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For most of us, making tea is simply a matter of boiling water, throwing a tea bag in a cup, stirring and drinking. Easy, isn’t it?

But that is actually only one of many ways you can prepare a cup of tea.

The Japanese have proven over the centuries that making tea can be a much more complicated process than that. In fact, they have turned it into an art form that they call chanoyu , which, literally translated, means hot water for tea.

The Japan Foundation in Jakarta offers beginner and advanced courses teaching the art of chanoyu. Every Tuesday morning and afternoon, a group of aspiring tea makers assembles in a small room laid out with tatami mats to practice the detailed ceremony.

“Actually, I first did an ikebana [flower-arranging] course at the Japan Foundation,” said one Indonesian participant, Lieana. “When I found out they also have chanoyu classes, I signed up immediately. I have always wanted to learn more about this.”

Liena said she enjoyed the class, even though it can be painstaking at times.

“There are so many details that I have to remember,” she said, adding that it takes a while to memorize all the different steps.

The origins of chanoyu date back to the 16th century. Over time, different styles have emerged and developed.

But they all seem to have one thing in common — a philosophy that goes beyond brewing a cup of tea. Instead, chanoyu celebrates elegance in simplicity and recognizes beauty in daily life.

The teachers at the Japan Foundation, respectfully addressed as “sensei” by their students, come from the Uranseke Tankokai school, which is headquartered in Kyoto but also operates branches all around the world.

Pohan Kuniko, the head of the Jakarta branch, quietly oversees the classes and gives advice when needed, while three other teachers instruct the students.

“The main principle behind chanoyu is wa kei sei jaku , which means harmony, respect, purity and tranquility,” said Suwarni, one of the teachers at the class.

“By practicing these virtues in the tea ceremony, we can later incorporate them into our daily lives as well. Every single step in chanoyu has a meaning. Most of all, it helps us learn how to be patient.”

Patience seems to be the key for the 15 students in the class. With earnest faces, they follow the instructions of their teachers, at times smiling when they have finally mastered a step, at other times looking desperate because they have made yet another mistake.

During the 90-minute class, the participants attempt to master the intricate details of the chanoyu ceremony, including folding their silk cloth just the right way, turning their serving bowl precisely three times and cleaning the tea caddy correctly.

The whole ceremony is performed “seiza,” the traditional Japanese way of sitting that involves kneeling on one’s own lower legs with the feet under the buttocks and the toes pointed backward. It is definitely not easy to maintain this position for any length of time.

Ayumi Hashimoto, assistant director of the Japan Foundation, said that despite the ritual’s long history, many young people in Japan never learn the art of chanoyu. “I never learned how to perform a traditional tea ceremony when I was growing up,” she said.

“There are, of course, classes in Japan as well, like extracurricular activities, but you have to be interested in chanoyu. It is not something you automatically learn as a child or teenager,” she said, adding that she now takes the opportunity to observe the classes at the foundation.

Hashimoto said the tea ceremony was usually performed when receiving important guests.

“It’s like you are serving them a cup of tea with a pure heart,” she said with a smile.

Hashimoto also said there was a common misconception that chanoyu was mainly performed by women.

“It was men who created chanoyu in the first place,” she said. “Maybe more and more women learned how to do the tea ceremony because it was required of a good host, but actually, there are still many men who learn about chanoyu.”

At the end of each class, teachers and students sit together to drink a cup of green tea. But even this is highly ritualized — the person who serves the tea turns the bowl three times before placing it in front of the others with a deep bow. The receiving party bows in return and also turns the bowl before drinking the tea. And when taking the last sip, one is expected to slurp and make a noise, to acknowledge the hospitality of the host and the delicious taste of the tea.

For more information about chanoyu classes, contact
Ms. Nurul from
the Japan Foundation at
021 520 1266