About Chanoyu


About Chanoyu

Tea has been prepared in Japan in various manners for more than fifteen hundred years. The most influential is Chanoyu, which is whisking powdered green tea together with hot water in a bowl. There are many different ways to present Chanoyu depending on the utensils and circumstances. Tea originated in India, was brought to China, then throughout Asia. It became an integral part of Zen Buddhism, which kept one awake for periods of meditation. Cha-no-yu, 茶の湯, tea’s hot water, was perfected in the 16th century by Sen no Rikyū. Several schools of Tea developed in various levels of society. The Urasenke family and school has served the merchant class for more than four hundred years. Sen Zabōsai is the present and 16th generation Headmaster. People around the world study and practice Chanoyu to achieve different levels of accomplishment, and some strive to become masters and teachers. The utensils of Chanoyu include bowls, ceramic jars for tea, water jars, kettles and braziers, tea scoops, hanging scrolls, flowers, etc., and practice requires knowledge of history, food, gardens, religion, ethics, architecture, design, incense, clothing, art, etc. 

Palmer being instructed by Hōunsai, 1974.