Your shopping cart is empty!
FREE SHIPPING OVER 35€
WELCOME COUPON €5 "CIAO5"
The tea ceremony is a practice that involves the preparation and tasting of the beverage, carried out in a ritualized and meditative manner, a social and cultural activity that has become a tradition, with precise rules and regulations, in various Asian countries. The origin of the tea ceremony is attributed to China, although it was imported along with tea to Japan, where it soon became one of the most well-known traditional cultural forms. The matcha tea ceremony or Japanese tea ceremony is much stricter than the Chinese tea ceremony, such as Gong fu cha, which, although also based on Zen principles and Buddhist philosophy, represents more of a social occasion than a meditative one, and does not involve such absolute rules.
It is undeniable that the tea ceremony was perfected in Japan: its origins in China date back to Buddhist monasteries, as legend has it that monks used to gather to drink tea, as the energizing and stimulating beverage that was considered a medicinal aid in China helped them stay awake during long meditation practices, as well as to harmonize mental states. It is believed that it was Japanese monks, visiting China to study Buddhism, who brought tea to their country and turned its preparation and tasting into a spiritual and ritual ceremony not only in terms of gestures and preparations, but also of meditation.
The definitive codification of Cha no yu, as the Japanese tea ceremony is called, was carried out by the Zen Buddhist monk Sen no Rikyū in the 16th century, who followed the tradition established by the monks who first brought tea to Japan, Murata Shukō and Takeno Jōō, and the wabi-cha style, based on the principles of simplicity and sobriety of Zen philosophy, and on "minimal desire," which advocates that satisfaction is obtained by fulfilling small desires.
The tea ceremony is a call to grace and beauty, to inner contemplation of the moment and the things around us, based on four main values:
Respecting these values is intended to encourage the guest to abandon all worries and to find, in the frenzy of the day, a moment of pure contemplation, of inner search, of attainment of spiritual happiness, simplicity, sobriety, and humility, in a formal ceremony where every gesture and every word carries a profound meaning, and everything is precious and requires special attention.
There are actually various styles and ways to perform the tea ceremony, which vary in preparation, depending on the seasons, and the objects used. However, at the center, we find an essential element: matcha tea.
We have selected over 700 top quality products chosen from dozens of producers around the world. Terza Luna is the reference point for all tea, herbs, and spices enthusiasts.
ENTER THE TERZA LUNA WORLD
The matcha tea, or maccha (抹茶), literally 'rubbed tea' is a type of green tea originating from imperial China, considered one of the most precious and exclusive teas, at the center of the traditional tea ceremony. Although it is originally from China, matcha is considered the symbolic beverage of Japan, the homeland of green teas, where the largest production is found, especially in the districts of Kyoto and Aichi. It is a tea with a millenary history, produced from tencha leaves, meticulously selected and processed with specific methods, before being stone-ground to obtain a very fine powder of bright green color. It is precisely the powdered composition that makes matcha tea so special and precious: matcha powder is not infused in water, but prepared for 'suspension', that is emulsified, to create a bright green beverage that contains many more properties and nutrients compared to a normal green tea infusion, even talking about 65% of nutrients against 35% of leaf teas! Unlike green tea, matcha tea is grown covered in the last days before leaf harvesting, which stimulates the production of chlorophyll and therefore important nutrients.
The origin of this tea dates back to the Tang dynasty, when green tea leaves were first steamed and then pressed into balls or bricks, which were pulverized, and the powder infused. It was during the Song dynasty that the method of preparing matcha powder mixed with water using the chasen whisk in a bowl, the chawan, became popular.
Today the most precious matcha, known as 'ceremonial grade matcha', is produced in ancient Japanese establishments, from tencha leaves, those used for Gyokuro, the most precious green tea, but there are also varieties derived from sencha tea leaves: the different qualities will have different aromatic notes and tastes, and will also differ in color, both of the powder and the infusion. The leaves are harvested once a year, in February, on an occasion that celebrates the end of winter: once harvested, they are selected and vaporized, and then further selected to produce Gyokuro or Matcha. Tencha leaves, those used for matcha, are roasted and powdered, traditionally using a stone mortar. There are in fact different "grades" of matcha tea, depending on the type of leaves used, from 'culinary grade', used mostly in recipes, to the purest ceremonial matcha.
The Japanese tea ceremony is called Cha no yu, which literally means "water for tea preparation," often also known as Chadō or Sadō, meaning "way of tea." At the center of this ceremony is the preparation of matcha tea, the quintessential green tea, which is whisked with water using a bamboo whisk, the chasen.
The tea ceremony is not merely about the preparation and tasting of tea: especially the Japanese one, and therefore the matcha tea ceremony, is a social and cultural, spiritual ritual, based on the principles of Zen philosophy of harmony, respect, sobriety, and tranquility, and made up of strictly codified rules, norms, and rituals, one of the most important and perfectionist Zen arts.
