日本: Ryūrei

Being a tea drinker in Japan has its benefits. Like, amazing loose leaf in the grocery store. And ceremonies about preparing and serving the beautiful stuff. There's a whole ten year process to learning how to perform the Way of Tea and so while my mom was in town, we decided to reap the fruits of someone else's ten years of schooling.

I must brew a strong cup of sencha at home, because tea ceremony matcha has a rather similar punch. Vegetal. Green. Tasty.

There are quite a few tools required for performing the tea ceremony (a bamboo ladle, whisk, spoon, cold water, and hot water for starters), although I think for home one could get by with a whisk and a bowl. But never forget that pre-emptive sweet! Totally necessary.

Sometimes, when I watch these cultural performances, I feel a little lost. Out of place. Similar to trying to read an unfamiliar alphabet...