Throughout a Japanese tea ceremony, a powdered inexperienced tea, additionally known as matcha, is ready by way of a particular ceremony. These gatherings are known as a chakai, which implies tea assembly, or a chaji, or tea operate. Chakai refers to a lighter tea and snack whereas chaji usually means a extra formal occasion with a meal that may final for a lot of hours. Along with serving the tea, the host should additionally execute different features of the tea ceremony, together with the right way to correctly put on a kimono, calligraphy, floral preparations, incense and extra. The friends that attend the tea ceremony should even have a robust data of the Japanese tea tradition, together with gestures, phrases and the right way to obtain the tea.
When friends arrive to the ceremony, they go to ready space known as a machiai-sitsu the place they wash their arms and mouth with water from a small stone basin. Earlier than coming into the tea home, they take away their footwear and enter by way of a brief door that’s solely 36 inches tall to represent that everybody is equal, no matter social standing. The one adornment within the room is a kakemono, or scroll portray, that the host has chosen and is a crucial a part of Japanese tea tradition. Visitors sit on a mat ground.
Japanese tea tradition dictates that the host should clear and put together all of the utensils that might be used throughout the ceremony in entrance of the friends. Tea is then served by whisking inexperienced powder and sizzling water in a tea bowl. The visitor of honor is served first and bows are exchanged. The visitor drinks from the bowl and the rim is wiped earlier than passing it to the subsequent visitor. This course of is repeated till all friends drink the tea. Afterward, the vintage bowl is returned to the host who rinses it and presents.