茶事【CYA-JI】is like an spectacular symphony it lasts as long as 4 hours, while 茶会【CYA-KAI】is only one part of it and it takes about 30-40 minutes.

If you were going to participate in Tea Ceremony( It’ really great idea!), it might be useful to know there are two kinds of Tea Ceremony: 茶会【CYA-KAI】and 茶事【CYA-JI】.

 

＜Whole process of 茶事【CHA-JI】＞

寄付き【YORITSUKI】↓
待合【MACHIAI】Waiting Room ↓
席入り【SEKI-IRI】Entering a Tea room ↓
＜初座【SHOZA】＞
炭手前【SUMI-TEMAE】↓
懐石料理【KAISEKI‐RYOURI】KAISEKI Cuisines ↓
主菓子【OMO-GASHI】↓
中立【NAKADACHI】↓
席改め【SEKI-ARATAME】
＜後座【GOZA】＞
濃茶【KOI-CHA】
後炭【GO-SUMI】↓
●薄茶【USU‐CHA】↓
退席【TAI‐SEKI】

When it comes to 濃茶【KOI-CHA】, it’s SO THICK. We put every green powdered tea in a tea container called 茶入れ【CHA-IRE】for a bowl of 濃茶【KOI-CHA】.
Then, participants of ceremony drink from the same bowl by one by one in order, it’s like a ritual
(濃茶【KOI-CHA】is so thick and after finish to drink all 4 ～5 people, traces of tea in the bowl look like an flower petal). Then, we feel the mind called 一味同心【ICHIMI-DOUSHIN(Everyone in the space have the same mind)】.

In 茶会【CHAKAI】, there are 小間の茶会【KOMA NO CHAKAI(TEA PARTY IN A SMALL ROOM)】and 大寄席の茶会【OOYOSE-no-CHAKAI（BIG TEA PARTY MANY PERSONS COME）】.

Above picture is 大寄席【OOYOSE】, many unspecified people would come and have a tea togather. If you happened to participate Tea Party in the sightseeing places or public halls (It is common to be held Tea Party once or twice in a year by Tea practice-group users). It might be 大寄席の茶会（ OOYOSE’s CYAKAI, Large Tea party for many people).
小間の茶会【KOMA-NO CYAKAI（Small room’s Tea party)】are also held at tourisized villas with isolated tea room or amazingly, departmentstores having fine tea rooms.

茶事【CYAJI】is difficult to perticipate because it is held among only close peoples, for example people learing the way of tea community.

They are held in a small Tea rooms and only few people(4～5）would come and spend about 4 hours.
懐石料理【KAISEKI-RYOURI（KAISEKI Cuisine）】ulyimaly simple, but very formal style food, 濃茶【KOI-CHA】and 薄茶【USU-CYA】would be served.

▶Do you want to try amazing 茶事【CHA-JI】experince?▶GOLDFISH TOURS ＜JAPANESE CULTURE EXPERIENCES

▶Here, let’s see how to enjoy 茶会【CHA-KAI】for beginners!

 

 

茶事【CYA-JI】literally means Things around Tea is very long as about 4 hours!

 

寄り付け（待合）Guest wait at waiting  room or outside waiting stand

 

⬇︎

迎え付け Host welcomes guests

⬇︎

席入【SEKI-IRI】Entering a tea room through tea garden

⬇︎

炭手前【SUMI-DEMAE】　Prepare Charcoals

 

 

 

 

 

⬇︎

懐石【KAISEKI】Traditional style simple course meal

　

⬇︎

中立【NAKA-DACHI】

⬇︎

濃茶【KOI-CYA】 Thick Tea

⬇︎

薄茶【USU-CYA】Thin Tea　⬅️ 大寄せの茶会 【CYA-KAI】Tea ceremony does Only this part

 

▶︎大寄せの茶会【OYOSE-no-CHAKAI】is Tea ceremony for many people in large room.

While traveling, you might see such a tea ceremonies at sightseeing spots, department store etc.

 

▶︎小間の茶会【KOMA-no-CHAKAI】is Tea ceremony in small room for 4-5 persons.

正客【SHO-KYAKU】,main guest is the most important .

３ Kinds of Tea ceremonies and flows

of each styles.

●茶事【CHAJI】

迎え付け【MUKAE-TSUKE】Welcoming ➡︎席入り【SEKI-IRI】Entering the seats➡︎懐石【KAISEKI】Symple Meal Course➡︎中立ち【NAKADACHI】➡︎お薄【O-USU】Thin Green powdered Tea➡︎お濃茶【O-KOI-CYA】Thick Green Powdered Tea

●大寄せの茶会【OOYOSE-NO-CYAKAI】
Tea ceremonies which are held at large room and many people come at once.

They are sometimes held at Department stores or Sightseeing spots.

▶︎新潟市民茶会【NIIGATA SIMIN-CYAKAI】Tea ceremony by citizens

▶︎市民程茶席by裏千家男子の会; Serving Tea seats of Citizens

If you came to Niigata on first Monday of the month, you are lucky to encounter the chance of Serving by 　URASENKE-DANSHI-NO -KAI；The meeting of 裏千家【URASRNKE】’s male.

▶︎What’s 裏千家【URA-SENKE】? literally means “back SEN family”
千利休【SEN-NO RIKYUU】is the most famous tea masteer in SENGOKU period  he established THE WAY OF TEA.After his death, two branches have occurd , back URA-SENKE and front OMOTE-SENKE.The reason of those names are from the place The house was, URA was in the back of RIKYU’s house and OMOTE was in front of 利休’s house.