SADOU - 'The Way of Tea'

SADOU or CHANOYU, is the Japanese tea ceremony (first practiced by Zen priests to achieve a contemplative calm); the Way of Tea. It is a choreographic ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea, called Matcha, together with traditional Japanese sweets, e.g.Wagashi, to balance with the bitter taste of the tea. Preparing tea in this ceremony means pouring all one's attention into the predefined movements. The whole process is not about drinking tea, but is about aesthetics, preparing a bowl of tea from one's heart. The host of the ceremony always considers the guests with every movement and gesture. Even the placement of the tea utensils is considered from the guests view point (angle), especially the main guests called the Shokyaku.

(Today I was honour to be a Shokyaku in a Tea Ceremony performed by a Geiko.)