WAH JAPAN CHAI ! - JAPAN JOURNEY

 BLOG POST 9
Our tour included a formal tea ceremony, so after the golden pavilion visit we were taken there

I never realized that my daily cup of garam chai had so much history and given great importance in Japan. 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.

Tea had been introduced to Japan from China by Buddhist monks, who used it as a stimulant to keep awake during long periods of meditation, I felt no wonder our Indian students survive on tea before their exams
The first great tea master was Sen No Rikyu from 15th century who laid down certain rules and regulations
We got down from our van, walked for a while and entered the tea house leaving our shoes outside

It was  quite small and simple , décor was that of a plain wooden structure , there was a raised platform on which tatami mats were laid on which small stools were placed with tables in front of them . Only decoration seen inside were scrolls with inscription

There was a table on which was laid Hiki Cha equipment comprising of granite stones called “Mikage-ishi”

Their texture is suitable for milling, and people used to mill matcha with this stone in the past. There are many gaps inside the milling stone to hold the tea leaves that are inserted from the top.There was an explanation chart  placed on the table

We tried our hand at it, though it looked easy ,it was tough as the stone was heavy, we would be milling the Tencha tea, a kind of dried tea leaf that is grown in a tea garden with no sunlight.
We put the Tencha leaves in the middle of the mill and grinded it counter-clockwise. The trick is to turn it once, every three seconds

After grinding, there was vivid green powder, the magical matcha!We carefully collected it using a brush and put it in a sieve and it was very similar to our manual machines in our country
Then we were asked to settle on the stools, one Japanese gentleman came into the room sliding the door gently open ,he was wearing  a  combination of kimono and hakama (a long divided or undivided skirt worn over the kimono) and was quite fluent in English,he first explained about the tea ceremony

Tea gatherings are classified as an informal tea gathering chakai and a formal tea gathering chaji . A chakai is a relatively simple course of hospitality that includes confections, thin tea, and perhaps a light meal. A chaji is more formal gathering lasting for 3 to 4 hours, usually including a full-course kaiseki meal followed by confections, thick tea, and thin tea.
There are two main ways of preparing Matcha for tea consumption: thick (Koicha) and thin ( Usucha), the best quality tea leaves are used in preparing thick tea , the tea leaves used as packing material for the Koicha leaves in the tea urn ( Chatsubo) would be served as thin tea. Thin tea is served to each guest in an individual bowl, while one bowl of thick tea is shared among several guests
So we were now attending a simple Chakai gathering and going to drink thin tea

Special schools conduct classes to students in the ways of preparing the tea right from the dressing ,entry into the tea rooms ,how to manage the Tatami mats ,how to take care of the equipment ,how to prepare tea and decorum to be maintained
Our host first introduced us to the Tea equipment called Chadōgu .
 A wide range of Chadōgu are available and different styles and motifs are used for different events and seasons. All the tools for tea are handled with exquisite care. They are scrupulously cleaned before and after each use and before storing, and some are handled only with gloved hands.
Some items, such as the tea storage jar "Chigusa," are so revered that they are given proper names like people and admired and documented Some are passed on in generations after generations

Chakin is a small rectangular white linen or hemp or cloth mainly used to wipe the tea bowl
Tea bowls or Chawan are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, and different types are used for thick and thin tea. Shallow bowls, which allow the tea to cool rapidly, are used in summer, deep bowls are used in winter. Different types of bowls with exquisite designs were placed before us

Bowls over four hundred years old are in use today, but used only on unusually special occasions. The best bowls are done by hand, and some are extremely valuable. Irregularities and imperfections are prized and often featured prominently as the "front" of the bowl.
Tea caddy , Natsume or Chaire is the small lidded container in which the powdered tea is placed for use in the tea-making procedure .

Tea scoop or Chashaku are generally carved from a single piece of bamboo, ivory or wood. They are used to scoop tea from the tea caddy into the tea bowl. Different styles and colors are used in various tea traditions.
Tea whisk or Chasen, is the brush like implement used to mix the powdered tea with the hot water and are carved from a single piece of bamboo. Tea whisks quickly become worn and damaged with use, and the host should use a new one when holding a tea ceremony

The host showed us our bowls and asked us to pour the matcha powder one and half scoops into them and he then poured hot water into our small bowls

which we had to pour over the matcha powder and we had to briskly whisk the powder with the brush in straight lines and not in circles ,we had to do this very fast till froth came over the liquid

Now we were instructed to take the bowl in our left hand and place our right hand on its side. Next we had to turn the bowl clockwise toward us and try the Matcha, seeing our wry faces our host asked us to eat the sweet provided at each table known as Wagashi ,it was so sweet that we managed to drink the rest of the tea.
 Wagashi  are traditional Japanese sweets that are typically enjoyed in combination with a cup of green tea. They are made in a wide variety of shapes and consistencies and with diverse ingredients and preparation methods.

Sweet azuki bean paste, sugar ,rice flour ,sesame paste and chestnuts are other ingredients are used in a large number of Japanese sweets ,most of which  are handmade as per the seasons
At this stage it is worth mentioning that the tea was so bitter that I felt like I was a drinking a strong decoction
After drinking it we had to wipe the bowl and turn it the other side . Although it looked easy, we found it difficult

After the process of tea drinking was over, our host asked us to make sounds of contentment showing our appreciation which we happily did and he finally demonstrated how to clean our bowls

   Altogether our tea ceremony was an enjoyable and a memorable one