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Chanoyu (in Japanese: 茶の湯, meaning "hot water for tea"), the Japanese tea
ceremony is a traditional ritual that became popular among merchants and
warrior elites by the 16th century. Perhaps the most famous historical
figure in tea history is Sen no Rikyu, who was active in the Azuchi-Momoyama
period. In Japanese, the te ceremony is also known as the way of tea" (in
Japanese: 茶道 "Sado" or "Chado", using the kanjis for tea 茶 and way 道)
The doctrine of this tea ceremony is "Treasure every meeting, for it will
never recur;" (in Japanese: 一期一会 "Ichi Go. Ichi E") its main purpose is to
welcome visitors and create a state of harmony between host and guest.
The ritual has a number of variations in the method of preparing the tea.
For example, in winter, a person makes tea using a kettle on a fire pit set
into the floor to keep the water boiling. In summer, they may use a big leaf
as the lid of the water jar to suggest coolness. Everything, including all
preparations, utensils, flowers and scrolls displayed and even clothing, is
chosen to harmonize with the purpose of the tea gathering and the season.
A sweet cake is eaten before drinking green tea, in order to offset the
slightly bitter flavor.
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