The tea ceremony is a communication program that originated in Japan from the late 15th century to the late 16th century. In an era when samurai were fighting over territory, where rebellion, betrayal, and anything else was possible, the way to survive was to trust others, and through the tea ceremony, we confirmed whether we could trust both our friends and our enemies. Even now, it is useful for building relationships of trust not only with people you are close to, but also with people outside your circle, such as people you dislike or have difficulty with.
Then, what is the basis of trust? Buddha confirmed this not by worshiping God or nature, but by looking at “people themselves.” When entering a tea ceremony, a person will see many elements that make up the space, such as preparations, utensils, and food. “The people themselves” refers to the “eyes” that determine things. Worldly boundaries such as status, honor, career, age, etc. cannot be brought into the tearoom. An individual goes to the tea ceremony just with their body, or so to speak, their heart, and they exchange “eyes.” This was the social technique of the time, where trust was achieved through that attitude.
However, this was not only desired by samurai in the warring states period, the so-called Sengoku period; 400 years later to the present day, its importance has remained unchanged. This can be said to be the true essence of “Chanoyu,” the tradition of preparing and serving tea. Its essence has not changed through the passage of time, and it has been expressed using techniques and ingenuity that differ from era to era.
The tea ceremony of “Wabi Suki,” which originally originated from the common people, was elevated to the position of the Shogun and Emperor, who are the pinnacle of Japan.
It may have been a kind of faith for the merchants to experience this for the first time.
In modern times, with the development of technology, there are many other ways to interact, and the tea ceremony itself is seen as an antique. It is necessary to preserve, use, and pass on important things to improve the industrial value of the tea industry, and we think that modern people need a foundation in life so that they can aspire to a cultural life and feel the emotions of their hearts.
It is said that about 800 years ago, the high priest Shoichi Kokushi brought back tea seeds from the Song Dynasty in China and sowed them in Ashikubo, Shizuoka. He then taught the people how to cultivate and use tea. After that, The Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, who retired in the early 17th century, became fond of tea ceremonies, and the custom of drinking green tea took root in Shizuoka.
Shizuoka Prefecture has become the tea capital these days, ranking first in Japan in both green tea consumption and production. We are securing tea plantations, working hard on product development, and strongly believe that the tea culture and industry will continue in Japan for hundreds of years. The taste and flavor of tea made with abundant spring water from Mt. Fuji and the Southern Alps is exceptional. Come visit the tea plantations in Shizuoka, 100 miles west of Tokyo and about an hour by train.
Shizuoka companies will be exhibiting at the 2024 World Tea Expo, and we look forward to meeting you there.
Osada Seicha Co., Ltd.
Oyaizu Seicha International Japanese Tea Co., Ltd.
Nikken Foods Co., Ltd.
Maruzen Tea Co., Ltd.
Marumatsu Tea Co., Ltd.
Tea Capital, Shizuoka
Mt. Fuji is in Shizuoka prefecture.