Japanese Tea Ceremony: The famous and unique taste of Japan has to be classically prepared green tea. The drink itself is a mild, and not too bitter, frothy brew the colour of pea soup. It slips down throat in a few gulps and the accompanying cake is but a morsel, but - as with all Japanese things - this is not the point. Sitting in a proper Tea House, this one is hidden in a small private maze of gardens next to the giant Himeji castle, staring out of the sliding doors to the moss covered lawn and being served tea by kimono adorned ladies with great grace and reverence is a holistic experience. One I won’t quickly forget. The taste of the actual tea was only a very small part. The intent is the touching all the senses including the “sense of asthetic beauty.” The room’s layout, the art, the garden, the quiet, are all puncuated by the taste of the tea. It is the final sensual touch, intimately gracing the tongue and with this the core of your person, for what is more private than your mouth? It is an attempt to reach inside you by the ‘joined-up-ness’ of the event. At least that’s how it was for me. It’s one of those things that you have to ‘go’ for or it won’t have any effect. Much like life then. One could finish the tea and cake in a moment and leave unchanged in under a minute. For those affected time drifts and Cesca and I sat happily, left in peace, until asked to leave - they had closed over 20 minutes ago but didn’t want to disturb our ‘wa’ (harmony). Basho
