When inviting wealthy foreigners or VIPs to Japan, many are considering a tea ceremony experience, which is very popular overseas, to introduce them to Japanese culture.
However, some people may ask
“Why are tea ceremony experiences so popular with foreigners?”
I want to prepare a special tea ceremony experience different from others to entertain our foreign guests!
Some of you may be thinking like this.
The tea ceremony is popular among foreigners because it offers a uniform experience of kimono, traditional crafts, and the uniquely Japanese aesthetic of “wabi and sabi. The recent global acceptance of matcha (powdered green tea) is another reason for the popularity of the tea ceremony.
In this issue, we explain why tea ceremony experiences are so popular among foreigners. We, who specialize in entertaining foreigners, will also introduce a “one-rank higher” tea ceremony experience that is perfect for entertaining wealthy people and VIPs. We also introduce the basic knowledge for a successful tea ceremony experience, so please check it out.
Why is the tea ceremony experience so popular with foreigners?
So why is the tea ceremony experience so popular among foreigners? The tea ceremony has always been popular in Japan as a form of learning, and recently many hands-on classes have been held. First, let us explain why the tea ceremony experience is so popular.
Reason #1: Comprehensive experience of Japanese culture
The tea ceremony is popular because it allows you to experience many aspects of Japanese culture in one experience. In addition to tasting matcha green tea and wagashi (Japanese sweets), visitors can also experience various aspects of Japan, such as dressing in kimono, traditional crafts used in tea ceremonies, and tatami mat rooms and their decorations.
Thus, there is no other way to enjoy more of Japanese culture at one time than through the tea ceremony. Therefore, the tea ceremony is a must for those who wish to experience more of Japanese culture during their limited visit to Japan.
Reason #2: Experience the unique Japanese sense of beauty, “wabi and sabi
One of the reasons why the tea ceremony experience is so popular is that it allows you to experience the unique Japanese aesthetic of “wabi and sabi” through hands-on experience. Wabi, written as “wabi,” means “something simple and modest that is profound and captivating. Sabi, written as “sabi,” means “to view changes over time in a positive way as a form of beauty.
These are values that developed uniquely in Japan and are based on Zen ideas. In the tea ceremony, the concept of wabi and sabi is rooted in everything from utensils to dress, decoration, and manners. Wabi and Sabi are the foundation of the values of the tea ceremony.
The experience of the tea ceremony, which allows visitors to experience the wabi and sabi, is an essential part of Japanese cultural identity.
Reason #3: Experience the essence of “Omotenashi” (hospitality)
Another reason why the tea ceremony is so popular among foreigners is that it is the quintessential Japanese experience of hospitality. In the tea ceremony, every gesture is imbued with the meaning of hospitality, as you offer your guests the utmost in hospitality with just one cup of tea.
When Sen no Rikyu, the founder of the current tea ceremony, was asked by a student, “What is chanoyu (tea ceremony)?
Although it may seem obvious, these are called “Rikyu’s Seven Rules,” and are said to be teachings that teach us to “discern the true nature of things, and to treat others with respect. In this way, the tea ceremony allows us to experience the “Japanese spirit” of treating others with sincerity and sincerity.
Reason #4: “Matcha” has become a standard throughout the world.
In recent years, matcha has become a standard flavor in sweets such as ice cream and cakes, and more and more stores abroad are offering it. According to a survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the amount of green tea exported as a raw material has been increasing year after year, and by 2023 it had increased by 21% compared to the previous year. This is believed to be due to the constant increase in popularity and demand for matcha, with foreign coffee shops also handling matcha as “Matcha”.
The taste, aroma, and beautiful green color of matcha, as well as its high nutritional value derived from catechins and vitamin C, are probably the reasons why it is highly valued overseas. For this reason, many people overseas are familiar with matcha, and many foreigners think, “If I have come all the way to Japan, I would like to experience matcha and the tea ceremony.
Motenas Japan is your source for “tailor-made, special tea ceremony experiences!
While there are many classes where you can experience the tea ceremony, you want to provide a special experience that will remain in the memories of your guests. Motenas Japan offers a higher grade of experience for foreign guests that is not available at ordinary tea ceremony classes. Here is an example.
1. custom-made tea ceremony experience with live Japanese instruments
The tea ceremony experience tends to follow a pattern, but at Motenas Japan, we can customize the content of the experience to suit your tastes and needs. For example, how about a collaboration with live music played on Japanese instruments?
For guests who enjoy Japanese music and musical instruments such as koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi, we offer a tea ceremony experience while enjoying live music performed by professional Japanese instrumental musicians. While surrounded by Japanese music, you will receive a lecture from a real tea ceremony master on the etiquette, history, and culture of the tea ceremony, which is recommended when you want to create a sense of unity through a Japanese performance.
