Traditional Arts of Japan

The Study of Tea

2006-12-15T22:33:00.000-06:00

Studying Tea...

Many ask or wonder what the study of Tea involves.. They see the fluid, smooth movements of the Host and believe that it looks so simple, so easy. Others come time and again, and little by little they are able to predict what the Host will do next and yet, despite having attended many, many Tea ceremony events, when the time comes to try making Tea, the new student is often at a loss of where to start, or what to do from moment to moment.

This feeling, the early stages of memorization can take quite a few years. For some reason, as soon as the mind becomes conscious, or aware - the thread of actions is lost and the student's mind goes blank. Often, we refer to students at this point as 'suffering blanks' in their Tea. It is something that is overcome through the active review and study, as well as through visualization exercises and physical practice.

Typical lessons last 1-2 hours, but many who are too busy to attend each week regularly lose the thread of their study and find that the inconsistency they apply to Tea slows their progress. For this reason, many study Tea for years and years and years!

Throughout the progression of learning, the body begins to remember little by little and the practitioner may even find themselves forgetting what they've done, surprised a little, at how their handsseem to know what to reach for next - and what to do. This stage is the early sign that with a little more dedicated effort and study, very soon, the practioner will be able to complete the entire sequence without straining to remember. It is very exciting when the day comes that the student feels a true sense of confidence and can go through the Tea Ceremony, from start to finish, without reminder or correction from the Teacher - without hesitation or interruption. For me, this was a stage I longed to reach in Tea.

Over the years, the Goal becomes less important than the Process; the enjoyment comes not so much from being able to feel a mastery over form - but instead, the real journey towards inner mastery is just beginning. Acheiving mere memorization, formally such a challenge, such an unattainable goal, becomes insignificant when the student reaches the next gate or path: the understanding that there is yet, a lifetime more of knowledge to acquire about the associated artforms that encompass Tea.

Ideally, the student comes to the realization that Tea and its practice is not about being admired for the prettiness of one's technique, but that it is of greater importance to keep all our attention on the needs of the guest and set aside our own ego entirely. This point within study is truly statisfying, because the Tea practioner is beginning to reach an understanding of the value of the Way of Tea itself: that it is about more than acquiring a series of steps or skills; it is about being able to collaborate with others in the pursuit of spiritual perfection.

Teachers will typically encourage learning all the movements of Tea within class, under the close watch of the Master's eye: too often bad habits are acquired through careless practice, or mistaken fossilization of errors which go uncorrected. The student needs to learn physically, not intellectually and while some facts, figures and explanations can be given about symbolism or practicality, Tea should truly be learned and understood over the course of Time.

In order to keep the student alert and appreciative of the variations and multitude of permutations of Tea, materials are changed from week to week - with the seasons - and the blooming of different flowers so that the students remain dedicated to their practice. The student should never be allowed to become over-confident in their abilities: this arrogance is the antithesis of Tea and students must be taught to appreciate that Tea is a lifelong path, not a passing fancy.

The goal of attending a chaji, or being able to 'do' Tea should not be the ultimate goal or purpose to study Tea. Tea is about appreciating and enjoying the process itself; within each practice session, lesson or gathering - the feeling of committment to Tea should be to move towards true self-realization.

2006-06-14T11:43:00.000-05:00

June 9, 2006: City of Ottawa Multicultural Evening

Over 1,700 people braved the cold rain to come down to City Hall and enjoy coffees, teas and desserts of the world. Mayor Bob Chiarelli and his staff did a wonderful job organizing this event, which was held for the first time.

A big thank you to the Camellia Teas of Ottawa Team who served nearly 450 cups of tea at this event!

City of Ottawa Tea Photos: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wakaotta/album?.dir=4482re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wakaotta/my_photos

2006-05-15T14:36:00.000-05:00

CBC Visits our Ochakai...

On May 8th, 2006, the Metro Editor of Ottawa's CBC visited our Ochakai (Tea Gathering). Over the course of the three hours, he and his photographer interviewed a number of guests and took footage of various parts of the ceremony. The nearly 4-min. piece aired nationally on the 6:00 pm news on May 11, 2006. A great thanks to all who participated!

Click Here for the CBC listing

Photos of the CBC Evening

2006-04-29T09:41:00.000-05:00

Some Images of Tea Ceremony..

