It’s all about gratitude and respect
Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa
In my previous article, I showed you how to enjoy Matcha at home. I hope my tips worked for you.
You made a bowl of matcha, with fine foam on the surface. Your mouth is filled with sweetness. Now you are ready to drink the green liquid.
But wait! Let’s deepen your experience by adding these 5 tips.
Hold your tea bowl with both hands
Feel the warmth of the bowl. Look at the light green, silky foam. Inhale to enjoy the aroma – Just like you swirl the glass before you sip wine.
Bow a little
While holding the bowl with both hands, bow a little to show respect to someone who made the tea (it’s you!), people who took the effort to grow the tea leaves and to make them into Matcha, and nature that provides us with clean, pure water.
Turn the bowl twice
If the bowl has some design and it’s facing you, turn the bowl clockwise a little so that you avoid touching your lips on the front design.
Now you are ready to have the sip. Enjoy!
Make a noise at the last sip
The tea is almost gone in the bowl. You can make a little noise when you have the last sip. It’s a sign that you enjoyed the tea so much and you are done.
Take a closer look at your bowl
Turn the bowl counterclockwise so that the front design is facing you again. While holding it with both hands, take a closer look at the bowl. Do you know who made it? Even though the bowl is manufactured in a factory, someone must have handled this bowl. Think about that person and thank them for their efforts to make it.
In the Japanese tea ceremony, you will be doing these five gestures as a guest with more formal steps. The purpose of each little gesture is to show gratitude and respect to the host and to your surroundings.
It reminds you that you are not living alone, that even this little bowl of tea wouldn’t have been made available without so many people’s and nature’s involvement.
By taking a little extra time to add these gestures, I hope your teatime will become an opportunity to experience deep gratitude and respect, enriching your life.