The tea ceremony strengthens the bond between host and guest. However, the tea ceremony is certainly a meditative act, as its great founder Sen no Rikyu called “tranquility” one of its key elements. So, you may be wondering why the tea ceremony is different from other tea drinking practices, and why it can lead to mindfulness and ultimate inner peace. We tell our customers that the answer lies in the basic elements of Zen philosophy, which is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. It is about impermanence, presence, selflessness, and acceptance of life as it is.
The term Zen may be difficult to define, but it can be referred to as mindfulness and the idea that simple actions can lead to the awakening of spirits. There are a lot of similarities between the main principles of the tea ceremony (harmony, respect, tranquility) and the philosophy of zen (mindfulness, nothingness, transience).
Tea ceremony involves following several prescribed steps, so one does not have to think about the next step and gain inner peace while performing this ritualistic activity. That is why the tea ceremony cannot be considered separately from Zen. We should also remember that matcha tea was introduced to Japan by the Zen Monk Eisai, who built the first Zen temple in Japan.