Teahouse "Shouraitei" at Mihama-en

Green tea service, the mother of all Japanese art forms

Jessica A Paje Dec 25, 2014 - 2 min read

<p>One should eat the confection in its entirety to accentuate the slight bitterness of the matcha tea</p>

<p>Teahouse "Shouraitei" at Mihama-en</p>

<p>Tsukubai is a stone bowl filled with water to wash hands and rinse mouth, a symbolic ritual of purification</p>

<p>Inside the teahouse where one can refresh their mind, body and soul</p>

<p>Tokanoma, an alcove that includes a decorative scroll and flower of the season</p>

<p>The sweet confection changes month to month</p>

<p>The water kettle is an important element of a tea ceremony</p>

<p>Tea implements on display inside the teahouse where private parties can be held</p>

<p>The view of the lower pond from Teahouse "Shouraitei"</p>

<p>A close-up of the narrow entrance to the teahouse called "Nijiriguchi"</p>

<p>One of the spaces that can be used for private tea ceremonies. From this vantage point, you can get a better idea of the Nijiriguchi entrance.</p>

<p>A view of Nijiriguchi entrance from the outside. Similar to a crawl space.</p>

<p>For private tea ceremonies, guests would enter the Plum Tree Gate. In the distance, you can see the plum tree that normally blooms in the springtime.</p>

<p>Before reaching teahouse, guests would take shelter here fitted with a bench. A view of the formal garden is intended to soothe the spirit.</p>

Shouraitei is an authentic Japanese teahouse situated in the center of the Mihama-en Japanese garden, and is built entirely of Japanese cedar brought in from Kyoto’s North Mountain. Every aspect of the teahouse is arranged in the utmost care. Similar to the entrance of Mihama-en, Shouraitei is comprised of a dark copper shingled roof that was laid in the Dutch-lap method, representing a low gentle wave. The selection of tea implements, the flower and decorative scroll hanging in the alcove, and the practice of drinking matcha, are just a few of the reasons why a Japanese tea ceremony is the mother of all Japanese art forms.

For 500yen, one can take pleasure in having a confection of the month paired with a cup of fresh brewed matcha. Seated in a Western style tearoom with tables and chairs, there is a method to eating the sweet confection and drinking tea. First, eat the confection in its entirety. This will accentuate the bitterness of the tea. A Chawan (tea bowl) will then be placed on your table with the design facing and centered to your body. Proceed with the following 8-steps:

Take the chawan with your right hand.
Place it in the palm of your left hand.
Turn the chawan twice in clockwise direction. The design will now be facing the tea master.
Drink the tea, sipping to the very last drop.
The section of the chawan that touched your lips should wiped clean using your right thumb and index finger.
Turn the chawan twice counterclockwise. The design will now be facing you once again.
Place the chawan twice in front of you.
Bow to the host.

In addition to the tea service available to the public, Shouraitei teahouse can be rented for private tea parties, and haiku or tanka gatherings.

Jessica A Paje @jessica.paje

Originally from San Diego, California, I lived in Yokosuka, Japan, for 5 years. In 2010, I arrived with a new outlook on my future. Mainly, to refocus on family and let my curiosities take us to places we’ve only dreamt of. Along the way, we’d hopefully develop new friendships and simply collect ...