Experiencing a tea ceremony in a space with Japanese instrumental music will be a unique and special memory.
2. luxurious details for the experience of being a lord or princess
For guests who have already experienced a general tea ceremony, how about a “lord or princess experience” where you entertain them with a tea ceremony?
With attention to detail and gorgeous decoration of each kimono and tea utensil, visitors can experience the tea ceremony as if they were real lords and princesses. While actually using traditional crafts, visitors can be introduced to their origins and production methods. VIPs and wealthy foreigners who have had various experiences will surely be delighted with the experience of being a lord or princess.
3. original production in a Japanese garden or on a boat
We also recommend staging the tea ceremony outside the tearoom to enjoy the tea while admiring the seasonal scenery.
Motenas Japan can also arrange a tea ceremony experience with a view of a beautifully constructed Japanese garden or a river cruise on a traditional Japanese boat. Because typical tea ceremony classes tend to be held jointly with other participants, this is a popular option for those who want to enjoy a small group in a relaxed atmosphere or for those with small children.
The Japanese landscape varies with the seasons. The experience of a tea ceremony in the liberating outdoors, savored while feeling the breeze outside, is a unique and refreshing experience.
Outdoor tea ceremony is called “Nodate,” and depending on the school, tea utensils and manners may differ from those used in the tea room. Even those who have already experienced the tea ceremony will enjoy the differences.
4. parties and team building workshops
Tea ceremony experiences are often held for only a very small number of people. Therefore, the number of people who can experience it is limited, and it is often considered unsuitable for parties or team-building recreational activities.
However, the tea ceremony itself, the act of preparing and serving tea, is filled with spirituality, artistry, and a sense of religion, principles common to all Japanese culture. For this reason, the tea ceremony can be experienced by a professional tea master as a show, or by a workshop in which pairs of participants serve tea to each other.
The tea ceremony is a perfect opportunity to deepen mutual friendship beyond the boundaries of everyday life, as it is said that “the master who serves the tea and the guest who receives the tea are equal.
Experience specifications with consideration for foreign customers
When foreigners participate in a tea ceremony experience, there are various barriers such as language and culture. Motenas Japan can break down these barriers and provide the best tea ceremony experience and memories for people from overseas.
Commentary in foreign languages by first-class tea masters
In many tea ceremony classes, when foreigners experience the tea ceremony, they are accompanied by an interpreter they have prepared, who explains the etiquette and other details. However, the tea ceremony experience through an interpreter is time-consuming. In addition, the translation tends to be different from the nuance of what was originally intended, or the intention may not be conveyed properly.
Such a situation can be stressful for customers who have gone through the trouble of participating in the experience. Motenas Japan offers a tea ceremony experience with a foreign language-speaking tea ceremony instructor. Since the tea masters themselves explain the tea ceremony in foreign languages, detailed nuances can be conveyed smoothly, and foreigners can ask questions more easily.
Chairs and wheelchairs! An experience format that doesn’t require you to “sit on your hands.
Sitting on the floor is an essential part of the tea ceremony experience, but many foreigners feel uneasy about sitting on the floor for long periods of time. How about a tea ceremony experience that does not require sitting on the floor? While maintaining the Japanese atmosphere of the room and the etiquette of the tea ceremony, you can experience the tea ceremony in a comfortable chair or wheelchair.
Although not widely known, the tea ceremony using chairs and a table is called “ryurei,” an orthodox style invented to entertain foreigners. At Motenas Japan, we can arrange the experience according to your physical condition and intentions, so you can experience the tea ceremony together with someone who wishes to sit on the floor. This is a great experience for the whole family, as it is easy for the elderly and small children to experience.
Fundamentals for a Successful Tea Ceremony Experience
Next, let us introduce some basic knowledge and manners that you should know in order to have foreigners experience the tea ceremony.
The Beginning of the Tea Ceremony
The tea ceremony has a long history, originating in the culture introduced from China during the Heian period (794-1192).
At that time, tea was considered a medicine, and only a few people knew about the tea brought back by the Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty.
Later, until around the middle of the Muromachi period (1333-1573), the style of tea drinking among the aristocracy was to enjoy tea while appreciating expensive handicrafts and other items.
Sen no Rikyu, also known as the “tea saint,” greatly changed the tea ceremony, which had been enjoyed only among the nobility and had been limited to superficial interaction.
Rikyu learned tea from the disciples of Murata Jukou, a monk who incorporated Zen teachings into the world of tea.
It is said that Rikyu developed the spirit of chanoyu, or wabicha, established by Shuko, and shaped the tea ceremony as we know it today.
Steps to Enjoy the Tea Ceremony
Next, we will introduce the flow of receiving tea and sweets and how to make tea as part of the process of enjoying the tea ceremony experience. The exact method differs from school to school, but the approximate flow is as follows.
