History of tea in Japan

The history of tea in Japan began as early as the 8th century, when the first known references were made in Japanese records.

Tea consumption became popular among the Heian gentry during the 12th century, after the publication of Eisai's Kissa Yōjōki.

The first Japanese contact with tea most likely occurred in the 8th century during the Nara period, when Japan sent several diplomatic missions to Chang'an, the capital of China's Tang dynasty.

These early delegations brought back knowledge of Chinese culture and practices, as well as paintings, literature, and other artifacts.

[1] The Chakyō Shōsetsu indicates that Emperor Shōmu served powdered tea to a hundred monks in 729, but there is some uncertainty regarding the reliability of the text.

[2] In 804, the Buddhist monks Kūkai and Saichō arrived in China to study religion as part of a government-sponsored mission during the Heian period.

[1] Saichō, who returned in 805, is often credited for being the first to plant tea seeds in Japan, although the documentary evidence is uncertain.

[1] In the three centuries after Emperor Saga's death, interest in Tang Chinese culture declined, as did the practice of drinking tea.

[8] Records from this period continued to recognize its value as a medicinal beverage and stimulant,[9] and there are mentions of it being consumed with milk, a practice that subsequently died out.

[12] The Zen monk Eisai, founder of the Rinzai school of Buddhism, is generally credited for popularizing tea in Japan.

[1] In 1191, Eisai returned from a trip to China and brought back tea seeds which he planted on the island of Hirado and in the mountains of Kyushu.

Myōe planted these seeds in Toganoo (栂尾) and Uji, which became the sites of the first large scale cultivation of tea in Japan.

It opens with the statement that "Tea is the most wonderful medicine for nourishing one's health; it is the secret of long life."

The preface describes how drinking tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs (a concept in traditional Chinese medicine).

[1] He presented a version of his Kissa Yōjōki in 1214 to shōgun Minamoto no Sanetomo, who had been suffering from a hangover after drinking too much sake.

[17] Soon, green tea became a staple among cultured people in Japan—a brew for the gentry and the Buddhist priesthood alike.

Samurai Sasaki Dōyō was particularly famed for hosting such competitions, with lavish decoration, large quantities of food and sake, and dancing.

This simple room in his retirement villa at Ginkaku-ji allowed the shōgun to display his karamono objects when holding tea ceremonies.

[20] Shukō is credited with developing the muted, "cold and withered" motifs of the Japanese tea ceremony.

The historical figure considered most influential in the development of the Japanese tea ceremony was Sen no Rikyū.

The three main schools of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony today, the Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakōjisenke, were all founded by children of Sen no Sōtan, Rikyū's grandson.

[29] Rikyū also influenced Japanese tastes in ceramics, rejecting the smooth regularity of Chinese-influenced tenmoku ware in favor of uneven rice bowls produced by ethnic Korean potters in Japan.

Instead, most tea was hand-fired over a dry wok to stop the process of oxidation and purchased as loose leaves rather than compressed bricks.

Instead, they promoted a carefree, informal approach to tea, inspired by ancient Chinese sages and the scholar-recluse tradition.

Sensor and computer controls were introduced to machine automation so workers can more easily produce superior tea without compromising quality.