It would be foolish to travel all the way to Japan and not experience a tea ceremony. The Blogs are not fools. So impressed was Mr Blog, that he recounted in detail the entire 45 minute ritual for Mate-Mike-Spoiltheparty-Blog.
Here is the short version...
A venerable, well established tea house had lowered its standards far enough to admit us.
On entering the bamboo and paper-walled room, Mr Blog noticed a few things were missing, carpets, seating, tables, plug-in kettles and sugar. Instead there were tatami mats, cushions and a woman in a kimono with some pottery.
Sitting cross-legged (or at least the nearest the blogs could manage) the centuries-old ceremony was explained by our host. A mix of Zen, socialising, honouring guests, cultural conversation and tea drinking.
The tea is made following a very srict method and takes years to perfect. The host judges the temperature of the water in the kettle (non plug-in) from the sound of the bubbling water. The tea is a green powder which is whisked with a carefully crafted bamboo whisk. The cup is presented to the guest with both hands and with the decoration on the cup facing the guest. The guest drinks the tea and turns the cup so the decoration faces the host.
(And there is so much more.)
Back to Mate-Mike-Spoiltheparty-Blog, who, hearing all the above says...
"Forty-five miuntes for a cup of tea? You could have gone to Costa for that!"
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