Cha!Cha!Cha!(week4)

When we talking about Japan, one important thing that couldn't be missed is the Tea! Japan is really a tea heaven, and especially famous for its tea ceremony, called chanoyu or Chado(hot water for tea in Japanese). It is a spiritual experience more than just drinking tea.

The tea ceremony springs from China, which can tracked back to Zen Buddhism. Chines tea plant traveled to Japan during the Tang Dynasty, then Japanese learned to plant and created their own drinking traditions. Thus, the tea using in Japanese tea ceremony is really different from its Chinese counterpart. In Japan, they will use finely ground powered tea, which has a balance in traditional Japanese sweets and the bitter taste of the tea, whereas Chinese people always used the dried leaves from tea bushes, which focus on the bitter taste.

matcha

Chinese tea

Tea ceremony is a ritualistic traditions and a symbol of Japanese culture, which represents harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. The whole process of Chado, like graceful movement in pouring water and serving, and the strict etiquette about how to consumed it, is in a 'zen' way, and moreover about aesthetics. 

etiquette of Chado

As Harper and White(2010) described, a clear and effective symbol may readily reproducible and easily disseminated, tea ceremony of Japan is similar to pavlova of Australia, Tacos of Mexico, they are reproducible in other way, people learn the skill of tea ceremony performing, and then this performance can be part of the city sightseeing for local tourism. This symbolic traditional custom gives Japan  a national significance and provide a shorthand way for foreigners to gain a brief understanding of Japanese Culture.

Does this blog excite you with explore more on Japanese tea ceremony? Why not go on a travel and book online to experience a orthodox tea ceremony!