OMOTESENKE Fushin'an The name Fushin'an The spirit of a host A tradition that lives on Rikyu's chanoyu Japanese Tea Culture back next
Entranceway ready for guests' arrival   Shoji left slightly open and pipe tray

The history of chanoyu

Tea was brought from China during the Heian period (in the 9th century), and during the Kamakura period (at the end of the 12th century) tea was used medicinally. Then gradually the custom of drinking tea as a luxury item became widespread. During the Muromachi period (in the 15th century) imported goods from China ('karamono' ) were used as ornaments in living rooms and as tea utensils, and chanoyu became firmly established. During the Azuchi Momoyama period (in the 16th century) Sen no Rikyu gave chanoyu its final form. For more than 400 years since that time, chanoyu has been a part of Japanese peoples' lives, giving them spiritual richness and pleasure.
A tradition that lives on

It is said that the essence of Japan's art and crafts is contained entirely in chanoyu. Chanoyu also had a great affect on Japanese culture through kaiseki cuisine and the architecture of the tea room. The revolutionary culture that tea devotees created became a tradition, and the spirit of the age was then breathed into it to produce the chanoyu of today. Through keiko (repeated practice of the actions involved in tea procedure), basic units of movement (kata) are internalized. Within the kata which have been internalized you can feel the tradition and spirit of chanoyu.
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Japanese Tea Culture
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