Tea Ceremony

Procedure, people involved, and utensils used

The tea ceremony takes place in a room designed and designated for tea. It is called the chashitsu. located within the tea house. The guests are shown into the machiai, or the waiting room where the hanto, or assistant to the host awaits. He offers sayu, which is hot water used in making the tea. The guests choose one person from the group to act as the main guest. The hanto then leads the guests to a water sprinkled garden, called roji, or the dew ground, which is devoid of flowers. Here the guests cleanse themselves of the corruption and filth exposed to them while living their daily lives. Afterwards, they seat themselves on the koshikake machiai, which is the waiting bench, and anticipate the approach of the host who is officially titled teishu or house master.

Immediately before receiving the guests, the teishu fills the tuskubai, which is a stone basin, and sets it among a low stone with fresh water. Taking a ...