From Matcha Newbies to Frothy Experts
Stephanie sent us this email when she signed up for the tea ceremony workshop: ‘We enjoy drinking tea but have never experienced a Japanese tea ceremony.’
While many people in Japan have tried ice cream or sweets made with matcha powder, the opportunity to actually participate in a tea ceremony and drink matcha is not so common, even for Japanese people. Especially young people tend to avoid tea ceremony because of the complicated procedures and etiquette involved in drinking matcha.
Naoko was in her teens and twenties, tea ceremony was very popular among women, especially, and it was often learned at school as an extracurricular activity. Through tea ceremony, there was a strong emphasis on ‘bridal training’ to acquire good manners, posture, etiquette, and a respectful attitude towards others in order to become a good wife and mother.
However, in recent years, women’s awareness has changed, and with the idea of gender equality, more women have entered the workforce, making tea ceremony as bridal training no longer necessary.
What Naoko and I seek through tea ceremony is not rigid customs and procedures, but rather for people who gather in the tea room to participate in the tea ceremony to respect each other equally, regardless of gender, age, social status, or nationality, and to enjoy a cup of matcha together. In this hectic and busy world, how precious it is to have an opportunity to calm our minds and reflect on ourselves in a peaceful tea room! I hope that Stephanie and Alex, who are experiencing tea ceremony for the first time, can feel our sentiments.
Stephanie and Alex both said it was their first time making matcha during the tea ceremony, but they both managed to whisk it up very frothily.
I couldn’t help but ask Alex, ‘Alex, have you been secretly practicing
making matcha somewhere?
Stephanie and Alex, how was your tea ceremony experience? I know there were many steps involved before drinking the matcha, and it might have seemed a bit complicated. How did you find the taste of the matcha? I hope we can enjoy a cup of matcha together sometime in the future. Please enjoy the rest of your trip to Japan.
