Japanese Traditions

On this page, we will introduce some aspects of Japanese traditions.

"Sa-doh", or Tea Ceremony.

Tea originated in China and was introduced to Japan by Buddhist monks. A monk called Murata Juko started the tea ceremony in 15th century and Sen-no Rikyu perfected it as an aesthetic art as “Sa-doh”, or Tea ceremony, in 16th century.

The Tea used in tea ceremonies is powdered green tea called maccha. The host of the ceremony puts maccha in a large tea bowl, pours hot water in it, and stirs it with a bunch of bamboo, called a cha-sen, until the tea becomes frothy. Then the guests drink it and express their appreciation for it in special way. They sit in a tea room which has been carefully decorated with a flower arrangement and artistic objects, such as a hanging scroll. The host and the guests cherish this once-in-a-lifetime encounter.

There are some special events where people who want to learn the art of the Tea ceremony to a high standard can attend. But there are also some events where anybody can attend, you don’t have to have any special knowkedge about the Tea ceremony. These events sometimes hold by local government or public organization and so on.

I recommend attending such event once. I assure you that you will enjoy the atmosphere of the Tea ceremony.