MATCHA RITE
What are the main steps of a typical tea ceremony?
Step 1: On the day of the tea ceremony, the host gets up very early in the morning, yes starts preparations.
Step 2: When the guests arrive, they are led through the garden, then they wash their hands, yes are symbolically cleansed of the dust of the outside world. They have to step through a small door that ensures guests bow. The door is also an obstacle to the outside world and help create a sense of shelter.
Step 3: The host kneels on the mat and cleans his gear with elegant movements. He boils purified water in an iron kettle on the stove he has on the floor.
Step 4: The silk cloth (fukusa) representing the host's spirit is part cut from their kimono. It is symbolically folded and unfolded, before it is used to handle a hot iron pot.
Step 5: Matcha and several ladles hot add water to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
Step 6: Hand the cup of Matcha to the first guest who takes the cup in front of you with a sip, spin 180º in two turns to avoid drinking from a decorative of the front of the bowl. Each guest wipes the bowl before passing it forward.
Step 7: To complement the taste of the tea, they serve beautiful wagashi sweets, sometimes made from azuki bean paste.
Step 8: When the bowl is returned to the host, the tools are cleaned and the ceremony performed conclude.
RULES AT THE TEA CEREMONY
Rules that guests must follow at these tea ceremonies!
The guest is not a passive participant; everyone has their role and it's etiquette an important part of the ceremony. Here are the basic rules:
1. Guests must wear a kimono.
2. They must always arrive a little before the start, as this shows respect for the master.
3. They take off their shoes at the entrance and put on slippers and wait for them they invite inside.
4. Avoid stepping on the middle of the tatami mat and touching the mat they use clenched fists.
5. All guests should show their appreciation by praising the host for their efforts, they admire the room and the delicious tea and sweets.
6. They don't chat with each other, only the tea master speaks talk to each other focuses only on the ritual.
7. Finally, if there are several guests, each guest only drinks a quarter and then carefully wipes rim of the cup. This is mainly for hygiene reasons, so that you don't drink from of the same place as the other guests.”
