Tea & Sake

Tea and sake have long met at the same gathering. In a formal chaji — the full tea ceremony — every school, whether the three Senke or the warrior schools of tea, serves sake during the kaiseki meal. The meal exists so that the thick tea to follow may be enjoyed at its best, without burdening the stomach; and into that quiet interval, a cup of sake is gently offered.

How the sake is served carries the character of each school. Commonly, it follows sankon — three rounds of the cup — while the host adjusts freely to the spirit of the day and to the guests. Even the lid of the chōshi that pours the sake — plain wood, glazed ware, or a matching lid — is chosen with care, down to the smallest detail.

The chasen that whisks the tea and the cup that accompanies the seat are both born of the host's care. A bowl of tea and a cup of sake quietly uphold the same moment — ichigo ichie, one time, one meeting.