakai.
Overall, the meaning of a tea ritual, also called the Way of Tea, is to reach harmony and peace. It is also about being more conscious and less materialistic. Therefore, keep in mind these 4 main principles while attending a ceremony: harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei) and silence (jaku). Enjoy!