Chanoyu in the Everyday: A Guide to the Zen Tea Ceremony and Its Evolution

If you are interested in this event, please also join us for Soryo Matsumura’s Table Style Tea Ceremony also on May 9th.

The Japanese art of the tea ceremony, known as chanoyu, is one of the country’s most distinguished traditions. The visionary Sen-no-Rikyu revolutionized tea culture in Japan in the 1500s and passed down his ideas through his family with the founding of the Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakojisenke schools. Many in Japan and around the globe continue to interact today with this cultural tradition in a myriad of ways based on the ideas of Sen-no-Rikyu.

Guiding us today through the many ways to appreciate the tea ceremony is associate professor in the Urasenke school of tea Master Soryo Matsumura. Both this talk and his recently published guide, The Illustrated Guide to the Zen Tea Ceremony, are meant for everyone – from the absolute novice taking their first steps to this world, to the knowledgeable enthusiast looking for ways to incorporate this art into their everyday life. 

This talk will also be followed by a book signing with the author.

About Soryo Matsumura:
An associate professor in the Urasenke school of tea, one of the three main Japanese tea schools, Master Matsumura is also the founder of the tea practice space Shuhally, where he holds tea ceremony classes with a contemporary slant. He has an MBA from the University of Wales. While traveling abroad as a student, he realized how little he knew about his own culture, and on returning to Japan, he began studying the way of tea. Guided by his philosophy that “tea should be more free, more joyful,” he hosts tea gatherings across Japan and internationally.

About An Illustrated Guide to the Zen Tea Ceremony:
This richly illustrated book by tea master Soryo Matsumura shows you how to use the ancient Japanese tea ceremony to reduce stress and live a more enriching life. It is written for complete novices and explains all aspects of the tea ceremony with a focus on three major themes: (1) How to perform the tea ceremony both at home and in more formal gatherings. (2) The stress reduction benefits this ritual provides, helping you to appreciate the little things in life. (3) How the tea ceremony helps to connect us with others, transcending age, gender and creed. As well as showing you all the basics—how to sit, what to wear and how to follow the etiquette of tea preparation, drinking and conversation—Matsumura explains in a warm and friendly tone how this meditative practice has wider benefits. Filled with beautiful color illustrations throughout, this book is perfect for anyone seeking to bring greater peace and mindfulness into their everyday life.