Authentic Tea Ceremony Experience in Kanazawa
What is the Tea Ceremony?
Why did the samurai study Tea Ceremony?
In order to answer the questions, “What is the Tea Ceremony?” and “Why did the samurai study tea?”, it is necessary to look back at its history.
The Origins of the Tea Ceremony
Matcha was brought from China to Japan around the 7th century, originally valued as a form of medicine. It soon became popular among nobles and monks as a restorative drink, believed to ease fatigue and calm the mind.
The Age of Tōcha — Tea as a Gambling Game
By the 13th century, tea was often consumed in a game called tōcha, where people would bet on the region where the matcha was produced.
Naturally, this trend led to moral decline and disorder in society. To restore balance, a Buddhist monk rose up and established a new way of tea—one that was grounded in the natural order and guided by mindful etiquette.
Kitayama Culture: The Birthplace of Japanese Elegance
In 14th-century Japan, a unique cultural movement called the Kitayama Culture flourished, blending the elegance of the imperial court, the refined sensibilities of the samurai, and the simplicity of Zen Buddhism.
At the heart of this era stood Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, a symbol of this harmonious fusion. Nobles and warriors alike enjoyed tea gatherings while appreciating exquisite imported artworks—porcelain, ceramics, and other treasures from China, Korea, and along the Silk Road.
It was during this period that the foundations of today’s Japanese tea ceremony were laid. The Kitayama Culture not only shaped traditional arts and tea practices but also influenced Japanese daily life, aesthetic sensibilities, and the spirit of refinement that continues to this day.
Sen no Rikyū and the Tea of the Warring States:A Cup That Bridges Mind and Politics
The tea culture of the elite samurai and rulers of the Warring States period captivated the top leaders of the time. Let’s take a closer look at this fascinating world of samurai tea.
Note:
Sen no Rikyū (1522–1591) was the most influential tea master in Japanese history. He established the wabi-cha style of tea, emphasizing simplicity, mindfulness, and spiritual reflection, which became the foundation of today’s Japanese tea ceremony.
The Birth of Samurai Tea
During the Warring States period, tea culture expanded from nobles and merchants to the samurai class, marking a major transformation. Sen no Rikyū’s wabi-cha was practiced in small, simple tea rooms using humble utensils, establishing the foundations of modern Japanese tea ceremony.
Tea as the Samurai’s Mind
In the chaos of the Warring States, tea became a vital tool for samurai to calm their minds and maintain focus. Rikyū’s teachings made tea an essential part of a warrior’s spiritual training, offering a moment of inner peace away from the turmoil of daily life and battle.
Tea Rooms and the Politics of the Warring States
Tea gatherings were not mere entertainment; they also served as venues for diplomacy and alliance-building. Conversations and negotiations in tea rooms could involve secret discussions and critical decisions, giving tea ceremonies a significant cultural and political role that continued to influence later periods.
Tea Ceremony as the Samurai’s Finishing School
When the age of constant warfare came to an end, Japan entered the Edo period—a peaceful era that lasted for about 260 years. With this new stability, the role of tea ceremony also changed.
For the samurai, tea was no longer simply a way to step away from the life-or-death struggles of battle. Instead, it became a path to education, refinement, and polished conduct. Much like a finishing school in Europe, the tea ceremony offered training in manners, grace, and cultural sophistication.
Through it, samurai cultivated knowledge of literature, the arts, Noh theater, and history—broadening their understanding and enriching their conversations in social settings. The tea room thus became not only a place of quiet reflection, but also a space where intellect, culture, and refined character were nurtured.
Tea Ceremony in the Meiji Era
As the Edo period came to an end, Japan opened its doors to the world after centuries of isolation. With the fall of the shogunate and the disappearance of the samurai class, tea masters who had once educated samurai in culture, etiquette, the arts, and history suddenly lost their traditional role.
Seeking a new path, they began to open the world of tea to women—who had previously been excluded. From the late 19th century, tea ceremony was taught to women of former samurai families, the aristocracy, and the new nobility, focusing on refinement, manners, and cultural education.
It is worth noting that, in earlier times, women were discouraged from practicing tea. Social beliefs tied to purity meant that menstruation was seen as a source of “impurity.” Because of this, women were barred from certain sacred or traditional spaces—such as entering the sumo ring, or working in sake breweries, which, until just a few decades ago, still carried the belief that female presence would spoil the brew.
The Meiji period thus marked a turning point: tea ceremony became not only a cultural education for women of high society, but also the foundation for its later spread among the wider public.
Tea Ceremony Today
Today, the Japanese tea ceremony continues to evolve while preserving more than 450 years of tradition. What once developed as part of bridal training for women after the Meiji era has, in recent decades, begun to take on new meaning and broader significance.
Among the cultural treasures Japan has shared with the world, Zen—the spiritual foundation of tea ceremony—stands out with high international regard. In the quiet of the tearoom, one can turn inward, reflect deeply, and discover what one truly seeks in life.
At the heart of the tea ceremony’s aesthetics lies this Zen philosophy, handed down for over four and a half centuries
Passing Down the Spirit of the Tea Ceremony in Kanazawa
The spirit of the tea ceremony lies in "tradition" and "creativity." Passing on these two qualities is of the utmost importance when nurturing the next generation and preserving this spirit.
Aesthetics of the Tea Ceremony and Samurai Hospitality were Fostered Under the Kaga Hyakumangoku
The prosperity of the Kaga Hyakumangoku was not merely about economic power. It also led to the flourishing of cultural traditions, particularly the tea ceremony. The ruling Maeda family highly valued tea culture, following the traditions of Kobori Enshu, founder of the Enshu school of tea. Tea ceremony was cultivated not only as an art form, but also as an essential part of a samurai’s education and refined hospitality.
Within the Kaga Domain, the practice of tea thrived through the tea rooms of the feudal lords as well as in Kanazawa’s many temples. Even today, the sprit of tea ceremony continues to flourish embodying the “iki” and refined aesthetics of the Kaga Hyakumangoku. We can be confident this cultural tradition will carry its spirit well into the future.
