Tea ceremony presents unique tradition of Japan

Islamabad
Presenting the unique cultural tradition of Japan carried through ages, the Embassy of Japan organised a live demonstration of Chanoyu or Sado, known as Japanese Tea Ceremony, here on Thursday. The ceremony was held to acquaint Pakistani people with yet another important facet of Japanese culture and its civilisation.
The Japanese Tea Ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea and the art of its performance is called ‘temae’.
Clad in traditional Japanese dress kimono, the wives of Japanese diplomats skilfully demonstrated the Japanese tea ceremony much to the delight of the guests present on the occasion.
While welcoming the guests and friends at the Tea Ceremony, the Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata said that as a unique traditional face of Japanese culture, the act of preparing and drinking the powered green tea is an art which requires many years of study to master. The Ambassador said the whole process is not just drinking about tea, but is about aesthetic of preparing and serving a bowl of tea from one’s heart.
Ambassador Inomata said that the traditional Japanese tea ceremony is more than just enjoying tea; it is a spiritual experience that reminds to respect others, to feel harmony and purify oneself in the tranquillity.
The Tea Ceremony was presented by Japanese ladies, wives of diplomatic staff of the embassy.
The drinking of tea was introduced in Japan between 7th and 9th century by emissaries to China known as 'Kentoshi'. The custom of drinking tea, first for medicinal, was gradually spread to the wealthy merchant class in Japan. Sen Rikyu was considered the tea master who established the tea ceremony as an all-encompassing art form with an influence on even politics and the economy of Japan in the late 16th century. Since then the tea ceremony has become popular among affluent Japanese.
The guests are invited to drink tea in a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. If there is any reason behind holding this special tea ceremony, it is meant to attain deep spiritual satisfaction, and silent contemplation while drinking tea. While watching the ceremony, one can easily see the deep connection existing between the Japanese and tea. The ladies presenting the ceremony clearly explained each stages of entire performance just like an enactment with refined gestures, using traditional table, Japanese mats and utensils for the ceremony. One of the Japanese ladies present at the ceremony told this scribe that according to Japanese belief regarding the purity and power of the tea ceremony, the first sip makes one free from all evils; the second sip makes one do good deeds, and the third sip gives one the power to save the world!
As per the true spirit and essence of the Japanese tea ceremony being simple spiritual harmony, every move and element about the ceremony brought out the serenity of the unabridged cultural milieu. While performing the ceremony, ladies remained perfectly synchronised with every single action, calculated to achieve the highest possible economy of movement, simplicity and finesse. Sense of discipline; gracefulness; respect for others and for nature; punctuality and cleanliness are all traditional values which the Japanese have always cherished and the concept behind the tea ceremony that came clear to everyone present at the ceremony.