Ueda Sōko Ryū Melbourne
上 田 宗 箇 流
Japanese tea ceremony
茶 の 湯
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 while
also 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.