Growing up in India during my childhood, I was exposed to tea, chai, early in life. I love drinking chai. There is chai for every occasion. Drinking with friends or alone. I can drink chai for no reason at all, except that I am taking a break from a whirling life to smell the aroma of the tea through deep breaths and savor the lingering taste of the chai. It reminds me to stop and rest. In reading about spiritual and meditative aspects of drinking tea, I came across the Japanese tea ceremony. Even though I have never participated in a Japanese tea ceremony, I am very interested in this ceremony as creating sacred spaces in daily life, which is consistent with this website’s theme of practical spirituality. Jaron (2021) noted that spiritual and religious traditions tend to focus on sacredness in non-human Divine Sources, God or Angels. However, Jaron (2021) reported that we need to also focus on the human being’s subjective definition of the sacred, especially sacred spaces, in spiritual and religious studies. This resonated with me as a psychotherapist, as people describe their unique sacred experiences which shape their values, create meaning and purpose for them. Jaron (2021) wrote that people can give meaning to their lives through realizing their “creative values, by achieving tasks” and/or experiential values, by experiencing the Good, the True, and the Beautiful, or by knowing one single human being in all his uniqueness” (p. 4). I will argue that the Japanese tea ceremony is a sacred space where participants create meaning and connection through an order of sequential tasks of tea preparation, hospitality and service. The Japanese tea ceremony can be a space to experience the “Good, the True, and The Beautiful” in connecting and communicating with others.
In this post, I am super excited and honored to present my interview with Ms. Keiko Nakada, a practitioner of the Japanese tea ceremony for over 45 years. Ms. Nakada practices in the “Urasenke” school. I found Ms. Nakada incredibly humble because when I initially referred to her as a tea master, she said she prefers to be known as a “tea practitioner”. She said that she likes to think of herself as continually learning and improving rather than having attained perfection in her practice, which she loves. Ms. Nakada discussed Zen Buddhist and Shinto principles, which have influenced the Japanese tea ceremony. I am grateful to Ms. Nakada for her generosity in sharing her wisdom and knowledge about the Japanese tea ceremony and the “Path of Tea” and how this applies to living with harmony, respect, purity, and inner tranquility in daily life. She talked about Zen Buddhist concepts of mindfulness and simplicity as critical in the practice so that the best intentions of hospitality, generosity and service are offered in the making and serving of tea. Ms. Nakada also elaborated on the Shinto idea of “beautification” or purifying oneself from the “dust that one collects in the world” before participating in the tea ceremony. She also expressed the values of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility demonstrated in the external behaviors and movements in the tea ceremony. She added that the goal of the tea ceremony is for participants to cultivate these values in their internal psychological and spiritual states. She also described the goal of the Japanese tea ceremony is to calm the emotional storms and activate the rational mind so that we can access our inner wisdom to solve problems and navigate through life. I hope that readers find this interview interesting and informative. Please see below for the transcript of the interview with Ms. Keiko Nakada. Contact information for Ms. Keiko Nakada, Instructor in the Urasenke Chado tradition – email milgracias@att.net
Urasenke Tankokai of Los Angeles – website urasenkela.org
INTERVIEW WITH MS. KEIKO NAKADA: JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY
Anindita Ganguly (AG): Namaste Ms. Nakada. A big welcome to the Blog, GOD and i. Thank you so much for taking the time to do the interview. You have been involved in the Japanese tea ceremony for many years. I think you said that you have been a tea practitioner for 45 years. I am very excited to have you because I am interested in the Japanese tea ceremony, but I have never participated in this ceremony. Please tell me about yourself and how you got involved in the Japanese tea practice.
Keiko Nakada (KN): I am Keiko Nakada and I have been practicing the Japanese tea ceremony for over 50 years, since high school. I am practitioner of the “Urasenke” school of tea, one of the three schools of the Sen family of Tea, which originated from the style of the Sen no Rikyu. He served Lord Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, powerful men in Japanese history, during his time of practice. He codified the different procedures that we do in making thick and thin tea. He compiled procedures which have lasted over 500 years.
The way that I became involved in the practice of the Japanese tea ceremony is through my grandmother, who helped to establish a tearoom at a local temple, called Zenshuji. It is a Soto Zen sect in Los Angeles, California. My grandmother hooked me into the practice when she asked me if I liked sweets and tea. And of course, I said “Yes”: Thus, my practice began.
AG: That is awesome and incredible. What exactly is the Japanese tea ceremony?
