In the tea ceremony, even the seemingly insignificant edges of tatami mats are treated as important elements with deep meaning.

For example, when serving matcha (powdered green tea), the gesture of taking the tea out from the edge of the tatami indicates a silent signal from the master to the guest that the tea is ready. Thus, in the tea ceremony, even a single edge of a tatami mat is imbued with meticulous care and meaning, and this is what makes the tea ceremony so profound and beautiful.

The edge of the tatami is more than just a dividing line; it plays an important role in facilitating communication between the master and his guests and in setting the atmosphere for the tea ceremony. By studying the tea ceremony, we can experience the delicate sense of beauty unique to Japanese culture and the importance of human connection.

The placement of tatami in the tea ceremony determined the position of the tokonoma (alcove), nijiriguchi (doorway), and chadoguchi (entrance to the tea ceremony), and even the placement of the furnace.

Tatami mats were given names according to their roles.

For example, the tatami on which the master performs the tea ceremony is called “tegozen tatami,” the tatami on which the guests sit is called “kyakudo tatami,” and the tatami on which the furnace is cut is called “roro tatami. These names served to clarify their position and function in the tea room and facilitate the progress of the tea ceremony.
The practice of not stepping on the edges of tatami was also established during this period. This had both practical (protection of the edges) and cultural (respect for the family crest) reasons, but the tea ceremony further developed this practice and gave it meaning as a boundary line to distinguish the fields of the host and the guests.

Thus, the importance of tatami mats and their edges has been established over a long period of time through a combination of the development of Japanese residential culture and the refinement of the tea ceremony. It became not just a physical element, but a cultural element that symbolized the Japanese sense of beauty and the way people relate to each other.

Studying the tea ceremony cultivates an eye for finding special meaning and beauty in the ordinary, everyday things that we usually pass by without thinking about them.

For example, by becoming aware of the edges of tatami mats, one realizes that tatami mats, which one had thought of as mere flooring material, are an important communication tool that connects the host and the guests. In this way, the process of discovering unusual elements hidden in the everyday is like a treasure hunt.

The tea ceremony is more than just a hobby or an education; it is a treasure trove of practical wisdom that enriches our lives.