Every country has its tradition and culture followed by future generations with a long history connected to it. Ancestors might have followed certain customs and beliefs with a purpose, passing them to their future generations. Discussing the culturally rich past to spread awareness in younger breeds, making them feel proud, and ensuring they also give the tradition to their future genes.
The history of japanese tea houses dates from the mid-fifteenth century to the sixteenth century when the central government had no power and control, resulting in complete chaos and war. To claim back Japan, Samurai acted as a leader in the practice, fought with the enemies, and helped grow trade and agriculture.
One such rich tradition of Japan is the “Japanese Tea House.” Japanese tea house or “Chashitsu” is a designated area where the Japanese celebrate tea ceremonies which have been an old tradition. The tea ceremony is not solely to enjoy the green tea but for the guests to have a memorable experience of hospitality with the host, away from the crowd and fast pace of life. Many of you must be thinking about why people in Japan celebrate tea ceremonies and what is the reason behind them. Let me take you through some relevant information related to the tea ceremony.
What is the idea behind the tea house?
The tea ceremony is a special moment for the people of Japan to have a sip of tea sitting at a serene place away from the hubbub, relaxing their minds and body and soothing their nerves. What a wonderful tradition!
One of the old cultures of Japan is to build a tea house near the garden of the houses, temples, museums, or within the house with an eye on fine detailing of every single thing placed in the tea house. Japanese tea house is commonly smaller, with two rooms: one to welcome guests and sit with them to enjoy tea.
In the second room, the hosts prepare tea and dessert. Many people prefer bigger tea houses with multiple rooms: waiting areas for guests, rooms to greet and welcome the guests, washrooms, changing rooms, store rooms, and a few more rooms for different purposes.
There is a special place in the tea house to place items related to the tea ceremony- tea, a bunch of flowers, showpieces, and many other things. The house is designated to have tea and for no other purpose. Guests are invited and welcomed to the tea house made with beautiful architecture, usually wood. In the modern days, it has been replaced with other materials like glass and concrete as well.
In the past, tea was drunk as medicine only amongst the elite class and priests until it gained popularity in all sections of society. The elitists hosted tea parties to show off their knowledge about tea and display antique crockeries. The elites also held tea competitions showcasing their elegant clothes, high-end crockeries, and decorations.
Under the influence of Buddhism, many poor were in search of salvation. Samurai and Zen monks constructed tea houses to spend some peaceful time celebrating tea ceremonies. The two basic philosophies of Buddhism are peace and simplicity, which most of the Zen monks followed. In the present day, the unique Japanese tradition of the tea ceremony is known for its simplicity and humility.
The ancient literature hints at the first tea house constructed by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa at his villa in Kyoto. Later, tea rooms were made in a traditional and contemporary style with an aesthetic touch, which became drawing rooms, living rooms, or a room to perform cultural activities.
Points to bear in mind before building a tea house.
Ample open space: The traditional tea house in Japan is generally built near the garden with ample open space in the lap of nature with an aesthetic element for meditation for the guests before entering the tea house. Near the tea house, a stone water basin is placed for guests to wash their hands and mouth before entering the room to maintain cleanliness and purity.
Small entrance: The entrance door is small, low, and square. The reason is to support equality, irrespective of social status and position. Everybody has to bend and crawl on clenched fists and slide on their knees to enter the room, leaving behind their ego and class at the entrance. Even Samurai had to keep their swords outside the entrance rooms. In addition to the main entrance for guests, there could be an additional entrance to the room. One entry is required for the host to enter the area to prepare the tea.
Avoid overwhelming the space: A subtle touch to the room without overwhelming it is vital while building the japanese tea house. You may decide on the layout based on the total area available to construct the tea house, frequency of gatherings, number of guests expected in all the ceremonies, and a few other factors. Consider placing tatami mats accordingly.
Decide layout properly: The structure of the large tea house is different from the smaller ones, so plan it appropriately before deciding on the final design. Consider clutching more tatami mats for the main room.
Simple items: Bearing that simplicity is a core element of a tea house, so purchase the items for the tea house judiciously, as every item should reflect purity and simplicity. To limit the outdoor view from the room to maintain concentration within, cover the windows with paper panels to allow sunlight to enter the room, but in a limited quantity.
The protocol of the traditional tea ceremony.
The tradition of the formal tea ceremony takes hours to wind up. Guests formally dress up in a Kimono for the rituals. The process starts with a thick tea and concludes with a bowl of thin tea. These days, the traditions have been reduced to having only a bowl of light tea. The protocol includes proper hand movement. If you visit a japanese tea house as a tourist, not much is expected from you; however, knowing the basics might give you comfort.
Appropriate dress code
Wear a simple dress with minimal jewelry to avoid the possibility of damage to the tea crockery. Avoid using aromatic fragrances to prevent disturbance to the ceremony.
The surrounding area of the tea house
Most traditional japanese tea houses are in the middle of the garden; however, modern tea houses lack a garden due to space constraints. Stone is used for the pathway, and a stone basin is kept near the entrance for guests to wash their faces and hands to maintain hygiene.