The tea ceremony, which as mentioned has its origins in China, has taken on different forms, styles, and codifications in various Asian countries. In Japan, the tea ceremony is exclusively performed with the preparation of matcha tea, but even in this case there are different types of ceremonies, which differ in the type of tea prepared: in the "thick tea ceremony" (濃茶, koicha) a thicker tea is prepared, using less water and more matcha powder obtained from the younger leaves of older plants, and it is a much longer and more complex ceremony compared to the "light tea ceremony" (薄茶, usucha), in which matcha powder from the older leaves of younger plants is used. Both ceremonies have very strict rules, for example, it is not possible to use the matcha powder from the usucha ceremony for the koicha ceremony, and two different containers are even used to store the two types of tea.
Although the tea ceremony has detached itself from the practice of Buddhist monks, Cha no yu is still a ritual that requires the utmost spiritual and mental involvement, as well as specific movements that almost resemble a choreography: in Japan, circles and courses are even organized to teach how to host a tea ceremony.
Cha no yu requires hours of preparation: the guest wakes up early in the morning and begins to prepare. The ceremony takes place in the tea room, chashitsu, which originally was a hut separate from the house, exclusively intended for the matcha tea ceremony. After washing their hands as a sign of purification, guests enter the chashitsu through a small door, which requires bowing as a sign of prostration and humility. The tea room is a simple place, with sober objects and specific use, a few tatami mats, an alcove called tokonoma where a poem or composition suitable for the situation or season is hung, and a floral arrangement. The kettle is placed in a square hole or on a brazier, depending on the time of year when the ceremony is held. The tea room is furnished according to the Zen principles that guide the matcha tea ceremony: stripped of all richness, softly illuminated, inviting to rid oneself of worries and ostentation of daily life, and to foster mental states of simplicity and harmony, to appreciate the moment. Attention to detail is fundamental in the matcha tea ceremony, in order to create a comfortable, tranquil, and pure environment.
The ceremony, as a whole, is an enriching process for the body and mind, both for the guest and the attendees. Once inside the tea room, the guests sit down, following a precise order, and the teishu, the tea preparation specialist, begins to prepare the matcha tea, with very specific movements. Before drinking the tea, guests are invited to eat a sweet, which will contrast the bitter taste of the served matcha. According to the principles of respect, harmony, contemplation of beauty, and etiquette, guests are invited to admire the room, the utensils, their beauty, the sweets, and to compliment the host. The tea is served in the chawan, and drunk by one guest at a time, who will rotate the cup in the palm of their hand, and drink it by orienting the decorated part towards the teishu, expressing their approval with sounds of appreciation. Once drunk, the cup is washed and passed to the next guest. When all the guests have consumed the tea, they are again invited to handle the utensils, appreciate them, and ask questions about their history.
These are generally the basic steps of a simple ceremony, like the usucha, the light matcha tea: in reality, the matcha tea ceremony can be much more complex, even including a meal, and lasting for several hours. In any case, the tea ceremony aims to promote a sense of unity among the guests, to free themselves from the worries of the outside world, and to contemplate the moment: this is demonstrated by how the conversation must necessarily focus on the ceremony itself and its stages.
The matcha tea ceremony is based on the need to create a peaceful and relaxed experience for those who live it, and for this reason, everything must be perfect, especially the matcha tea, which must be of the best quality to be praised by the diners and generate the most balanced mental states.
The preparation of matcha tea requires great care, studied movements, and the use of specific accessories and objects: if this is already true in the standard preparation of matcha, for daily consumption, where it is essential to at least use the chasen and the chawan, it becomes fundamental in the tea ceremony, the Cha no yu, where the accessories and materials are an integral part of the process, each destined for a purpose, often steeped in history, requiring to be admired by the guests and handled, washed, and used with care.
The necessary tools must be functional, but aesthetically pleasing to the eye. According to Japanese standards, these are:
For the preparation of matcha, it is necessary to heat the water to about 80°C-90°C. The water temperature is very important to ensure a perfect outcome of the drink and prevent the leaves from burning and becoming bitter.
Part of the water is used to warm the chawan and the chasen. Subsequently, the water is poured into the chawan, the expected amount of matcha is added, preferably measured with the chashaku, the bamboo spoon, and it is stirred with the chasen, with energetic and regular movements, forming an "M". A light airy foam will appear on the surface.
Matcha tea has an intense, tart, and fresh flavor, very original. Its particular preparation gives a unique consistency to the drink, which has become particularly appreciated by connoisseurs, demonstrating its high quality and the level of complexity of its processing. It is no coincidence that this tea has been chosen for the tea ceremony: drinking matcha tea transfers the delicate, yet intense flavor to the palate, inducing meditation, contemplation, but also an appreciation for an unusual taste.
The purchase of matcha must be careful: being an exclusive and precious product, it is easy to find imitations and replicas on the market at very high prices, which do not even resemble the original, intense but sweet taste of real matcha. It is important, therefore, to evaluate the color, aroma, and appearance during infusion, as well as the taste: many powders are in fact mixed with sugars and colorants. At Terza Luna, you can buy, in addition to the matcha accessories necessary for the realization of a true tea ceremony, also the 'ceremonial grade' matcha, the most precious and rare type of matcha tea used in Cha no yu, available in our online matcha shop.
