| The tea ceremony in Japan stands out due to its principal use: soul purification. Its introduction starts in 2700 b.C. when the Chinese empire used this tea as medicine.
However, the emergence of this culture in the Japanese world appeared during the Kamakura period in the XII century. The Buddhism monk known as Ei-Sai (1141-1215) wrote the first recipe of the cultivation process and the efficiency of this special tea that, subsequently, would be very important for them. According to the text, the tea leaves would be extracted from the crops and were chopped until they were in very small pieces after some boiling water would be poured and, in addition, drink. Currently, we find matcha tea, a modern variety of the original green tea.
The first green tea seeds were earned by monk Ei-Sai, and sent to monk Myoe known in Kyoto, who planted them and created the first tea field in Japan. Little by little, its use began to be frequent between monks, becoming a powerful tool for social relationships between Samurais. They inaugurated the tea ceremony, showing then the utilities of the accessories for preparing a tea, coming from China. At first, Uji region in Kyoto provided tea crops due to its perfect geographical location and the temperature difference. Its cultivation was so important that nowadays it is known as the best place to develop a great quality tea. At the end of the XV century, another monk known as Murata Juko, created what is actually known as the Wabi-Cha. This ceremony combines the tea ceremony, standing out its utensils, with Zen Buddhism. Consequently, the Chá ceremony became simple: it produced an effect of peace and the thought of a cleared mind. After its introduction in Japan, Edo period marked the difference. Not only Samurais began to drink tea, but generally Japanese began to use it too. By that time, the dry leaves were boiled up for making tea. In 1738, the tea preparation changes. Nagatani Soen, a known creator of tea in Japan, developed a method known as Sencha. This method consisted of vaporizing the leaves and later leaving them to dry between their hands. Doing this, a more profound flavor was obtained, but also a fresher smell and a transparent color.
The Sencha then began to be known everywhere in Japan and people began to drink it up until today, which continues with its traditional cultivation. If you’d like to know more about japan style, visit our web https://hjapon.com/japan-style |
