Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony (called cha-no-yu, chado, or sado) is a special way of making green tea (matcha 抹茶).
People who study tea ceremony have to learn about different kinds of tea. They also have to learn about kimono (Japanese clothes), flowers, and many other things. It takes many years of practice to learn tea ceremony.
History
Tea came to Japan from China in about 900 AD. Tea became very popular in Japan, and Japanese people started to grow tea in Japan.
In the 12th century, matcha (green tea powder), became popular. This tea comes from the same plant as black tea.
By the 16th century, all people in Japan, rich people and poor people, liked drinking tea. A man called Sen no Rikyu started teaching about tea ceremony. Many years have passed, but people still make tea the same way that Sen no Rikyu taught.
Things needed for a tea ceremony
You need many different things for a tea ceremony:
- Tea bowl (called chawan 茶碗). In a tea ceremony, people drink tea out of bowls instead of cups. Some bowls that people use are over 400 years old.
- Tea scoop (called chashaku 茶杓). A scoop is a kind of spoon. Tea scoops are made from bamboo. They are used to put tea into the tea bowl. Large scoops are used to put tea into the tea caddy (see below).
- Whisk (called chasen 茶筅). A whisk is like a brush made from wire. People use it to mix tea. Tea whisks are made from bamboo.
- Tea caddy (called natsume or cha-ire 棗、茶入れ). A tea caddy is a special container that people put tea in. There are two kinds of tea caddies: natsume and cha-ire. Natsume are short and have a flat lid and a round bottom. They are made of wood. Cha-ire are tall and thin. Natsume and cha-ire are used in different ceremonies.
- Napkin (called fukusa 袱紗). A fukusa is a special square cloth made out of silk. It is used to clean the tea scoop and tea caddy.
- Ladle (called hishaku 柄杓). A ladle is a tool that people use to pick up water.
- Tea (called matcha 抹茶). The drink of choice for a tea ceremony, which can be orange or green, but not yellow.
Tea ceremony
People do tea ceremony in a special tea room or a special building called a cha-shitsu. Most people wear kimonos.
When people go into the tea room they take off their shoes and sit on special floor mats called tatami.
Tea houses are very small. The guests (the people who go to the tea ceremony) sometimes eat food and drink special Japanese wine called sake. Before they drink the matcha (green tea) they eat something sweet, such as pokki (ポッキー).
The host (the person who does the tea ceremony) cleans the tea bowl and the other tea things. Then he or she puts some green tea powder into a tea bowl. The host mixes the tea with water. He mixes it with a whisk. The guests drink tea from the bowl.
When everyone has finished drinking tea, the host cleans everything and puts it away. Then the guests leave.
A tea ceremony can take from about one hour to about five hours.
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