■Heart of Hospitality
Tea Ceremony is a cultural tradition that emerged from China into Japan’s own unique way of serving tea.
The goal of a tea ceremony is to put all your strength into hospitality.

■Once-in-a-Lifetime
“Once-in-a-lifetime” describes the world of the tea ceremony.
It is something that the general public knows; the importance of cherishing the one and only moment you are given.
Even if you hold a tea ceremony with the same guests using the same tools in the same season, it is still impossible to hold the exact same ceremony.
Always, this moment is the only present. While you are alive, everything will always be once-in-a-lifetime.
Perhaps it can be said that tea ceremonies reminds us of that one moment.

■The History of Tea Ceremonies
It is said that tea ceremonies originated back in the 8th century when it started to emerge in Japan.
Back then, the tea that was introduced was the widely used semi-fermented tea in China, therefore its direct relation to the tea ceremony is said to be thin.
The green tea we have nowadays was introduced to Japan in the 10th century and it is said that the tea ceremony was popular amongst of those in the upper class.

■The tea used in Tea Ceremonies
The tea used in Tea Ceremonies is the tea leaves that are grated for green tea.
The tea leaves were imported from China in the Kamakura period as medicine and it includes caffeine, vitamin C, and varieties of Catechin.

■Tea Ceremony experience
The other day, we went to a tea ceremony lesson.
Despite the fact that we are Japanese, it was our first time experiencing a tea ceremony!

The tea ceremony class is held at Shuntaro Kondo’s house. Kondo-san built the new style of tea ceremony – the “Evan geld Tea Ceremony” – while working at an ordinary company and is holding activities to enhance the Japanese culture.
Kondo-san is holding practices for beginners so they are freely able to enjoy the Tea Ceremony experience.

First we have our Japanese confectionaries.

Today’s confectionary is the “Kazuha”. It is a fruit that is in the shape of a leaf with thick small beans inside.
This confectionary called Kazuha means to desperately grasp onto something.

This confectionary can be enjoyed by placing it on a slip of Japanese paper after one glance.
Afterwards, wiping the chopsticks with the paper, we deliciously enjoyed it with a toothpick.

Next, one person made the tea and enjoyed it at a time.
We learned manners in drinking tea and the way to bow but it is quite hard to do it properly.

Finally we were able to make the tea ourselves.
We quietly calm our emotions.
Pouring hot water into a dish with green tea inside, we mix it using the green tea chopsticks.
I tried the one I made myself, but for some reason the one I made was very bitter…it had no scent of the tea. The tea the teacher made was very delicious with the sweet taste of the green tea spreading inside of the mouth!

The tea ceremony may have an image of being highly prestigious and rigid but in Kondo-san’s tea ceremony lesson you can enjoy the experience freely and taste the fascinations of the tea ceremony very well.
The casualness in which anyone can enjoy the tea ceremony up close is what makes the class so appealing.
Learning the traditional art of Japanese tea ceremonies. For those who are not used to kneeling, it is okay to start off sitting down in a relaxed posture.
Please enjoy a soothing lesson in this relaxed atmosphere, so hard to believe that it is located in the heart of Tokyo.
You may be able to feel the profound world of the tea ceremony!

■Shuntaro Kondo’s profile
From Fukuyama City Hiroshima Prefecture. While working at an IT company, he entered the world of the tea ceremony.
He has a Japan tea appraiser license and entered tea ceremonial teaching school in 2010.
He went to China as a tea ceremony representative in the Cultural Art Facility group of the Sino Japanese and in September 2009 created the “Avant-garde Tea Ceremony”, a new style of tea ceremony.
Also, he created the “Japan Culture Committee” with the calligrapher Tokujin Ishikawa, and is holding activities to enhance traditional Japanese culture such as calligraphy and tea ceremonies.

■Avant-garde Tea Ceremony
Tea ceremony class for beginners.
You can learn the basics of the manners in having and making tea.
Lessons are held 1~2 times a month with a membership fee for each lesson.
Content :The basic creation of the tea ceremony, from manners to basics of making tea
Time :1 session 2 hours (10:00~ or 14:00~) (reservations needed)
Fee :1 session 3000yen
Place :Tokyo Setagaya ward Soshigaya
Access :A 5 minute walk from Soshigaya Okura station on the Odakyu line

https://www.ava-cha.com/