It's All About Tea — japanese tea ceremony
Chashitsu — The Japanese Tea Hut
Posted by Path Of Cha on
Chashitsu is the Japanese term for a tea room. It is a little hut, resembling a house, where Japanese tea ceremonies (chanoyu) would take place. Following tradition, matcha green tea is always served in the chashitsu, alongside with some simple sweets prepared by the tea master. It is said that chashitsu started appearing during the Sengoku period (mid-15th century to early 17th century). Before then, tea was commonly enjoyed in separate rooms and not in individual tea huts. (Read more)
- Tags: chashitsu, japanese tea, japanese tea ceremony, matcha, wabi sabi, zen
The Evolution Of Modern Day Gong Fu Tea
Posted by Path Of Cha on
The Chinese Tea Ceremony. Gong Fu Cha. In the west, we have all developed certain connotations behind these phrases, and for most of all, the image we get when we hear Chinese tea ceremony is the same. A gaiwan or yixing teapot filled to the brim with tea leaves, some small teacups, a tea table with some tea utensils, and a tea pet. Indeed, the vast majority of us will get the same image in our minds when we hear gong fu cha. The Chinese tea ceremony is almost comparable to Chinese food in the US. Is American Chinese food the same food you will find being served in China? No. It is the same with the Chinese tea ceremony. Not everyone in China practices what we nowadays refer to by this term. Furthermore, modern day gong fu cha is not purely Chinese. (Read more)
- Tags: chaozhou, chinese tea, chinese tea ceremony, gong fu cha, history, japanese tea, japanese tea ceremony, taiwanese tea, teaware
Choosing The Best Teacup For Your Tea Ceremony
Posted by Path Of Cha on
Teacups! They come in so many different shapes and sizes. Growing up in the west, I was always used to drinking tea from giant mugs. And the more absurdly giant the cup was — the better! I still remember like it was yesterday, the day I first tried tea from a tiny teacup, which barely fit in my fingers. It seemed it wasn’t even enough tea for half a sip. However, that half a sip was incomparable to any of the giant tea gulps I’ve had before!
There exist many different styles of teacups used for both the tea ceremony and casual tea drinking. Let’s take a look at each one. (Read more)
- Tags: aroma cup, chawan, gong fu cha, japanese tea ceremony, jian zhan, matcha, teacup, teaware, yunomi
Zen, The Art Of Incense Burning And The Tea Ceremony
Posted by Path Of Cha on
In the somewhat intricate world of tea ceremony, there exists a debate: incense or no incense?
Personal preference aside, we decided to go deeper into why exactly incense can be burned during tea ceremonies. After all, this is a long tradition that has holds its roots in Buddhism and has made its way into the traditional tea ceremony. (Read more)
- Tags: chanoyu, gong fu cha, history, incense, japanese tea ceremony, matcha
All About The Japanese Cast Iron Teapot: Tetsubin
Posted by Path Of Cha on
Centuries ago, tetsubin were used solely for boiling water.
Nowadays they have gained immense popularity outside of Japan. We find them in many restaurants, cafes, and homes. Not only are these cast iron teapots aesthetically pleasing to the eye, with their simple zen like form; but they are also great at keeping our tea warm. (Read more)
- Tags: chanoyu, japanese tea, japanese tea ceremony, teapot, teaware, tetsubin