Adults’ Intellectuality and Hospitality Learned from the Traditional Japanese Culture – “the Art of Tea Ceremony”

2024.02.07

In the area of Yaesu, Nihonbashi, and Kyobashi, you can find many adults who know genuineness in various fields ranging from food, clothing, and housing to hobbies and jobs. This is an illustrated essay expressing the “taste” of those towns, created by an illustrator Chie Sasaki.
For the second episode, I attended a tea gathering held at Uno Shoten Tokyo Shop, a specialty shop of Japanese antique tea utensils. I tried to experience Wakei Seijaku (literally meaning harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility) , the spirit of the Japanese art of tea ceremony preached by a famous master of tea ceremony SEN no Rikyu.

Half a century had passed since my birth in Japan, and I suspected that I myself had only shallow knowledge of the traditional culture of my country.

When I got information on the tea ceremony classes that Uno Shoten, which had been running run business specialized in Japanese antique tea-ceremony bowls and artworks at the store in Gion, Kyoto, for more than 100 years since its establishment, held at its Tokyo Shop in Kyobashi, I decided to visit it because I thought I would be able to learn about the sophisticated adult’s taste.

I knew somewhat that guests at a Japanese tea ceremony should praise a wall scroll and a tea ceremony bowl, but I didn’t know how indispensable the knowledge and intelligence are for praising in a sophisticated manner… !

Okoicha, followed by Ousu?

This day, I learned that Matcha (powdered green tea) I had known was called Ousu (light green tea) which was used for a casual tea gathering.

And I was told that Okoicha (thick green tea), on the other hand, was completely in a different class, including the class of tea leaves and that of tea ceremony bowls used for that.

In addition, I learned that the Japanese art of tea ceremony as an old tradition to be practiced was the lesson of only the formalized manners of tea ceremony extracted from the full-length formal tea gathering where guests enjoy a full-course kaiseki meal, thick green tea and light green tea, which takes several hours.

What? All of you already knew about it?!

Oh, I see, this is Wabi-sabi, the aesthetic that can find essential beauty in oldness and austerity!

This is a world that we can’t experience in our usual daily lives.

 

The guests praised again and again not only the tastes of sweets and tea but also kimono the host put on, calligraphies, flowers, and even the sound of boiling water, finding the beautiful aspects of them.

 

I felt regret for my lack of underlying knowledge and experience that only made me say, “Nice!”

This means that the way of praising something reflects the person’s intelligence.

 

The editor Ms. S took off her accessories, which she had put on considering that she should dress properly so as not to scratch the expensive tea bowl and others. (I had happened to forget putting on accessories because I had been in a rush in the morning, but I pretended as if I had known the manner.)

 

Moreover, I sit at the far end of the tea-ceremony room in consideration of other guests, however, the guest sitting in this position had a very important role called Otsume. Otsume have to return the received tea utensils to the host properly.

 

Ms. S was good at her job and very considerate, however, every care she took on this day backfired.

Yes … the world of the Japanese art of tea ceremony is too deep to understand only with current common sense.

I learned that Wakei Seijaku reflects the overall spirit of the Japanese art of tea ceremony.

 

Wa: Be friendly with each other.

Kei: Respect each other.

Sei: Be pure.

Jaku: Unfazed tranquil mind

 

The people there approached me kindly, saying “At first, we also didn’t know anything like you”, in order to ease my tention – “Wa”.

All the people there welcomed us in beautiful kimono despite the interview for an article using only illustrations – “Kei”.

All the arrangement and ambiance were tranquil and pure – “Seijaku”.

(My own interpretation)

 

The spirit of Wakei Seijaku truly refers to hospitality that is necessary for peaceful everyday life in which people treat each other with respect.

This is a mind that is applicable to any and all situations, including social relationships and work.

 

Yes, thanks to the teacher and all the pupils, I feel I could understand something a little! (Really??)

Only the knowledge of tea ceremony gained through this interview with hands-on experience almost exceeded my capacity.

I realized that sophisticated adults’ taste should mean raising this level even a little to understand the Japanese spirit.

The people who attended the tea gathering this time put on beautiful kimono for having the interview, but they say that they usually put on clothes and have lessons in a friendly atmosphere.

 

“If we sit in the same room, we are like a family.” (Ms. Kumon)

 

If you get interested, please visit there casually!

  • Uno Shoten Tokyo Shop

    Address: Kyobashi Nichiei Building 1F, 3-3-4, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

    Tel: +81-3-6225-2265

    Official Urlhttps://www.e-uno.jp/

Chie Sasaki
Illustrator

Chie Sasaki is popular for her illustrated essays with the uniquely loose touch and sharp viewpoints, working extensively in magazines, advertising, and Web media. She likes travelling enough to publish an all-illustration guide to Taiwan titled LOVE Tainan~Taiwan no Kyoto de Tabeasobi ~ (LOVE Tainan ~ foods and activities in the Kyoto-like area of Taiwan~) (Shodensha Publishing Co., Ltd.) in 2017. Other writings of hers include Kozure Souru (Travel to Seoul with My Children) and Jiji Tsure Meido no Miyagetabi in Pari (A trip with elderly men in Paris as a golden memory for them) (both from Shodensha Publishing Co., Ltd.)

X:@sasakichie

Instagram:chie_sasa