TEA CEREMONY
The Japanese tea ceremony usually takes place in a simple tea house, so that the guest or guests have the opportunity to come to inner peace.
First, the mouth and face are washed. This serves to wash off all the evil they have done or said. Then the guests enter the teahouse and sit down on their knees. Here any social differences between participants are dispersed.
At the beginning of a ceremony, rice, soup and pickles are served. Meanwhile, the tea water is boiled in a kettle. The guests have to leave the room once more and are not allowed to enter the designated tea room until a gong sounds five times.
The most important utensils for a tea ceremony are: Matcha tea in a tin (Natsume), a tea bowl (Chawan), a water jug (Mizusashi), a kettle (Kama), a bamboo spoon (Chashaku) and a tea whisk (Chasen).
At the ceremony there are exact rules to follow. For example, the kettle is pulled up to the knees. The tea cup is placed about 20 cm in front of the knees and the tea powder is placed between the tea cup and the knee. The Matcha is filled into the tea bowl after further important steps and infused with hot water. With a whisk the tea is beaten foamy and drunk by the guests. Normally the main guest is the first person who can drink the tea within 3 sips, then the other guests have their turn.