Over the last 8 years, I've photographed many aspects of tea ceremony. On average, in a typical 2-hour lesson I might take as many of 100 photos of the various steps involved in order to help me remember out of class. My patient teacher and classmates endured these impromtu photo sessions at the time, but we all benefit from their creation now! I have over 5G of photos stored at the yahoo photo site below, and am always adding to it. Enjoy!

There are many, many more images to be found here: http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/wakaotta/my_photos

2006-04-28T15:31:00.000-05:00

Being a Guest in Tea Ceremony: What to do

Omotesenke is primarily silent: Communication between host and guest is para-verbal. Only twice during the ceremony is there any talk: when the host invites the guests to partake of sweets, and when the main guest invites the host to clean the bowl. In formal teas, there will be a conversation between the main guest and host at the very end of the ceremony.

The Main Guest
Usually the most senior Tea Practitioner sits closest to the Host. This main guest helps other guests by showing them what to do during the ceremony. If you're attending a tea gathering for the first time, just watch the main guest and follow what they do.

Expressing thanks: Bowing: Main point to remember
Although verbal communication is kept to a minimum, there are key moments in Tea Ceremony when Host and Guest, or other guests, express their thanks to one another. This is done primarily through the Japanese bow. There are three levels of bows in Japanese Tea Ceremony: Shin, Gyo and So. These have varying degrees of depth, depending on who is being thanked.

In general, if someone offers you something, you bow. Before you partake of either tea or sweets, it is considered polite to offer it first to those who are sitting on your right and your left before eating or drinking yourself. The guests will bow to each other as though to say:

"Would you like to have this before me/once again?"

"No, no.. It's ok.. Please go ahead"

This 'dialogue' takes place with simultaneous bows by both guests.

Bowing Technique

Hands together, in front of you forming a triangle.
(tuck your thumbs under your palm)

offer to the right (bow)
offer to the left (bow)
place in front of you (bow)

When the guest should bow:
1. When the host enters, return their bow.
2. Sweets: bow in thanks. Offer right (bow), left (bow), then eat.
3. Drinking your tea: offer Right (bow), Left (bow), place the bowl in front of you then bow in thanks to the host.

How to drink the Tea
• Pick up the bowl in your Right hand, support with Left hand.
• Rotate the bowl, clockwise, 2 (small) quarter turns.
• Consume the tea in 3.5 sips (if you can). Bow in thanks and place the bowl in front of you. Take a moment to admire the Tea Bowl - the opportunity to view this bowl may never come again.

2006-04-28T15:19:00.000-05:00

Frequently Asked Questions about Tea Ceremony

How long does it take to be a Tea Ceremony Host?
It takes years of study (about once a week, for several hours) in private or small group classes.
The reason it takes so long is that there are over 200 steps in a tea ceremony, and there are many kinds of ceremonies depending on the season.

Each step is carefully, methodically prescribed and must be first memorized before a host can remember the movements without effort or strain. Once the body has ‘memorized’ all the steps, the host can begin to work towards a higher level of tea (mind, spirit and intention).

Many students of tea simply enjoy being a guest and watching their teacher (or advanced students) prepare tea before they try making it themselves. This stage of observation often lasts 6 months to a year.

What is a tea gathering?
Tea gatherings usually involve no more than 15 people at a time (depending on the size of the tearoom. Guests observe the making of tea (which takes about 30 min. for simple, thin tea (USUCHA), or up to 2 hours for thick ceremonial tea (KOICHA),

Why are tea gatherings held?
Ochakai are held in Japan for many different occasions such as New Year’s, the arrival of Spring, as a memorial for someone, or to celebrate an important event in the life of a person.

How often do they happen?
Not often! They require considerable preparation, so many teachers with about 25 students will hold a ‘public tea’ perhaps only once a year or two.

Who attends tea classes or gatherings?
Mostly women: until the late 1880s, Tea was a world for men (mostly). However in the late Meiji Period, Tea was included in the school curriculum for girls. Today more than 95% of tea students are women.

In Japan: Tea gatherings are usually attended only by students or friends (word of mouth and invitation only), It is a closed society, particularly the Omote-senke world. There are some tea centers or museums/restaurants where you can buy tea, but it is quite rare to see the whole ceremony performed.

