Japanese Tea Ceremony

Today I got lucky to be invited by a Japanese friend to take part in a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony lesson.

Before we get into it , let’s try some new food. My friend find a nice Oyakodon restaurant in Tachikawa, on the west side of Tokyo.

Itadakimasu Hisako san 🙂

This dish has quite a funny name , I had to laugh on this. Oyakodon means “parent-and-child donburi”. So donburi simply is a bowl of rice. And parent and child is actually Chicken and Eggs ! So you get a meal of the all family x) It was super nice and tasty but dang , poor family !  I forgot the time of this restaurant but it was a great value , for 1000 yen (8 euro ) you get a tasty and filling meal.

After this nice moment and discovery we headed to the Buddhist temple where Hisako takes regular lessons for Tea Ceremony.

Ureshii da yo !

Tea Ceremony in Japan is a strong part of the tradition and has a link with Buddhism. It takes many years of training to become a good “Host”. During the lessons you learn to master all the gestures and preparations. It’s all around Matcha tea (powdered green tea) and also timings. During the ceremony you are sharing this precious Matcha with other guests. It’s a spiritual gathering where one connects with others through nature. You can feel the Zen Buddhism elements during the ceremony. The Tea path is also called “Chado” in Japanese.

During the preparation of the Matcha tea you are using a “Chasen” , a tool made out of bamboo which helps to mix the Matcha properly. It should foam a little on the surface. The movements are very fine and precise. It’s a meditation just to watch this process.

Checking the boiling water.

Water is one of the main element of the ceremony as it is used to prepare the sacred beverage. You can also find a container of cold water (on the right side) which is used to wash the tools afterward. Every movements executed serves a purpose. They shouldn’t be any unnecessary movements. Also some grace and fine motions should be performed as it is an art. I understand why it takes year to master it .

The Tea room in one of the annexe of the temple.

This tea ceremony lesson was really interesting, being there as an observer was actually teaching a lot. The silence in the room was interesting too. Nobody will talk loudly , and each spell will serve a purpose too. No room for unnecessary chit chat. Saying that the ambiance was relaxed and easy. Especially as a guest as you don’t get the stress that the students may have. Once the tea is prepared , it is then served to one of the guests. Needless to say that this Matcha was succulent. The color was like Emerald Green. This ceremony is an art and a meditation. It gives you another insight of Japanese culture and more generaly to Life. The most simple things can get to the deepest level if it is done in the right way. Thanks you Hisako for offering me this opportunity. Very inspiring this was.

Caligraphy at the entrance of the temple. The meaning was “Do not only take care about your wallet but most importantly, take care of your mind”

After the ceremony we went to a nearby open air museum of old architecture called “Edo-Tokyo Open air Architectural Museum”.

Old and New hand in hand , at Tokyo Chuo line.

Edo-Tokyo Open air Architectural Museum

Many houses from different times could be found. It’s an interesting way to experience history of Japan through architecture. The entrance fee is 400 yen (3 euro)

Kawaii ! I think she got scared of me ^^

Old Japanese Sento. This is an old traditional bath , the one from “Chihiro” Miyazaki film actually. Having fun here.

Fuji San art in the man section.

Old Japanese sweets. Kids love it ! (I also do)

We did not had time to do everything at the open air museum as it was closing. But It’s a good place to explore. Also the park around is a good area to get glimpses of the local life.

Time to get back home using the fascinating and expensive railway system of Toyko

Psychedelic train.

Tokyo youngsters

Tokyo is a multifacet city where you can experience both the traditional and the more modern side in the same place. The dualities are fascinating. I hope Japan will not lose his tradition as it’s an important part of the country. I can see more and more Westernisation all over the world. Where Starbucks and Mac Donald are bloomings like flowers all over. The countries are becoming more and more Standardise and so , are losing their essence. I find inspiring to see younger generation such a Hisako preserving some aspects of their past and culture.
In fact there is endless lessons to learn from our ancestors, they are like Totems , holding some precious Wisdom (and some other values). As long as we don’t get too carried away with the future it can just be fine. I guess a good balance between Past and Future is essential.

Good night my friend .
Or Happy days , wherever you might be.

Jitto Miru じっと見る
To Contemplate