ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of Japan organised a live demonstration of Chanoyu or Sado, or Japanese tea ceremony, to introduce Pakistanis to this centuries old tradition.

The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the way of tea, involves the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea, and the art of its performance, called temae.

Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata welcomed the guests to the tea ceremony, saying that this ceremony is a unique tradition in Japanese culture.

He added that the event was made possible through the hard work and dedication of the wives of the diplomatic staff at the Japanese embassy.

Discussing the history of the ceremony, he said, “The drinking of tea was introduced in Japan between 7th and 9th century by emissaries to China known as Kentoshi. The custom of drinking tea, first for medicinal purposes, gradually spread to the wealthy merchant class in Japan. Sen Rikyu was considered the tea master who established the tea ceremony as an all-encompassing art form with an influence on the politics and economy of Japan in the late 16th century. Since then the tea ceremony has become popular tradition among affluent Japanese.”

The choreographed ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea, called Matcha, together with traditional Japanese sweets to balance the bitterness of the tea is an art form.

Preparing tea in this ceremony means pouring all of one’s attention into the predefined movements. The host of the ceremony always acknowledges the guests with every movement and gesture such that even the placement of the tea utensils is considered from the guests’ view point, especially the main guests called the Shokyaku.

Clad in traditional Japanese dress kimonos, the wives of Japanese diplomats skillfully demonstrated the Japanese tea ceremony in the presence of a sizeable gathering.

Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata said, “The act of preparing and drinking the powered green tea is an art which requires many years of study to master. The process is not just about drinking tea, but is about the aesthetics of preparing and serving a bowl of tea from one’s heart. It is a spiritual experience where one is reminded of respecting others, to feel harmony and purify yourself in the tranquility.”

Riffat Abid says of the Matcha tea, “I tasted something similar in the Philippines but that was not as strong. They had sachets of green tea but this was a far more concentrated version. It is an unusual flavour of tea for us.”

Seema Khan said, “I saw the Japanese tea ceremony once before in Islamabad but there the demonstration was on stage where only two people from the audience were asked to be the guests. Here giving everyone a cup of tea was a lovely way of involving everybody in the ceremony.”

Shanzay Tariq, a young girl, said, “The event was too quiet but maybe it is for older people. I went to Korea last summer and am interested in going to Japan for a visit.”

Syeda Aliza Ali, another young girl, was thrilled said, “I really enjoyed the ceremony. I am a big fan of Japanese culture since I started watching anime. I love everything about Japan!”

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2015

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