Chanoyu: Experience the Way of the Tea

Chanoyu comes to the Japanese Friendship Garden on Saturday, November 7, presented by the Tankokai Tea Group. It's a session of the Japanese tea ceremony, held at the Musoan tea house inside the garden at 1125 N 3rd Ave in Phoenix.

Chanoyu, also known as chado, is the Japanese tea ceremony: a contemplative and communal art form cultivated over centuries that refines both the physical movements and the mental discipline of each gathering. The word itself means 'hot water for tea,' but the practice runs much deeper. It's guided by the Four Values of Chado — Wa (Harmony), Kei (Respect), Sei (Purity) and Jaku (Serenity) — and by the phrase ichigo-ichie, 'one time, one meeting,' the awareness that each moment is unrepeatable and every ceremony is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Urasenke school, whose current Iemoto is Sen Soshitsu, describes the Way of Tea as the creation of the proper setting for the enjoyment of a perfect bowl of tea, where even the quality of the air and the space in which it's served become part of its flavor. It's a slow, deliberate process, and the focus is as much on the environment and the company as it is on the tea itself.

There are four seatings throughout the day: 9:40 AM, 10:40 AM, 12:10 PM and 1:10 PM, and each one is limited to eight guests. Tickets are $110 plus a $3.85 service fee, and $100 for members, with garden admission included. They're presale only, so you'll need to book your spot ahead of time.