Japanese tea ceremonies are often performed when guests are invited to someone’s tea room to celebrate seasonal changes and special occasions. While the Chinese tea ceremony is usually done during Chinese weddings, the Japanese tea ceremony is held to celebrate the cherry blossom, fall leaves, the tea harvest season, the beginning of the new year, and other occasions.
It is important to remember that the Japanese tea ceremony is not held everyday as most people drink boiled tea leaves rather than ground matcha tea. Most Japanese also do not have a special tea ceremony room in their houses. That is why tea ceremony is mainly practiced by tea ceremony enthusiasts and the members of tea ceremony circles at schools.
Occasionally, Buddhist temples hold seasonal tea ceremony gatherings that are popular among local community members and NPOS. While informal tea gathering (chakai) can be participated by beginners, the formal tea ceremony followed by a kaiseki meal (chaji) does not allow amateurs.