General Tea Terminology

(lit. hot water for tea) A collaborative aesthetic practice centered on the simple yet profound act of sharing a bowl of tea. The tea used is matcha, or powdered green tea. The setting for tea, the objects brought into that setting, and the embodied forms through which host and guest prepare and receive tea all combine to create the conditions for a unity of mind or spirit to arise among those gathered. Often referred to as "Japanese tea ceremony" or "the Way of Tea" in English publications; in Japanese, it can be used interchangeably with chadō or sadō.

(lit. the tea path) Can be used interchangeably with chanoyu and can be read with either the first character as "cha" or "sa." The modern-day Urasenke school typically reads it as a "cha," while most other schools read it as "sa." The second character "dō" has connotations of a spiritual path for some. Often referred to as "Japanese tea ceremony" or "the Way of Tea" in English publications.

A person who practices chanoyu is often referred to as a tea person.

While the term ocha can be used to refer to all Japanese green teas (whereas kocha is used to refer to black teas), in the context of chanoyu the word is often used by practitioners to refer to the practice in a less formal way than using chanoyu itself. For example, the phrase "ocha no okeiko" is often used to refer to "tea class" rather than "chanoyu no okeiko." Among tea practitioners the context makes it clear what they are referring to when they use a more generic term like "ocha."

Made from the plant Camellia sinensis, matcha tea leaves are steamed and dried before being ground into a powder. When serving, the powder is whisked into hot water.

Made by whisking two scoops of matcha powder (approx. 2 g) with hot water (approx. 60 cc). In a tea gathering, a single bowl is served to each guest individually. The whisked tea may or may not have a layer of foam on the top depending on the school a practitioner belongs to.

Made by blending matcha powder (approx. 4 g/person) with hot water (approx. 30 cc/person). A single bowl can be made for up to five guests, who drink the tea in turn. Thick tea has the consistency of a smooth pea soup. It is normally only drunk during a formal tea gathering and is considered the highlight of the gathering. Since such a small amount of water is added to the matcha to make thick tea, the result is a very dark green beverage, and when served in a black tea bowl (the most commonly used vessel for koicha), it can be hard to see, especially in a tea room without artificial lighting. Consequently, a host relies on their sense of smell and the feel of the tea against the whisk to know when it is ready to serve. 

Oyu is any water that has been boiled to over 40 degrees Celsius. The difference between osayu and oyu is one of specificity. For example, at a tea gathering, a host might serve osayu when the guests first arrive at the waiting area (machiai), but they would never serve oyu. By contrast, oyu is what is poured from the kettle into the tea bowl.

The difference between osayu and oyu is one of specificity. Oyu is any water that has been boiled to over 40 degrees Celsius. Osayu is water that has reached boiling briefly and then been allowed to cool somewhat. For example, at a tea gathering, a host might serve osayu when the guests first arrive at the waiting area (machiai), but they would never serve oyu. By contrast, oyu is what is poured from the kettle into the tea bowl.

In chanoyu, this is a one-to-one session during which a teacher conveys the procedure for making tea to the student assuming the host's role and the etiquette for drinking the tea to the student practicing the guests' role. A tea class is usually referred to in Japanese as "ocha no okeiko" or even just "okeiko" ("o" being an honorific prefacing the word).

In traditional arts, learning by observation is an important aspect of study; it is thought that just watching is the same as actually doing. Therefore, during a tea class or instruction session, students will be learning by observation when they are not practicing the host or guests' roles.

A form of study centered on learning the form and pattern (kata) of the movements for the tea making procedure (temae). There are correct forms for each movement that are taught in increments and then brought together. The forms are similar to the kata learned in the martial and performing arts.

Each school of tea follows different procedures for making tea and other associated tasks, such as laying charcoal. Within each school there are hundreds of varying procedures for using specific tools or honoring the season. There are two basic types of procedures for making thin tea (usucha) or thick tea (koicha). Students of tea will progress through a curriculum by learning these different procedures. In the Urasenke school, for example, the beginner's curriculum includes making the tea in both the brazier and sunken hearth season (approximately May through October and November through April, respectively). The Intermediate curriculum includes holding a formal tea gathering (chaji) as the host and attending as a guest. The advanced curriculum includes procedures for using historical or valuable Chinese objects.

(lit. head of family / household) The majority of schools that teach chanoyu are organized hierarchically with a head of the school (iemoto) at the top. The position is hereditary and passed down in a patrilineal system. The head of school is the arbiter of style and can develop new procedures (temae) or authenticate utensils with their cipher (kao). In some schools of tea the iemoto is referred to in English as the Grand Tea Master. The "iemoto system" developed historically in chanoyu and other "traditional arts" as a way to preserve and transmit knowledge within each school.

There are many schools of tea, each with their own specific style and procedures (temae). Many of the schools trace their lineage back multiple generations, often to a famous historical tea master. Typically a student enrolls within only one school of chanoyu and although they may change teachers if they move, for example, it is not typical to change to another school of tea. While chanoyu practitioners can easily spot differences in style from one school to another it may be difficult for an outsider to discern much difference.

A collective term used to refer to the three Sen family schools: Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakōjisenke. All three trace their lineage back to the influential tea master Sen no Rikyū. Today they are the largest schools of tea in Japan and internationally, and they thus dominate discourse, scholarship, and popular representations of chanoyu.

There are ten crafts or artisan lineages that support the three Sen family schools. These include tea bowl makers, lacquerware artists, kettle makers, bamboo workers, and so on. The codification of which craft families' works are supported by the three Sen schools, through patronage and authentication of utensils is a development of chanoyu history that speaks to the increasing concentration of power among certain families.