Explaining the Tea Ceremony, Youtube video on our channel now: If you asked ten tea masters to define Chanoyu, you’d have ten different answers, each reflecting a different aspect of the whole: chanoyu is Zen, it is performance art, it is meditation in motion, it is hospitality, it is aesthetic philosophy, it is a spiritual connection between guest and host, etc. This multifaceted nature is part of chanoyu’s beauty and a key factor in its longevity and popularity. Of all of the countless cultural phenomena that have sprung around tea since its discovery, from the Song dynasty tea competitions, and the lavish chayorai tea parties of 14th century Japan, none have survived and thrived in the way that chanoyu has. To put it as simply as I can, chanoyu is a manner of preparing and serving matcha to guests that is steeped in Japanese aesthetics and Zen philosophy, and has gone through centuries of tradition, innovation, and refinement. Along the way, it picked up added meanings, practices, and ideals that today have culminated in this complex cultural soup. - @tezumitea