The Story of Tea in Japan — Full Article
Introduction — Origins of Tea
The origins of tea go back to Yunnan, China, around 2700 BCE. At first consumed as medicine for the elite, tea gradually became linked with religion and culture. Eventually, it crossed the sea to Japan, where it developed its own path.
From Tang China — Powdered Tea
In Tang dynasty China, powdered tea flourished — the ancestor of today’s matcha. While the practice declined in China after dynastic shifts, Japanese envoys and monks brought both tea and Zen Buddhism home.
Tea Contests — Tocha
Tocha, or “tea contests,” introduced tea to popular culture. Participants guessed whether the tea was the prestigious honcha or common hicha. Though banned as gambling, the prohibition ironically spread tea further among the people.
Muromachi Period — Zen and Wabi-cha
By the 14th–15th century, Uji was renowned for tea. Murata Jukō laid the foundation of wabi-cha, emphasizing simplicity and spirituality. The Ashikaga shoguns, patrons of Zen, collected tea utensils and hosted gatherings that merged art, poetry, and tea.
“There is Zen even in a bowl of tea.” — Attributed to Murata Jukō
Nobunaga — The Hunt for Famous Objects
Warlord Oda Nobunaga understood the political power of tea gathering. Through his “Hunt for Famous Objects,” he seized rare utensils and redistributed them, making them symbols of power and loyalty among samurai.
On the very day Nobunaga met his end in the “Incident at Honnō-ji,” a grand tea gathering had been planned. Records tell us that 38 prized tea utensils were lost to the flames of the temple that night.
Hideyoshi and Sen no Rikyū — Power and Aesthetics
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nobunaga's successor, valued tea but favored extravagance, clashing with Sen no Rikyū’s austere wabi-cha. Their conflict ended in 1591 with Rikyū’s forced death, though his philosophy shaped Japanese tea for centuries.
The Great Kitano Tea Gathering
In 1587, Hideyoshi, with Rikyū’s help, hosted the Great Kitano Tea Gathering at Kyoto’s Kitano Shrine. Over 1,500 tea huts welcomed people of all classes, making tea accessible to everyone for the first time.
Conclusion — What Tea Reflects
From Tang China to Japan, tea evolved from temple ritual to pastime, from political tool to spiritual practice. Shaped by monks, shoguns, merchants, and warlords, tea became more than a drink: it became a mirror of Japanese aesthetics and spirit.
From Tang China to the teahouse — tea became a mirror of spirit and society.