{"id":5358,"date":"2025-11-06T15:16:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T06:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oh-mama.tokyo\/?p=5358"},"modified":"2025-12-03T13:30:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T04:30:22","slug":"questions-about-sado-the-tea-ceremony-is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-good-tea-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oh-mama.tokyo\/?p=5358","title":{"rendered":"Questions about Sado, the Tea Ceremony: Is There Such a Thing as a \u201cGood\u201d Tea Ceremony?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I believe there is<\/em> such a thing as a skillful tea ceremony.
In Japanese tea culture, otemae<\/em> refers to the series of movements a host performs when preparing matcha for a guest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, a truly skillful otemae<\/em><\/em> is when the host\u2019s movements flow naturally, the utensils are handled with care at the right moments, the timing feels perfectly attuned to the guests, and the hands move softly and elegantly. The host\u2019s posture appears calm yet dignified\u2014and most importantly, the matcha they make is absolutely delicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memories of My Teacher<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I picture a \u201cgood\u201d otemae<\/em><\/em>, I can\u2019t help but think of my tea teacher, who began teaching me when I was in high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She truly loved tea. She would travel almost an hour each way to Nihonbashi<\/em> or Ginza<\/em> just to find the perfect seasonal sweets, and she would tell us about the meanings and wishes behind each one. When her students served her tea with sincerity, she would drink it with a heartfelt, \u201cAh, it\u2019s hot and delicious!\u201d Her words always warmed my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sado<\/em>, the tea ceremony has no end to what one can learn\u2014it\u2019s not only about whisking matcha, but also about cleaning, cooking, and caring for every detail. I still remember one hot summer day when we washed the ashes that had accumulated over the winter. It was surprisingly heavy work, even for me at twenty! My teacher was already around seventy, yet her energy amazed me. She was gentle, sometimes strict, but always dignified and inspiring\u2014a truly cool grandmother figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Film \u300c\u65e5\u65e5\u662f\u597d\u65e5\u300d and Its Familiar Teacher<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than ten years after she passed away, a friend told me this year about a 2018 film called \u300c\u65e5\u65e5\u662f\u597d\u65e5<\/a>\u300d(Every Day a Good Day<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I immediately read the original book, \u300e\u65e5\u65e5\u662f\u597d\u65e5\u3000\u300c\u304a\u8336\u300d\u304c\u6559\u3048\u3066\u304f\u308c\u305f15\u306e\u5e78\u305b<\/a>\u300f (Every Day a Good Day: Fifteen Lessons I Learned About Happiness from Tea<\/em>). To my astonishment, the tea teacher in the story was just like mine\u2014the same calm presence, she also wore elegant kimono in soft, pale colors, just like my teacher always did, even the same habit of picking flowers from the yard for the tea room. Many of the teacher\u2019s lines were identical to things my own teacher used to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It made me realize once again how fortunate I was to have learned from such a wonderful teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Beautiful Otemae<\/em>, on Screen and in Memory<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although I haven\u2019t yet watched the film, I also read\u300e\u8336\u306e\u6e6f\u306e\u5192\u967a\u3000\u300c\u65e5\u65e5\u662f\u597d\u65e5\u300d\u304b\u3089\u5e83\u304c\u308b\u3057\u3042\u308f\u305b<\/a>\u300f(The Adventures of Tea: The Happiness that Spreads from \u201cEvery Day a Good Day\u201d<\/em>), a behind-the-scenes book about the movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It mentioned that the actress who played the teacher performed her otemae<\/em> so beautifully that even real tea masters were impressed. I imagine it must have been just like my teacher\u2019s\u2014a truly skillful otemae<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019d like to see a graceful tea ceremony yourself, I highly recommend watching the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experience Sado<\/em> Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you\u2019d like to experience the spirit of Sado<\/em>, the tea ceremony in person, we invite you to our tea room\u2014a small traditional Japanese house just four minutes by train from Shibuya, in Ikenoue<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n