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Tea ceremony

The Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony, or cha-no-yu.  The tea ceremony has developed into a ritual seeking to combine the four qualities of respect, harmony, cleanliness, and tranquility.

The steps to the ceremony are quite simple: 

Clean the serving bowls, boil a pot of water, serve a sweet treat to guests before the tea, mix powdered bitter green tea (Matcha) and water to make a frothy tea, serve the tea to guests.
The flavors of the sweet and the bitter tea compliment each other. This is a sign of harmony.

Bow when you receive the bowl of tea (chawan)

Take the chawan with your right hand and place it in the palm of your left hand. 

Turn the chawan clockwise three times before you take a drink.  

When the tea is gone, make a loud slurp to tell the host that the tea was truly enjoyed.

Wipe the part of the chawan your lips touched with your right hand. 

Turn the chawan counterclockwise and return to the host.