In the tea ceremony, the person who receives the tea is called the “guest” and the person who serves the tea is called the “teishu.
accepting candy from customers
Sweets are served on a tray or plate before tea is served. If there are several sweets on the tray, say “excuse me first” to the guest who will come after you, and then take only one of the sweets on your own piece of paper. This shows consideration for the other guests.
The sweets are placed in the palm of the hand with the paper and cut into halves or thirds with a toothpick.
welcome (a guest) to one’s home
There are various ways to drink tea depending on the school of tea ceremony, but here we will explain the orthodox way in Japan.
- When the tea is served, greet the guest after you with the same greeting as for sweets, “After you, please excuse me. and receive the tea bowl with your right hand.
- To avoid putting your mouth on the front of the bowl, place the bowl on your left hand and turn it clockwise twice.
- In the tea ceremony, the act of making tea is called tatemae. When the tea is served by the master, the tea ceremony master greets the guests with a bow and says, “O-demae bokushimasu” (please give me the tea), and then the tea is served.
- Tea should not be consumed all at once, but divided into three or four servings and sipped with relish.
- When you finish drinking, turn the bowl twice counterclockwise and wipe the mouthpiece with the thumb of your right hand. If you have time to spare, enjoy looking at the construction and design of the bowl.
This sequence of events shows that the teahouse master and guest are equals and mutually respectful of each other.
How to prepare tea
There are actually two types of matcha: usucha (thin tea) and koicha (thick tea). Here, we will explain how to make usucha in general.
- Put about 2 teaspoons (about 2g) of matcha in a tea bowl. If there are any lumps in the matcha, sift it beforehand or crush it lightly with the tip of a tea whisk.
- Once the water is boiled and cooled to about 60-80℃, pour it into a tea bowl using a tea ladle. The amount of hot water depends on the size of the ladle, but about half of the ladle should be used.
- Mix slowly at first to disperse the matcha at the bottom of the bowl, then raise the Chasen slightly from the bottom of the bowl and mix by moving the tip of the Chasen from the wrist to the tip.
At this time, be careful not to mix in a large circular motion as if the hot water is spinning. Depending on the school, making more bubbles when making the tea will make the tea mellower and easier to drink for foreigners who are drinking matcha for the first time.
Tools used in tea ceremony
The types of utensils used in the tea ceremony (i.e., tea utensils) differ according to the school, as well as the color and shape of the utensils. There are many types of tea utensils, including folding screens for decorating the tea room and shelves for storing tea utensils. Here we introduce some of the most common tea ceremony utensils.
[Typical tea utensils
teacup | A vessel for making and drinking tea. There are various types depending on the quality of the clay used as the material and the firing method. In the Wabicha value system, rustic, warm colors and a sturdy, stable feel are popular. |
Chagama (tea kettle) | 茶の湯を沸かすための茶道具。季節やシチュエーションによって炉釜と風炉釜、そして釣り茶釜を使い分ける。 茶道具の中でも茶碗と並んで実用性を重視されるが、茶室を演出し、客人の観賞用としても用いられることも。 |
Ladle | Used to pour hot water from a tea kettle without a spout. Most ladles used in the tea ceremony are made of bamboo, but during the reign of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and others, ladles made of gourd, which Hideyoshi is said to have favored, became popular. |
Chasen (tea whisk) | お茶をかき混ぜるために使用する、泡だて器のような茶道具。基本的には竹製だが、その材料や加工方法は流派によって異なり、細かく分けると100を超える種類がある。 本格的な茶筅は、現在でも専門の茶筅師が一本一本手作業で作っている。 |
Chashaku (tea ladle) | 抹茶をすくい、茶碗に入れる専用のスプーン。 千利休は、茶杓の素材である竹の節が柄に残るものを好み、茶杓の代表的なかたちとなった。竹以外にも、象牙や水牛の角・亀甲・金銀などでできた豪華な茶杓も存在する。 |
Fukusa | 点前の中で道具を拭き清めたり、茶釜のふたを取るときに水滴が垂れないよう使ったりする小さめの布。客の場合、茶入れなどの道具を拝見するときにも使用する。 男女で使う帛紗の色が定められており、男性は紫色・女性は赤や朱色を持つのが一般的。 |
Treat foreigners to a special tea ceremony experience!
The tea ceremony experience is popular among foreigners. The tea ceremony experience, which allows visitors to experience the unique Japanese aesthetic of “wabi-sabi” and hospitality, is an indispensable way to learn about Japanese culture.
And if you are going to give them an experience, please try to make it a special and memorable one. By providing a unique experience, you will surely satisfy wealthy foreigners and VIPs.
We are working day and night to spread Japan’s unique hospitality culture to people around the world. Please feel free to contact us for any inquiries regarding the reception and hospitality of guests visiting Japan.