The Japanese tea ceremony is deeply connected to the teachings of Zen.

In particular, the core Zen teaching of “living in the moment” is embedded in the tea ceremony.

From the moment we step into the tea room, we are asked to leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind and simply focus on the present moment. The tea is prepared, the bowl is passed around, and a cup of tea is savored. All of these actions are the very essence of the Zen teaching of “living in the moment.

Studying the tea ceremony is a wonderful opportunity to understand the philosophy of Zen from an experiential perspective. Through the practice of the tea ceremony, we can attain inner peace, face ourselves, and get in touch with the essence of life.

There are historical and cultural factors in Japan that led to the tea ceremony becoming deeply connected with Zen philosophy. The drinking of tea was originally introduced from China, but developed uniquely in Japan. In particular, the culture of tea was greatly influenced by the process of the introduction and spread of Zen Buddhism in Japan during the Kamakura period (1185-1333).

The tea ceremony developed uniquely in the cultural context of Japan, absorbing Zen ideas.As a result, it was established as a uniquely Japanese culture that embodies the teachings of Zen.

The main reason why the tea ceremony incorporates Zen ideas is that there is a deep similarity in the ultimate goal that they both pursue. Zen aims to discover the true self through enlightenment and to understand the essence of life. The tea ceremony, on the other hand, is a path of self-examination and the search for the meaning of life through a series of rituals in which tea is served.

First of all, the central teaching of Zen, “live in the present moment,” is also connected to the spirit of the tea ceremony, “Ichiichi-Ichi-Ichikai.

Through tea ceremony practice and tea gatherings, we naturally learn to focus on the present moment.

Furthermore, learning and practicing tea ceremony etiquette has a similar effect to meditation.
By concentrating on the gesture of preparing tea, one can temporarily free oneself from daily stresses and worries and regain peace of mind.

For example, the regular movement of the tea whisk in preparing matcha tea has the effect of regulating breathing and calming the mind. Regularly practicing the tea ceremony will also improve your long-term stress tolerance and help you achieve mental stability.