At the Radisson Blu, Atria, last week, Bengalureans witnessed a Japanese tea ceremony, which is called chanoyu, sado or chado in Japanese. Tea masters Yoshida Hikari Schoo from Toyooka-shi, Hyōgo-ken, Japan, Nomura Yoko, Yoshida Teruyo and Murata Masashi from the Japan Travel Café, Azuki, conducted the ceremony, which gave an insight into traditional Japanese culture, marked by immense hospitality.
The hosts, dressed in kimonos, began the ceremony preparing tea in a big tea bowl. The guests seated themselves and after the hosts and guests exchanged greetings, Matcha (powdered green tea with a full-bodied flavour) was then served in Chawans (Japanese tea bowl). To balance out the bitterness of the tea, Wagashi, or traditional Japanese sweets, including Youkan Wagashi (sweet red bean), which tastes similar to halwa, and the velvety-textured Kinako Dango Wagashi (sweet red bean with soya bean powder coating) were served.
The tea ceremony was a meditative experience—which can be understood from the fact that Zen Buddhism had an influence in its development— as we savoured the tea and sweets to the music of a mellifluous Japanese flute. On display were Japanese paper art work and calligraphy. “The tea ceremony initially started with men who would meet in a room to hold informal discussions while ladies served tea,” says Nomura. “The Japanese tea rooms are tiny and everybody enters through a low door. Hospitality is essential to the ceremony.” Nomura adds that now the tradition of tea ceremonies aren’t as elaborate.