By Paige Broomhall and Georgia Banham 8D

The Japanese tea ceremony is also known as ‘The Way of Tea”, it is a cultural tea ceremony involving the ceremonial preparation of matcha, which is a powdered green tea. In Japanese it is called chanoyo or chado or sado. Zen Buddhism was an influence in the development of the tea ceremony. Tea gatherings usually includes thin tea and a light meal.

Preparing tea in this ceremony means pouring all attention into the perfect movements needed. This process is not actually about drinking tea it is about the movement and preparing the tea from one’s heart. The host of the tea ceremony is always considering the quests with every movement and gesture. Even the placement of the utensils need to be placed correctly.

The tea ceremony normally took place in a tearoom, the chachitsu. The guests entered with the samurai leaving their swords outside and the last to enter closing the door behind him. The tearoom was arranged so that those entering would first see a scroll hanging in the tokonoma {alcove}. This scroll was normally of calligraphy, with its subject often a saying such as Honrai mu Ichibutsu {'Originally there is nothing'}. this scroll is carefully chosen by the host to reflect a mood or the season, the guests spend a moment appreciating it before taking a seat hearth in the centre of the room. The host now enters, and one of the guests thanks him or her for their invitation. it was considered impolite to speak of things not related to the ceremony. The guest then serves a light meal. The guests then exit the tearoom while the host prepares for the drinking of tea, replacing the scroll with a single flower in a vase. When the guests return, the host heats water in an iron kettle, then rinses and wipes the tea bowl and utensils. He places powdered green tea in a bowl, then whips the tea with a whisk, until the surface is slightly frothy, then serves it to his guests. Two kinds of tea will be served: koicha, which is the more formal of the two and possessed of a thicker consistency and bitter taste, and usucha - thinner and more 'informal'. Koicha is served first, and all the guests drink a small quantity from the same bowl. Later in the ceremony, usucha is served in individual bowls. The tea bowls themselves can vary in design according to the host and the season. 'Winter' tea bowls are deeper, to help contain heat, while 'summer' bowls are shallower and broader to release the heat and give the impression of coolness.

Chabako: the container containing the utensils needed for the tea ceremony. Doro: is a copper gong which is used at the very end of the tea ceremony when all the guests have left. Hachi: is a bowl of sweets or savoury foods eaten before the drinking of the teas. All of this equipment has to be handle very carefully as a sign of respect.

The Ihoan tea hut was one of the most favourite and popular places to have a tea ceremony. When you cross over a stone bridge visitors to the entrance of the Shokin-tei, which is one of the most important tea pallivan. This image below me is the inside of a tea room that features a three Tatami-mat layout with a centre pillar.

Kodaiji temple garden is famous for its wonderful stone layout, it is one of the finest gardens of its time. Kodaiji's garden has been designated by the Japanese government as a "place of Historical Importance and Outstanding Scenery." It was established in 1606 in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, by Hideyoshi's wife Nene who is also in a shrine at the temple.

The total area of the Katsura Imperial Villa is approximately 69,000m².In the middle of the grounds, there is a lake with a shoreline. Katsura Villa is surrounded by a magnificent landscape garden, with lanterns and hand- washing basins, with a pathways laid out in a circuit for strolling. The structures are built in the pure Japanese Sukiya style. The Katsura Imperial Villa has three sets of stepping stones. it is impossible not to admire the natural beauty that can be witnessed in any of the seasons of the year. It is said that Kobori Enshu was not directly involved in the creation of the garden.

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