Continuing with the New Year traditions in Japan, today we attended a Hatsugama, which is the first tea ceremony of the New Year. The ceremony was held in a tea house located in the grounds of the Ikegami Honmonji Garden in Ota ward, Tokyo.
We were in one of three groups who enjoyed the tea ceremony, which was followed by a meal of traditional Japanese foods, and then a short stroll through the garden. The plum blossoms were just starting to appear on a few trees in the garden. The gate keeper told us that all the trees should be in full bloom around mid-February and the garden will be thronged with visitors coming to view the new blossoms and perhaps enjoy tea in one of the three tea rooms on the grounds.
For those who have never observed a Japanese tea ceremony here is a brief introduction. The tea ceremony is quite ritualized, yet it has the pure essence of harmony. Every move or every component about the ceremony encompasses serenity. The ceremony originated 700 years ago when Zen Buddhist monks began to explore this art form.The tea room itself was simply decorated with branches and sprigs of blossoms arranged artfully in the tokonoma, which is is a traditional Japanese style alcove reserved for the display of Japanese wall-scrolls, art objects, or flower arrangements.
Water for the tea is heated in an iron kettle over a charcoal brazier. The guests kneel down (for those with legs supple enough - for those who are not sitting cross-legged is acceptable) on the tatami mats and wait to be served tea. We faced the kama (the kettle) and the brazier. The host arranged the tea tools in a ritualistic manner that reflects the tea ceremony's values of harmony.
Then the ritualistic and prescribed movements began. First, Japanese sweets (wagashi) are served to the guests and eaten prior to drinking the tea. The sweetness offsets the slightly bitter taste of the tea.
The person making the tea uses a bamboo whisk to mix the tea powder and water in the tea bowls. Guests are served individually and the tea drinking ritual also includes set movements. First the bowl is accepted with the proper words. Next it is set on the mat slightly to the guest's left. After telling the person on the left that you will go first the bowl is returned to center, then picked up and rested on the left palm, and then turned a quarter turn clockwise, then another quarter turn, and finally the tea is drunk. After finishing the tea the guest rotates the bowl counter clockwise back to the starting position and then puts it down and carefully admires the design of the bowl, its colors, and contemplates these things to bring further serenity to the mind.
Photos of the ceremony and the garden are in the video files below.
We were in one of three groups who enjoyed the tea ceremony, which was followed by a meal of traditional Japanese foods, and then a short stroll through the garden. The plum blossoms were just starting to appear on a few trees in the garden. The gate keeper told us that all the trees should be in full bloom around mid-February and the garden will be thronged with visitors coming to view the new blossoms and perhaps enjoy tea in one of the three tea rooms on the grounds.
For those who have never observed a Japanese tea ceremony here is a brief introduction. The tea ceremony is quite ritualized, yet it has the pure essence of harmony. Every move or every component about the ceremony encompasses serenity. The ceremony originated 700 years ago when Zen Buddhist monks began to explore this art form.The tea room itself was simply decorated with branches and sprigs of blossoms arranged artfully in the tokonoma, which is is a traditional Japanese style alcove reserved for the display of Japanese wall-scrolls, art objects, or flower arrangements.
Water for the tea is heated in an iron kettle over a charcoal brazier. The guests kneel down (for those with legs supple enough - for those who are not sitting cross-legged is acceptable) on the tatami mats and wait to be served tea. We faced the kama (the kettle) and the brazier. The host arranged the tea tools in a ritualistic manner that reflects the tea ceremony's values of harmony.
Then the ritualistic and prescribed movements began. First, Japanese sweets (wagashi) are served to the guests and eaten prior to drinking the tea. The sweetness offsets the slightly bitter taste of the tea.
The person making the tea uses a bamboo whisk to mix the tea powder and water in the tea bowls. Guests are served individually and the tea drinking ritual also includes set movements. First the bowl is accepted with the proper words. Next it is set on the mat slightly to the guest's left. After telling the person on the left that you will go first the bowl is returned to center, then picked up and rested on the left palm, and then turned a quarter turn clockwise, then another quarter turn, and finally the tea is drunk. After finishing the tea the guest rotates the bowl counter clockwise back to the starting position and then puts it down and carefully admires the design of the bowl, its colors, and contemplates these things to bring further serenity to the mind.
Photos of the ceremony and the garden are in the video files below.
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