The Book Of Chanoyu. Tea: The Master Key To Japanese Culture

As new large 8vo softcover in Fine DJ and obi, 96 p, ills colour & bw, 18 x 26 cm, Japanese/English text. Authored by tea master Randy Channell Soei, a Canadian who came to Japan in 1985 to study martial arts and now lives and works in Kyoto, this insider’s look at the traditions, rituals, and terminology surrounding ‘chanoyu’ (the way of tea) describes and illustrates every aspect of the Japanese tea ceremony in vivid detail. Not only does the book provide invaluable insight into the preparation and making of tea, it also gives interesting snippets of history, like how ‘matcha’ was originally brought from China by monks around the 12th century. The guidebook describes both informal and formal styles of tea gatherings, and pays special attention to the meaning behind every aspect.