In Ottawa: Anyone with an interest in tea and its principals is welcome to attend our monthly teas. Contact Rebecca at beccabenoit[at]yahoo.com to make a reservation.

2006-04-28T14:29:00.000-05:00

The Function of Silence in Tea Ceremony
R. Benoit, May 2006

The function of silence in Tea Ceremony
‘Less is more’ ‘Silence is golden’ ‘Silence is not the opposite of eloquence’

How would a meeting or gathering feel between friends if all agreed in advance and in principle:
Not to speak to or look at each other.
Not to deviate or change established rules governing movement in the meeting.
To come and go without exchanging words.
What would be the social function or purpose of such a gathering? (What would participants ‘get’ out of it?)

The importance and weight of the word ‘Ceremony’
What do you ‘hear’ and feel in the word ‘Ceremony’? What does it conjure?
What do you expect? Based on the use of the word ‘ceremony’, is Tea Ceremony secular or religious?
How would these terms change the experience of 'Japanese Tea Ceremony'?
Tea Practice.. Tea Ritual.. Tea Gathering.. Tea Party..

Passive vs. Active Silence
Can silence be ‘active’?
How has the function and effect (or feeling) of silence in the Tea Ceremony changed through the centuries?
What are the rules governing speech in Tea Ceremony?
How and why did they develop?
What is the effect of following these rules on the experience of Tea Ceremony participants?

A Reflection on the Essay "Rich Silence", Akira Tatehata
The Value of Ambiguity
“Elegant cultural communication with others does not have much hope in the first place. Eloquence can never serve as a point of contact for different standpoints or different cultures… Eloquence that is not backed by interactive rationality can at any time revisit us in the form of intolerance and exclusion.”

Tatehata begins his essay ‘Rich Silence’ with the thought that “There are things in this world ‘about which one cannot speak’” (p. 34). “Ambiguity, by its lack of definition, activates our imagination and brings rich possibilities – equivalent to the alluring void of silence”.

Tatehata refers to ‘Ma’ as void, where silence can become a form of communication; a void which allows the viewer of an ink painting to use his or her own imagination to complete the work. In the same way, readers of Haiku also interpret the message of the poet. In Tea as well, the guests interpret the message of the host through the environment created through the use of various utensils.

In Tea Ceremony, silence serves as a rich and powerful vehicle for sharing between participants. For example, when entering the tearoom, the host’s message to guests in the choice and message of the scroll displayed in the alcove, the flowers chosen to be arranged, even the scent of the incense and choice of tea utensils all convey a message. Only at the end of the ceremony can the guests ask the host about the choice and meaning and provenance of the utensils. In the intervening time, they are left to imagine, to interpret and hypothesize; to explore their intuition and allow their assumptions to simmer in the silence.

In this age of photography, satellite imagery and DNA coding, where everything can be confirmed, quantified or ‘known’, there lays a value in preserving and examining the courage required to tolerate ambiguity. In the Tea Ceremony, this ambiguity is celebrated and even enjoyed in the form of silence. The foreknowledge that silence will be a prominent form of communication between participants serves to reassure. The gestural language (greetings in the form of bows, briefly exchange eye contact, the passing and receiving of sweets, bowls of tea and utensils) all serve as ‘speech’ and the silence does not feel heavy to the experienced guest; some even describe this silence as ‘enjoyable tension’ (Bruce Hamana, International Director of the Urasenke School, 2006).

Silence experienced: A personal reflection
Throughout my years of exposure to tea, both in Japan and more recently in Canada, I’ve experienced various forms of ‘Tea Silence’. When I first began my studies, lessons were peppered with my teacher’s constant gentle, but insistent instructions and corrections. I longed for the day when we could go through the Tea Ceremony from start to finish, without interruption and without hesitation. Gradually, as my own skill and confidence increased alongside that of my Tea classmates, we were able to sit quietly once a week together, for several hours, while experiencing tea together.

Months before my return to Canada, I had several experiences which solidified my understanding of silence in Tea. While my aunt was visiting, she attended a very special tea evening with my classmate and teacher. For months, in anticipation of her arrival, we had discussed what utensils we would use, which kimono we would wear. My classmate had a kimono custom-made for this event in fact. When the evening for our tea with my aunt finally came, we were all quietly, inwardly excited and looking forward to her experiencing tea. For all of us too, it was a precious opportunity to initiate someone into the Tea world and see the art form that we loved through her eyes.

