The Perfect Cup of Tea?

Cuppa. Rosie Lee. Builder’s brew. Whatever you call it, we love tea. Caffeine loaded or herbal, there’s usually a cup that appeals to everyone. Hugh Laurie once said that “Nobody knows how to make a cup of tea like the British”, something I would have probably agreed with before I met Kayoko Sato-sensei.

Kayoko is a Japanese Tea Master. She began her training when she was 15, and ten years ago achieved Master status. It was hard to guess her age now, but at least 50. That’s a lot of training. Kayoko holds tea ceremonies for all sorts of reasons, and we visited her house so she could show us what it was all about.

Kayoko’s home was of the traditional Japanese style, and we sat on the tatami mats on the floor around a low table while she explained the importance of tea in Japan and what would happen during the ceremony. Ritual, precision, and etiquette were the order of the day, and none of us wanted to be the person to break the ceremonial spell! We were led into another room, and again sat on the floor, this time in front of Kayoko’s huge ornate kettle (which looked more like a cauldron), tea bowls and various other tools and equipment.

The ceremony began by us each being presented with a sweet and chopsticks. We were then presented with a tea bowl. Everything, and I mean everything, was done a certain way. From the way you eat the sweet, to where you placed the tea bowl and how you held it. So not that relaxing then?

Then Kayoko got down to the business of making the tea. There’s only one word that I can think of that sums the process up. Mesmerising.

Her movements were incredibly calculated, but she moved deftly and with a completely relaxed air about her. Always stirring the same number of times, in the same direction. Matcha paste mixed to a particular consistency; tools wiped after every use with a towel that was then folded back into triangles and popped in her kimono belt. Each cup was made individually and presented to the recipient, who bowed and acknowledged the tea with a phrase and then drank the tea before admiring the bowl.

It was more of a meditation than anything. Not a drop spilt as ladle after ladle of water warmed to the exact degree was metered out whilst everyone remained silent. But this wasn’t the time or place for small talk. Kayoko had us all gripped with her matcha charm. Once I had stopped fretting about messing up my Japanese response and had drunk my tea, it was wonderful just to sit and listen to the soft sounds. Nothing about her training involved spells, of that I am sure, but Kayoko had created one and we were under it.

Afterwards, Kayoko explained the ‘tea ceremony state of mind’. Forget Alisha Keye’s Empire State of Mind, this is a recipe for life. The tea ceremony state of mind is this: Harmony, Respect, Purity, Tranquillity. Yes, it is a description of the ceremony and Kayoko herself, but isn’t it also a way to live? How would life be if we aimed for this?

Arthur Wing Pinero said, “where there’s tea there’s hope.” Had he also fallen under the tea ceremony spell? Or could he just tell that there was a lot more to tea than quenching our thirst? Next time you pop the kettle on, take a moment. Listen to the water boiling, watch as the tea steeps, appreciate the aroma and taste as if it was new to you. You don’t have to be in Kayoko’s front room to be mindful of the moment, and you definitely don’t need to train for decades. As you sip your brew of choice, perhaps a little bit of the tea ceremony state of mind will imbue your life.

Kayoko at her home