… "the way of tea" or 茶の湯, chanoyu) is a Japanese tradition steeped in history. Discover more about the history of Japanese tea below. The Japanese tea ceremony (茶道, sadō or chadō, lit. In both Chinese and Japanese tradition, the discovery of tea is credited to the Indian sage Bodhidharma (aka Daruma), the founder of Zen Buddhism.Bodhidharma, travelling to spread the word of his new doctrine, founded the Shaolin temple in southern China (Shorinji to the Japanese). In many minds, the formal tea ceremony is an iconic representation of Japanese culture, and today it is even more ingrained in the Japanese lifestyle than it is in China, from which the ceremony was borrowed nearly 900 years ago. Tea Culture of Japan: “Chanoyu” Past and Present illuminates the importance of Japanese tea culture and examines the ways in which it has evolved over the centuries.Imported to Japan from China during the ninth century, the custom of serving tea did not become widespread until the thirteenth century. Tea is a lively aspect of Japanese culture. The following reference provides a brief overview of some common varieties of Japanese tea. In 13th & 14th centuries, tea became an integral part of the culture in Japan. In Japan, tea is more than just a hot drink. 1. ‘茶 is a custom that has been interwoven into Japanese culture, with almost every meal in Japan accompanied by a freshly brewed pot of green tea. Uji region near the city of Kyoto became Japan's first major tea cultivating region. It is a ceremonial way of preparing and drinking green tea typically in a traditional tearoom with tatami floor.Beyond just serving and receiving tea, one of the main purposes of the tea ceremony … Fermentation in tea … We explore the tea traditions, legends, and history of tea in India, Japan, and China. The tea cermony is in many ways synonymous with Zen since both arrived in Japan from … Available everywhere, from restaurants to vending machines, tea is the ‘most commonly drunk beverage in Japan’. There are only a couple of dark fermented Japanese teas available today, and they are different from the Chinese pu’erh. Ryokucha. Tea Traditions: From Chinese legends of the origin of tea to modern tea culture today, the history of tea runs deep in many regions around the world. Not just a popular drink, tea is an important part of Japanese culture, featuring in … By the late 15th and 16th centuries, tea was ceremonially prepared by a skilled tea master and served to guests in a tranquil setting. According to Chinese legend, tea was born in 2727 BC, when the Emperor Shen Nong Tea in Mythology. For example, Japanese Tea Ceremony transforms the preparation, serving and consumption of tea into a rich art form. Oolong tea or “ uuroncha ” is quite popular as iced tea and is often on the more oxidized side. It is a very important ritual that has a lot of meaning within the culture. Japanese dark tea. The tea ceremony represents purity, tranquillity, respect and harmony and a lot of preparation goes into this important event. If you're visiting the Kyoto region then take the opportunity to travel south to the town of Wazuka, where you can tour the green tea fields while brushing up your knowledge of Japanese tea culture and sample a wide range of green teas.. 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