Hosted by Tushita Teehaus & Gallery
SADO - THE ART OF JAPANESE TEA PREPARATION
The simple, mindful movements of the tea master, the beauty of the objects used in the ritual, and the spirit of the host and their guests combine to create a harmonious, contemplative atmosphere that is difficult to resist.
Anyone exploring Japanese culture will inevitably encounter the green matcha powder. Brought from China by Buddhist monks in the 8th century, matcha tea has anchored Japanese lifestyle for over a millennium. Monks originally favored the brew because it sustained them through long meditation sessions, combating drowsiness, sharpening concentration, and offering numerous health benefits.
Besides these beneficial qualities, which are increasingly appreciated in the West, matcha is defined by the profound ritual of the tea ceremony, known as Sado or Chado. This ceremony was developed by the tea master Sen no Rikyu in the 16th century and quickly became an important part of Japanese culture. His unique legacy was the fusion of Wabi-Sabi philosophy with Ichigo Ichie, which emphasizes the importance of unique human connection. Under Ichigo Ichie, every encounter is a once-in-a-lifetime event; a single tea gathering can never be perfectly replicated, mirroring the spiritual awareness of impermanence. To guide this practice, Rikyu established four enduring principles: harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei), and stillness (jaku).
These values, influenced by Zen Buddhism, shape the connections among the participants in the ceremony, as well as their attitudes towards the tearoom and the utensils used. These concepts, derived from the philosophy of wabi-sabi, are reflected in the beauty of the tearoom, its tranquility, and harmony.
About the host
Aya Poppel was born in Japan in 1978 and grew up in Singapore. After returning to Japan at the age of 15, she attended school in Kobe and studied behavioral science at Kobe College. Around this time, Aya was introduced to Sado (Urasenke) and trained under tea masters Sōmi Matsuzawa and Sōshi Ueda. After graduating from university, she moved to Tokyo to work in marketing at Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan's largest newspapers. Following her time with Asahi Shimbun in Tokyo, Nagoya, and London, she worked as a freelance magazine reporter in Hong Kong. Since 2020, she has been dedicated to raising her family and currently lives in Munich.
Language: German
Tickets: 58€
