The Japanese learned about tea in VIII century from the Chinese, Koreans and their own travellers who visited these countries. However, tea became popular in Japan only much later - in XII century. In those times the Chinese, the indisputable trendsetters of tea culture, were literally fascinated with brewing tea dust, watching tea foam and competing in frothing the thickest tea foam.

This trend crossed sea and ever since the Japanese have been brewing tea dust. At the same time they themselves made quite a big contribution to the world tea culture by turning tea drinking into a ceremony filled with great philosophic sense.

Unfortunately, today only very few people in Japan can afford to conduct a classic tea ceremony. The reason lies in one of the conditions stating that tea ceremony has to be performed in a tea house located in the special garden. This became almost an unrealisable prerequisite given the land prices in modern Japan.

According to the rules, host of the ceremony has to send out to his guests written invitations and they in turn have to accept them in writing. After gathering for the ceremony guests have to choose the most senior and respected member among them who becomes the honourable guest. The rest also form a strict hierarchy - second guest, third guest, etc. … In this order the guests should wash their hands and take seats in the tea house.

Before drinking tea the host has to treat his guests with a light dinner and even Sakae (the strong Japanese alcoholic drink) to uplift their mood. The tea ceremony starts with one big bowl that the host brings up to all his guests one by one. Each guest makes three sips and expresses his admiration for the tea, then the honourable guest on behalf of all other guests asks the host to tell them the history of the bowl. After this the host prepares so called "liquid tea" and different snacks are also served. Now each guest can drink tea in the way he likes it.

Accordingly to Japanese tradition only men could host and take part in tea ceremonies. However, today it is very often that women prepare tea and instead of a tea house in the special garden separate room in a standard town flat is used - we live in the age of compromises, don't we?