KN: When one talks about the Japanese tea ceremony, it usually refers to powdered matcha, which is green tea grounded down to a very fine powder, infused with hot water and whisked or kneaded together with a single piece of bamboo that has an average of 90 or so finely split tines. We have “usucha”, which is a thin consistency, whisked to a fine froth. Then, we have thick tea, which is kneaded carefully into the consistency of melted ice cream. The Japanese tea ceremony is essentially based on principles from Zen Buddhism and Shintoism.
AG: Wow, I had no idea. That is incredible. What are the principles of Zen Buddhism and Shintoism that are integrated into the Japanese the ceremony?
KN: The act of purification in Shintoism is very important before we come into the tea space. For example, we have a stone basin, called tsukubai (from “tsukubau” which means to squat) before we enter the space for the tea ceremony. At the tsukubai, you squat down or crouch because there is a low height basin, called “chozubachi”, and there is pure running water which you scoop up with a “hishaku” (water ladle) to purify your hands and mouth. Then, you dry yourself, remove your shoes and prepare to enter the tea space because you have cleansed yourself of any dust that you may have accumulated in the world. After this process, you are ready to enter the pure and sacred space of the chashitsu (tearoom).
AG: Is the act of stooping symbolic of humility, which is important when entering sacred spaces?
KN: Yes, when one lowers his/her stance, it is an act of humility and respect in Japan to this day.
AG: I had no idea about the Zen Buddhist and Shinto principles in the Japanese tea ceremony. What are some of the other principles from Zen Buddhism and Shintoism, which are involved in the Japanese tea ceremony?
KN: The principles are embedded in the movements that we do . I was just reading an old article by Urasenke 15th Grandmaster Hounsai Sen Genshitsu, who emphasized the importance of beautification of the self. In other words, when we have good thoughts and intentions within us, it comes out in the tea and ambiance in the tea room.. whether it be the host or the guests. The host appreciates the presence of the guests. Otherwise, there will be no tea gathering. Guests appreciate all the preparation done by the host to bring everyone together for the day. The idea of simplicity in the tea ceremony comes from Zen Buddhism. There is simplicity in the utensils we use. Clothing is very muted in a formal tea ceremony called a “chaji”, which can last up to 4 hours. Typically, we first serve “chakaiseki” – enough sustenance to sate physical and spiritual hunger before the Tea ceremony. Then, there is laying of the the charcoal to serve thick tea and then, rearranging the charcoal to make the thin tea. Kiyome (purification) refers to the actual procedure of re-cleansing utensils in front of the guests all items which will be used to serve the guests. The entire gathering can take up to half a day, where you are spending time with like -minded people.
AG: A sense of ritual is very important.
KN: There are fundamental rules we follow which we learn in the beginning when we start our training, such as, walking into the tearoom quietly and etiquette of participating in the tea ceremony. The rituals and procedures of making and serving tea and how participants drink the tea are very precise movements, which when done properly create harmony and peace among participants. Once the rituals and procedures of the Japanese tea ceremony – referred to as “kata” are within our practices, we can incorporate this way of life (path of tea) , or Chado, into our daily lives. It is one way we can become more well-rounded people and polish ourselves as human beings.
AG: Practices or the way we do something (kata)in the Japanese tea ceremony leads us to be better human beings. What are the specific values in the “chado” (path of tea) which helps us live more fully in daily life?
KN: The four most important values are: 1)wa (harmony), 2)kei (respect), 3)sei (purity) 4) jaku (tranquility).
Wa refers to harmony with the self and the world, including the 5 or 6 essential utensils we use, such as the water jar, tea container, tea bowl, tea scoop and tea linen cloth. It is very important for the host to facilitate harmonious relationships among guests in the tea ceremony.
Kei refers to respect for self, others and the items that you are handling in the ceremony. We handle each item carefully, knowing that each utensil exists to serve a purpose. There is respect for the interconnection among all aspects of the tea ceremony. The utensils and practices have been handed down for generations as tea practitioners. Respect for each other is crucial as we spend up to four hours together. We choose guests who have commonalities. The tea space is quiet. We enjoy each morsel that we are consuming, and we give thanks for the bounty that we receive.
Sei refers to the theme of keeping our hearts and minds pure as we purify everything. As guests, we keep an open heart and appreciate everything that is going to happen for the day. The host’s pure and good intentions of preparing and serving the tea is symbolic of the best tea and hospitality that the host can offer.