Tea room
Tea rooms have a small, square door to enter to maintain modesty as everyone has to bend to enter the room.
The pleasure of having tea
The host serves sweets before having tea, which they have to finish before the tea is served. In the last, it is expected that guests should appreciate a few things, which may include saying good things about the tea bowl or a showpiece kept in the room.
The detailed process of constructing a standard japanese tea house
Tea is one of the most favorite among people in Japan. The history of tea in Japan is quite interesting to read. Tea was brought to Japan by the Chinese in the mid-sixteenth century, which was later adopted as part of the Japanese tradition.
The rhyme and reason are to remain grounded, and the architecture of the tea house is such that no matter to which class you belong, you have to bend and crawl to enter the room. Humans often don’t realize that being grounded teaches you to value others. In case someone forgets, the traditional tea house reminds them.
A tea house can be made in the backyard or center of the garden, depending on your preference, space availability, and requirement. A backyard is a good option. You may go for it bearing in mind that the idea is to have a tea house near nature. You can implement your plan by following the steps below.
- Select a spot within your house or backyard close to nature with the soothing surrounding. While sitting in the room, a proper natural view is a must from the room.
- To get a feel of a confined space, try to place it against a wall. Avoid making it an open space as it interferes with the privacy of your gathering.
- Irrespective of the size of the tea house, you need to ensure a solid foundation to construct the building. One-foot-deep digging is essential to start the work.
- Once the digging gets completed, fill the hole with concrete and leave it for a couple of days to dry. The material should be high quality, as compromising quality might affect the foundation.
- Measure the area of the house to get tiles accordingly. Place the tiles in a diamond arrangement. Remember to check the leveling of the tiles. If there is any flaw, arrange to smoothen the floor.
- Once the tile is placed, nail tiles to the foundation using a drill and nails, followed by covering it with vinyl flooring to enhance the view of the room. It is also easy to maintain the vinyl flooring.
- Now, time to concentrate on roofing. Choose a solid material like steel for a roof to support the vault and keep the shape intact. The base for the ceiling should be the size of the room, so measure the steel base accurately, then cover it with fiberglass insulation. Afterward, fix pieces of ply on the roof with perfection.
- The last work is to cover the walls. Measure the walls, cut wooden pieces in accurate size, and fix it with screws on the walls. Check the leveling. If the surface is not smooth, fix it immediately. Go for a neutral hue for the walls, as it will add to the tranquility of the space.
- I hope you are satisfied with your work and feel it was worth putting in your efforts. The finishing touch of the tea house is left. Every item in the room should have a simple and subtle touch to add to the room’s aesthetic. You may have some outdoor furniture, a few comfortable pillows to sit on, a rustic vase with some bamboo sticks, some decent wall hanging to add an element.
The concept of drinking tea is not limited to Japan; it has spread to other parts of the world. There are many Americans who prefer green tea over coffee. Most of you must be aware now that tea was introduced by the Chinese, which became part of Japan’s culture.
Surprisingly, an American tea house, “Alfred,” is gaining popularity in Japan. Alfred’s tea room was started in Los Angeles by Josh Zad, who was looking for an alternate way to drink tea, leaving behind the old time-consuming process. It gained popularity so much that celebrities visited Alfred frequently to sip tea. Zad frequently visited Japan to master the art of tea for his business growth, where people requested him to open an outlet of the LA tea room in Japan.
If you have a tea house at your home or you plan to own one, it’s a brilliant idea. If you want to avoid making or possessing it but want to experience the ceremony, there are many options in Japan and other parts of the globe. After reading the blog, you should have the experience of sipping tea in a traditional tea house.
What is a Japanese Tea house?
It is an area of the house for tea ceremonies wearing a traditional dress of Japan- “Kimono.” A Kimono is a long and loose robe with wide sleeves. Japanese don’t merely enjoy drinking tea during the tea ceremony, but it has a unique relevance and reasons. The tea house is symbolic of internal spiritual piousness.
How big is a traditional Japanese tea house?
Based on the space of the rooms, even the smaller tea house has a minimum of two rooms- one for a host to prepare tea and sweets and to arrange utensils and the second room where guest and host can sit, enjoy sumptuous tea and discuss beautiful and unique items placed in the room.
While constructing the large tea house, multiple rooms are made: a waiting room for the guests to wait for the host, a store room to keep things, a room to welcome guests where they can remove their footwear, a main room for guests and host to sit together and enjoy tea, a separate room for hosts to prepare tea and sweets, separate toilet for male and female.
How to make a Japanese tea house?
You can make a tea house anywhere in and around your home close to nature, ensuring a peaceful ambiance. Select the spot, decide on furniture and tea crockeries, and go ahead. If you want to avoid adopting a lengthy method to construct a tea house, you can get many DIY tea house kits in various symmetries to build a tea house for your family with little effort. Make it compact with the flexibility to move inside and outside your home.
