Introduction
Hi, my name is Kaori, and I am a Japanese Tea master/enthusiast living in Singapore! My grandmother used to run a tea ceremony class in Yokohama (横浜), Kanagawa Prefecture (神奈川県), in the town where I was born and raised, so the concept of tea ceremony has always been a familiar presence in my life.
My foreign friends have often asked me, “Do all Japanese people participate in tea ceremony?”
The answer, surprisingly, is “No!” Because although many Japanese people have drink tea and matcha, very few of have actually studied the true art of tea ceremony etiquette and preparation techniques. I myself only started learning about tea ceremony when I was young because of my grandmother’s influence.
There has recently been a boom in the popularity of Matcha (抹茶), which you can see from all the new matcha cafes popping up in the streets. So today I would like to write about the traditional way of enjoying Japanese Matcha tea, known as Chanoyu(茶の湯), and how you can enjoy it in Japan!
About Japanese Tea Ceremony, or Chanoyu
Matcha tea originated when a Buddhist monk traveled to China a long time ago and brought it back to Japan. At around the end of the 16th century, the Japanese culture of “Tea Ceremony,” or Cha-no-yu was first developed by Sen no Rikyu(千利休) and is still being enjoyed and cherished to this day.
In chanoyu, tea and sweets are always served together. These sweets are essential for enjoying the matcha to its fullest. As a child, I mainly attended these lessons so that I could eat the sweets!
Unlike the western-style way of drinking tea from teapots, the ideal amount of matcha from a single teacup would be about three and a half mouthfuls. In addition, the sweets should be eaten before drinking the tea, and not after.
Why November is the best time to enjoy tea in Japan
Japan has four distinct seasons, but there are only two specific periods in the year with different kinds of tea ceremonies. The cold period from November to April is called the “Ro season” (炉の季節), while the warmer period from May to October would be the “Furo season” (風炉の季節).
Any tea leaves harvested in May would be stored in a jar and kept until the start of the Ro season to be opened in an important ritual. As a result, in terms of chanoyu culture, November would actually mark the start of a new year, rather than January. This act of grinding the leaves in a mill to make fresh tea for everyone is a very important event.
On this occasion, a sweet called Inoko Mochi, which is shaped like a young boar and symbolising good health and the prosperity of descendants, is often served.
Autumn is a splendid season for tea ceremonies, as November considered to be the start of the New Year in terms of tea. This month sees tea gatherings called kuchikirinosaji (口切りの茶事) which celebrate the first tea of the season, and tea ceremonies to enjoy the colourful autumn foliage.
Where can you experience traditional tea ceremony near Tokyo?
Lastly, allow me to recommend three tea-related locations near Yokohama, the city where I was born and raised!
1. Sankeien Garden
When my grandmother was still with us, we held tea gatherings here every year. It remains one of my favourites.
It is a wonderfully elegant place, featuring a superb Japanese garden built by a famous businessman and chajin(茶人) named Hara Sankei (原三溪), along with a lovely tea room.
Sankeien Garden (三溪園)
Address: 58-1 Honmoku San-no-tani, Naka-ku, Yokohama
Access: From JR Negishi Station, take the City Bus Route 54 or Route
97 and alight at the “Sankeien South Gate Entrance” bus stop.
2. Engaku-ji Temple
Kamakura (鎌倉) is a place rich with seasonal walks and historical sites. Several of the temples in this area offer matcha tea.
Of these temples, Engaku-ji Temple (円覚寺) stands out as my favourite. Beside autumn, I also highly recommend that you visit this place during the Shinryoku (新緑) season in May, when the temple would be surround by brilliant fresh green leaves.
Engaku-ji Temple(円覚寺)
Address: 409 Yamanouchi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa 247-0062
Access: 1 minute walk from Kita-Kamakura Station JR Yokosuka Line
3. Kawasaki Daishi
Kawasaki Daishi (川崎大師) is renowned as a temple for warding off evil spirits and misfortune.
While it is very popular as a New Year visit spot, a memorial service is also held in the temple every year around mid-October, where worn-out chasen whisks used for preparing matcha are burned as a token of gratitude.
Be sure to visit this spiritual Power Spot, and don’t forget to also check out the many sweet shops lining the streets around the area!
Kawasaki Daishi (川崎大師)
Address: 4-48 Daishi-machi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 210-8521
Access: 8-minute walk from Kawasaki-Daishi Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line.
Closing
When I first moved to Singapore in 2015, I felt a little stressed because of the lack of the four seasons. The seasons are very important in chanoyu. Every month, I would incorporate a seasonal feel into my tea ceremony, through the utensils and the sweets I used. Because of this, chanoyu became an important way for me to feel the seasons even while in Singapore.
Of course, it’s not always easy to incorporate seasonal ingredients and kimonos in Singapore, where it’s always summer. But even so, figuring out how to express a sense of the seasons in a country without four seasons has now become a very enjoyable challenge.
I have enthusiastic students of various nationalities, including Singaporeans, who take up my lessons and inspire me in many ways.
JAPAN RAIL CLUB
I think it would be a lot of fun to travel around Japan with matcha as the theme of your trip! This November, you can enjoy both the flavours of tea and autumn with the Koyo Treats Box by JAPAN RAIL CLUB. Featuring a selection of autumn-flavoured treats, this month’s box also comes with a box of enmeicha(えんめい茶) , tea brewed from barley which is easily to prepare.
The Omiyage Snack Box by JAPAN RAIL CLUB always includes a variety of sweets which pair well with matcha, so I hope this article has inspired you to prepare your own tea and savour them together.