Silently, we were able to complete the ceremony without correction from my teacher. In special, critically timed moments, my classmate and I would exchange a bow of greeting or gratitude, our eyes meeting only fleetingly. When the evening was over, we all felt so peaceful and truly tranquil. My aunt however, was confused and irritated, “You didn’t even talk to each other! You were both doing different things at the same time! I didn’t feel any communication between you at all!” Although I was surprised by her reaction, I realized at that moment how much my own understanding of tea and silence had developed and changed over the course of years. The communication we shared through belonging and understanding the rules of Tea had finally superseded my own need for verbal exchange.

Sunhee K (ed.) The Elegance of Silence: Contemporary Art from East Asia. Tokyo: Mori Art Museum, 2005.

2006-04-28T14:24:00.000-05:00

Omotesenke and Wakayama City

The sixth to tenth generation Iemoto (Grand Tea Masters) of Omotesenke served as Tea Masters to the lords of the Kiishu Domaine, today known as Wakayama Prefecture. They worked in the castle town of Wakayama City, 60 kilometers south of Osaka and only 120 km from Kyoto. It was during the stewardship of the ninth Iemoto, Ryoryosai (1775 – 1825) that the current Main Gate of the Omotesenke headquarters was donated by the Kiishu lord, Harutomi Tokugawa (1771 – 1852) of Wakayama Castle. Harutomi became an important figure in the life of the tenth Omotesenke Iemoto, Kyukosai (1818 – 1860), training him in the ways of Rikyu’s tea that Ryoryosai had taught him.

Today, over 60% of tea practitioners in Wakayama City are of the Omotesenke school and there remains a close connection between teachers there and the headquarters in Kyoto. The current Iemoto-designate, son of current 14th headmaster Jimyosai, has taken a name to honour the connection between Wakayama and Omotesenke.

2006-04-08T20:12:00.000-05:00

Wabi Sabi in the Japanese Tea Ceremony
R. Benoit, March 2006

“Wabi Sabi is only vaguely understood by most Japanese people these days. If you ask people on a Tokyo street to describe it, they will likely give you a polite shrug and explain that Wabi Sabi is simply unexplainable … few can put their finger on it” (Gold, T., 2004, p. 6).

“In a nutshell, Wabi Sabi is imperfection, or more fully, appreciation of the value and beauty of imperfection. Wabi Sabi celebrates the preciousness of all things imperfect, which is truly all things” (IBID, p. 16).

Wabi and Sabi Defined

There are several ways of defining Wabi and Sabi. Simply put, Wabi means “Empty, Lonely, Basic” while Sabi is typically described as “Worn, Weathered, Decayed”. Ascetics who abandoned society to wander the Japanese mountains five hundred years ago first popularized the ‘Wabi Sabi’ movement. They lived their lives in simple thatch huts while pursuing a vigorous spiritual journey and were highly respected for their dedication.

WABI SABI
An appreciation of imperfection
Solitary.. Desolate.. Abandoned.. Rustic.. Simplicity.. Tranquil.. Peaceful.. Withered.. Chilled.. Stillness.. Spare.. Poverty..

FURYU
Display of Ostentation
Gorgeous.. Sumptuous.. Gold.. Precious.. Chinese.. Treasures.. Famed.. Extravagance..
Ornate.. Rich.. Aristocracy

Wabi Sabi vs. Furyu Tea Ceremony
In order to understand what Wabi Sabi means to the Japanese Tea Ceremony and why it developed, one must return to the centuries preceding the Grand Tea Masters when the drinking of tea as a social exercise was proliferating throughout society. Though tea was initially brought to Japan through Buddhism and monks were the first to make use of it as a medicine, the foundations of the tea ceremony developed through tea-drinking games and parties known as ‘Tocha’.

During the mid-fifteenth century, the Tocha, or Tea competitions, reached their peak and were considered decadent forms of entertainment by Zen tea masters who valued a more austere and moral form of tea gathering. At the same time as the common ‘Tocha’ were being enjoyed by the Samurai and merchant classes, a more elegant tea, or ‘Furyu’ form of Tea Ceremony, was being popularized by the aristocracy.

