chado : the way of tea
Chado, the Way of Tea, is one of the most time honored Japanese traditional arts. It encompasses all of the different Japanese art forms, aesthetics, and philosophy. Codified almost four hundred years ago by Sen Rikyu, the greatest tea master, the four spirits of tea signify the highest ideals of the Way of Tea: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. Its core elements involve the acts of serving and receiving a bowl of tea with the utmost sincerity, appreciation, and attentiveness, while bearing an attitude of single-mindedness and a keen awareness of the concept ichigo, ichie (one life, one opportunity). The Way of Tea takes such ordinary everyday activities as arranging, cleaning, serving, drinking, and sharing by elevating them, through aesthetic ritualization, into a high art form that fosters spiritual enrichment, and forms the foundation of a way of life.
Additional information about the Urasenke tradition of tea practiced at Japan House can be found on the website for the Urasenke School in Kyoto.
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