Roots

 

Tofuku-ji temple, Kyoto, Honshu Island, Japan

Historical significance of the Japanese tea ceremony

The tradition of Japanese tea spans nearly 1,200 years, while the formalisation of the tea ceremony (or sado) began gaining momentum around 600 years ago. This practice embodies various aspects of Japanese culture, engaging participants physically, intellectually and emotionally.

Rooted in the aesthetics of simplicity and minimalism, the tea ceremony draws on the concept of wabi-sabi, honouring the profoundness of imperfection, impermanence and incompleteness. The tea ceremony’s ultimate aim is to strive for elegance and refinement, resulting in a "... quietly exciting artistic event..." (Leonard Koren, Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, 1994, Imperfect Publishing).