This ‘Furyu’ tea ceremony included ornate, rich and sumptuous utensils that were precious and sometimes made of gold. The early Grand Tea Masters (Murata, Jo and Rikyu) came to despair that the Furyu form of tea had more to do with impressing guests with elaborate etiquette, but at its core, had none of the true Buddhist, or Zen, values of the Tea Ceremony they were trying to promote.

‘Wabi’ Tea developed as an alternative to the Tocha and Furyu forms of Tea Ceremony. It became “an oasis which answered both the spiritual and cultural needs of the people… a bowl of tea is made with care that comes from one’s true mind of enlightenment. It is served in a humble yet subtly beautiful utensil of the Wabi style, and one drinks it with undivided attention” (Chanoyu Quarterly, No. 74, p. 22).

“For the first time, we find the development of an inner identity between tea and Buddhism. In this case, the word tea does not indicate the tea plant. Nor does it indicate a beverage to be taken as medicine or to be enjoyed for its taste, and neither does it refers to ritual uses of tea or the pursuit of elegance. It refers to a comprehensive cultural system, or a cultural life which has Zen as its essence and which manifests itself in the act of drinking tea.” (IBID, p. 16).

Both Zen and Wabi had a clear influence on every aspect of Tea Ceremony from architecture, gardening, clothing, food to ritual. The sumptuous gardens of palaces were replaced with the simple Roji, or tea garden. In the Roji, there were no flowers permitted, only shrubs, grasses and natural stones. The size of the tearoom was reduced to three or four and a half tatami mats, rather than the large Shoin-style receiving rooms. Instead of silk kimono, elaborately patterned and woven with gold and silver threads, tea masters wore simple cotton or linen kimono. Rikyu’s legacy of Wabi is alive today in every rustic teahouse, but more importantly in the appreciation in the ‘chill and withered’ that he was able to instill into the Japanese aesthetic.

Wabi in Tea Today: Personal

After living with the notion of Wabi Sabi through Tea Ceremony, I found that my aesthetic did indeed shift, very gradually, towards Wabi. In the first few years I lived in Japan, I was dazzled and amazed by objects with gold filigree or finish, polish and extravagance. Over time however, in the praise that I heard of Wabi objects, I gradually began to appreciate and look beyond what I saw as shortcomings and enjoy their simplicity.

In the final months before my return to Canada, when I lived with only a table, a few tea and painting items and a kimono or two, perhaps I came closest to understanding how a ‘Wabi’ life could be so much more enjoyable and liberating. With so few things to care for, I realized how little I truly needed to live my life. When the container of antiques arrived bearing precious treasures collected over seven years, my heart sank a little, feeling anchored, with every object that came into my home. The Wabi life I’d led so successfully, so enjoyably for a few months was at an end, at least, for a time.

Further Reading on Wabi Sabi
Chan, Peter. Bonsai Master Class. New York: Sterling, 1988.
Chanoyu Quarterly. (Various articles and authors). Kyoto: Urasenke Foundation.
Gold., Taro. Living Wabi Sabi. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2004.
Juniper, Andrew. Wabi-sabi: the Japanese Art of Impermanence. Boston: Tuttle, 2003.
Koren, Leonard. Wabi-sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press, 1994.

2006-04-08T12:58:00.000-05:00

PHOTOS of Japanese Arts

to see photos of these artforms in Ottawa, Canada and Wakayama City, Japan.

Japanese Tea Ceremony: The Omotesenke School

The Omotesenke school is one of the three major schools of Tea in Japan. R. Benoit studied Tea Ceremony in a Zen Temple for seven years and is currently studying the Omoteseihasenke and Urasenke in Ottawa, Canada.

Sagagoryu Ikebana: The Saga School of Ikebana (flower arranging) dates from 800 A.D. and its founder was the Emperor Saga. Highly prescriptive in style, this very traditional form of Ikebana is well-known in Central Japan (the Kansai Region).

Kimono dressing: The Sodo School of Kimono Dressing. Nearly a competitive sport, many today do not realize that very few have the skill, interest or training required to wear kimono.

Traditional Japanese Brush Painting: Landscape Expressionist School.

R. Benoit studied four traditional artforms of Japan from 1998 - 2005 in Wakayama City, Japan.