Jaku refers to inner tranquility or peace, the highest goal that we hope to achieve by practicing the first three principles, harmony, respect and purity in the movements of the tea practice as we slow down our pace, learn to breathe within ourselves, become centered and grounded.
You had asked me if the practices in the tea ceremony are meditative. I think it is a meditative practice.
AG: Wow. That is incredible. It definitely is a meditative practice because the practice includes movements which reflect certain values, harmony, respect, purity and inner tranquility, which helps us to slow down in our rushed lives, especially as we live in a digital world. This allows us to center and ground ourselves.
Do you have a studio in the Los Angeles area? Do you teach classes here?
KN: I am part of a network of teachers in the Urasenke Tradition of Chado in greater Los Angeles. We have about 35 teachers at this time. I am based in the Pasadena area but there are teachers spread throughout the southland. I am going to do a plug for the organization. It is called Urasenke Tankokai in Los Angeles and it is sanctioned by the Urasenke Konnichian headquartered in Kyoto, Japan.
AG: Thank you for the explanation. Is there anything else that is important to talk about that I did not ask about?
KN: I think that one area that makes this Japanese tea practice relevant in modern times even if started over 500 years ago is that we, as human beings, tend not to communicate very well. Nonverbal communication through the procedures in the practice allows us to open our hearts. The word,” omoteneshi” which is used globally now, refers to the process of fully engaged hospitality on both sides. If we engage in this, this will lead to less conflict. The concept of “omoteneshi” or Japanese hospitality become globally known after the Olympics in Japan in 2020. It is more than just hospitality. It is a value interwoven in the Japanese way of life, where we serve others with the best that we have to offer regardless of the situations. It is a very powerful value in engaging with others and life.
AG: Are the movements of the nonverbal communication synchronously practiced in the ceremony?
KN: The host sets the tone as the host is focused on the movements in front of him/her. The procedures, known as “temae”, mean that we focus in front of us with our eyes and hands intentionally so that we can create the best bowl of tea. The thought process is that I am offering the best of what I have to offer. Please accept it as a gratitude for your being here with me in this moment. It is very important to be in the moment and savor the tea deeply to satisfy not just physical thirst, but also spiritual thirst.
AG: So, the mindfulness practices of Zen Buddhism are so important in the tea practice. So the sentiments, thoughts and energy in preparing and serving the tea is sacred. It is a beautiful ceremony.
KN: Our Grandmaster, Zabosai, tells us that when we have practice, do not think about it as practice… think of it as a real gathering.
AG: One last question. Do you invite only people to the Japanese tea ceremony that you get along with or also people that you may not see eye to eye?
KN: Both. You can invite people with whom you do not see eye to eye. You can invite them to find out why. Are there things that can be discussed even prior to the meeting? If there is someone who was unkind to me, I can invite and offer him/her tea and see if the person can relax and talk about whatever prompted him or her to engage in a reactionary way. From ancient times, there was a Zen story of an old Zen master practicing the Japanese tea ceremony and a young Zen monk rushed in and repeatedly stated the he has a problem and can the Master answer his questions. The Zen master repeatedly tells the young monk to sit and drink tea. The idea is that as the young monk calms down with drinking tea and becomes self- reflective, he will discover the answer within. He will figure it out himself.
AG: Beautiful. This reminds me of the concept of the “wise mind” in Dialectical Behavior therapy (DBT), a psychotherapy model with evidence based techniques, developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Dr. Linehan combined western psychological practices with principles of Zen Buddhism in formulating the DBT model. In the DBT model, the “wise mind” is viewed as an intersection between the rational mind and emotional mind. So, through the implementation of practices of calming down the stormy and overwhelming emotions and accessing the rational mind, we can access the “wise mind”, as we all have the internal wisdom deep within us.
Thank you so much. You bring so much light on the meaning and wisdom embedded in the Japanese tea ceremony. I had no idea regarding the profound nature of the Japanese tea ceremony until this interview.
Many thanks and much gratitude for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with me today. I am particularly grateful to you because you made the time for the interview with a very busy travel schedule.
CONCLUSIONS
Hope readers enjoy my interview on the Japanese Tea Ceremony with Ms. Nakada. A Big Thank you for Ms. Nakada. I love the values of the ceremony: harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.
We need to cultivate these values more than ever in our current times. Wishing all the readers success on the Path of Tea.
REFERENCES
Jaron, G. (2021). Religious Studies as the study of the sacred and our response to what we consider sacred. Academia Letters, Article 1888. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL1888.
Japanese Tea Ceremony: Path of Tea