When you visit Japan, you must allow some time to be set aside to attend a tea ceremony. It will add so much to your experience of the culture that you may leave with a new sense of awe and calm belief in something outside of yourself.
The Philosophy
According to Air Culinaire Worldwide, this centuries-old tradition of the matcha tea ceremony started in the 1500s, though the tea itself was born hundreds of years prior to the birth of this Zen Buddhist traditional ceremony. The importance of movement and meaning in the ceremony places love of some of life’s most meaningful characteristics into play, those of nature, mindfulness, art and interacting on a social level as well as the beauty of life’s imperfections.
The Tea
Don’t let the term matcha scare you away from attending or hosting a tea ceremony. According to Matcha Island, matcha is made from the same leaves as regular brewed green tea, but the process in which its made varies, imparting additional nutritional benefits. The best matcha powder is more of a personal preference. Historically, the green tea leaves are ground to a fine powder, but if the variety you have is chunkier, it is still possible to get the taste you desire. Brands that offer organic matcha definitely have a following. The reported health benefits may be more inorganic, but the ceremony can be just as effective, regardless, being that the method of making the tea is part of the ritual.
The Host
Being a tea host is a job for many people in Japan. But more than a job, it is a calling. Sharing the tradition with others and going through each step of the ceremony gives a feeling of spiritual awareness to all involved. Oftentimes, you can attend a ceremony hosted by a geisha as part of a geisha performance.
What to Wear to a Matcha Tea Ceremony
Part of the attraction of a tea ceremony, especially when you are in Japan, might be wearing the traditional Japanese kimono. It shows respect to the host that you are immersed in their offering of the ceremony and shows your willingness to have an open heart. Allowing yourself to fully take in the culture will add to the effects of the ceremony.
Regardless of your reason for attending a matcha tea ceremony, the touted healing aspects of the tea, physical and spiritual, can improve your life and open up a new understanding of Japanese culture.
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