A form of spiritual art. Mariko-san impressed me with her elegant movement, deep knowledge, and thoughtful attention to every detail. Music by “Gagaku” singing ‘Hichiriki’ Traditional Japanese court music found by itunes podcast directory. From www.Wikipedia.org The Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu 茶の湯, lit. “tea hot-water”; also called chadō or sadō, 茶道, “the way of tea”) is a multifaceted traditional activity based on Taoism (Daoism) and influenced by Zen Buddhism, in which powdered green tea, or matcha (抹茶), is ceremonially prepared and served to others. The get-togethers for chanoyu are called chakai (literally “tea meeting”) or chaji (literally “tea function”). Usually the term chakai is used to refer to a relatively simple course of hospitality that includes the service of confections, usucha (thin tea), and perhaps tenshin (a light snack), while the term chaji refers to a more formal course of hospitality including kaiseki (a special kind of full-course meal), confections, koicha (thick tea), and usucha (thin tea). A chaji may last up to four hours. A tea practitioner should strive to be knowledgable if not expert in the wide range of disciplines and traditional arts that are integral to chanoyu — for example, the production and types of tea, kimono, calligraphy, flower arranging, ceramics, and incense — in addition to his or her school’s tea practices. Because of this, the study of the tea ceremony is virtually endless. [1] Even to participate as a guest in …

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