Ueda Sōko Ryū Melbourne
Japanese Tea Ceremony
of the Samurai Class
上 田 宗 箇 流 メ ル ボ ル ン
武 家 茶 道
Welcome to the homepage of the Ueda Sōko Ryū Melbourne, the first Australian group of the Ueda
Sōko Tradition of Japanese tea ceremony.
The Japanese tea ceremony is an art that developed from the practice of tea drinking in Zen temples. It is said to be the physical embodiment of the tranquil mind state and values
involved in Zen practice. In a tea ceremony, powdered green tea or matcha is prepared in front of guests according to a highly structured procedure.
The tea ceremony, or chanoyu in Japanese, involves much more than its English name
suggests. The ceremonial aspect is certainly a major part, but more than the actual tea making procedure itself, chanoyu involves all the activities leading to tea drinking; all the
utensils used in the tea ceremony; the entire atmosphere surrounding the procedure; and the most important phase, the frame of mind or the spirit which grows out of the combination of all
these factors.
In feudal Japan, chanoyu and Zen were widely practised and held in high esteem by the samurai. The Ueda Sōko Tradition of Chanoyu was
founded in Hiroshima in the early 1600s by warlord and tea master Ueda Sōko from whom the Tradition takes its name. It is
a Ueda Sōko Tradition is representative of the chanoyu developed by the samurai of feudal Japan. It places
particular emphasis on developing the sincerity of the host; developing Zen values and mind state through all the activities of
the tea ceremony; and cultivating beauty that is austere and minimal whilealso being fresh and elegant.
Practice is held in Hawthorn. Practice is ongoing, not a course. This is because chanoyu is a ‘Way’: it is practiced for the development of
one’s character, for bringing the self nearer to perfection and for developing the skills for performing the ceremony alike. Newcomers with no experience are most welcome as are existing
practitioners of chanoyu.
At practice one progressively learns various styles of tea ceremony as well as etiquette and decorum such as guest
etiquette and the handling of various equipages used in the tea ceremony. These equipages include chawan (tea bowls), chaki(tea caddies) and chashaku (bamboo scoops). One also learns about Zen thought and Asian arts such as ceramics, and poetry.
We perform around Melbourne and welcome enquiries to perform at events or to introduce the
Japanese tea ceremony to organisations or private groups.
It is with the warmest invitation that the Ueda Sōko Ryū welcomes you to practice chanoyu and savor the joy and fulfillment the practice offers.
Characteristics of the Ueda Sōko Tradition of Japanese Tea Ceremony
- a Samurai Tradition of Tea Ceremony (chanoyu) that continues unbroken from the Momoyama Period (approx. 1573 ~ 1603) to the present day
- a Tradition where the unique aesthetics of Ueda Sōko can be seen - aesthetics that combine influences from Rikyu’s pursuit of tranquility and Oribe’s pursuit of beauty in movement, to form a sense of beauty that is dignified and elegant
- the only Tradition that has restored the headquarters of the Tradition (Iemoto) to the original layout of the Edo Period Samurai residence complete with the tearoom complex ‘Wafūdō’ and shoin reception building. The Tradition also maintains many historical tea equipage, artifacts, and ancient texts and documents with great historical significance for the history of chanoyu
- a Tradition known for its dignified, elegant beauty. The characteristic movements of the Ueda Sōko Tradition’s tea preparing ceremony (temae) are dignified and beautiful. This is achieved by composing movements of straight lines and eliminating all unnecessary movement. The Tradition teaches the ceremony to be conducted in a masculine way by men and a feminine way by women (in line with Samurai culture of the Momoyama Period).
More specifically, the above points entail:
- The tea preparing ceremonies (temae) are different for men and women
- The way of bowing for men and women is different (see videos here)
- The purifying cloth (fukusa) is worn on the right side of the sash (a samurai’s sword is fixed in the left side of the sash and this side is left free out of respect for the sword, and in case one has to suddenly exit the tearoom, fix their sword to their sash and start battle)
- The way of handling the bamboo ladle (hishaku) and purifying cloth (fukusa) if very distinctive in the Ueda Tradition. E.g. Men handle the bamboo ladle as if riding a horse in battle and draw water as if handling an arrow
- The movements in the tea preparing ceremony (temae) are composed of straight lines, and the movements flow with the breath. Performing the ceremony in harmony with the breath rejuvenates one’s spirit: the emphasis is on releasing one’s breath and energy ‘from inside to out, from inside, to out’
Studying the Japanese Tea Ceremony (chanoyu) makes the practitioner’s everyday life more fulfilling, and rewards the practitioner with ineffable moments of tranquility, stillness, and
quietude for the mind.
In the midst of thetranquility of the tearoom one finds the spirit of the samurai of the Warring States Period (Sengoku), people who lived each day with ferocious purpose.
The values of the samurai are very relevant for our times. Living with emphasis on the present moment, maintaining spiritual stability, quietude for the mind, and developing artistic
expression are the highest values; and values one develops in the practice of the chanoyu of the samurai.
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