How does a Japanese tea ceremony work?
There are two main styles of tea ceremony: Urasenge and Omotesenge (Hidden way and Front way). The ceremony is usually very silent though some questions about the type of tea and pottery used for dishes are entertained. The server and participants sit seiza style (legs under body, knees forward) while the server boils the water over a brazier, puts the mattcha (bitter green powdered tea) in the bowl with the water, whisks the tea, and the presents it to the participants. The participant then rotates the bowl, drinking the bowl once every rotation three times, consuming the complete contents the final, third time. There are also some powdered sugar treats to calm the bitter taste of the tea. It all sounds easy, but instruction to become a teacher takes years and also you must also have a tea room built into your house facing a garden. Again, it is just one of those aspects that don’t find anchor in a foreigner’s idea of fun. It takes an hour, the taste is bitter and coarse, your feet go
