NY Seasonal Tea Ceremony "Matcha & BoteBote-cha"

The refined matcha of the samurai, shaped by an aesthetic of quiet discipline, meets Botebote-cha—the humble folk tea nurtured by the people of Izumo!

Formality and freedom, stillness and movement—two spirits of tea come together in this autumn gathering.

Botebote-cha is a “folk matcha” made by boiling bancha leaves and dried tea flowers, then pouring the infusion into a tall, iron-gray gosude bowl.

Using a simple bamboo whisk (sasara) dipped in salt, the tea is whisked until a white, silky foam rises.

The soft sound of the bubbles falling—bote, bote—gives the tea its name.

Once enjoyed standing as a light meal or nourishment for travelers and workers, it has long been cherished as part of everyday life.

When the foam has fully formed, small rice balls, sweet beans, shiitake mushrooms, koya-dofu, and other seasonal ingredients are added.

The gentle foam, the fragrance of tea blossoms, and the rising steam evoke the quiet beauty of autumn—

a bowl where food and tea harmoniously merge.

During this gathering, guests will first experience making their own Botebote-cha, whisking it by hand to create the soft white foam, and then savoring it together with a seasonal kaiseki meal. The experience will conclude with a traditional matcha ceremony in the Ueda Sōko tradition. It will be a moment where the quiet grace of the warrior and the warmth of the people resonate as one.

Please join us for this experience of autumn serenity and harmony!

Detail of this tea ritual

1. Kaiseki cuisine*

• Ritual Description
• Explanation of traditional incense sniffing etiquette

2. BoteBote-cha

• Traditional Preparation of Botebote-cha
• Traditional Way of Enjoying Botebote-cha

3. Matcha ritual

• Presentation of the Traditional Matcha Ritual
• How to Drink Matcha

4. Discussion time

• The history of the Japanese tea ritual
• The relationships between samurai and tea ceremony
• The spirituality of tea ceremony
• Introduction of the tools that we use
• Question and answer

*The contents are subject to change.

*If you have allergies, vegetarianism, or other dietary requirements, please contact us at least three days prior to the tea ritual.

Dress code:

Western-style clothes are acceptable. No sleeveless shirts, or short mini skirts. Please bring a clean pair of white socks. (We have some extra)

Please take off jewelry and watches.

Precautions:

• In the event of cancellation by the customer less than two weeks prior to the tea ritual, the ticket will not be refunded or changed to another tea ritual.
• If you arrive after the start time, you could not join the ritual in the middle of the ceremony after it has begun, as it will interfere with the ritual. Please be sure to arrive at the venue before the start of the ritual. If you fail to arrive in time, we will not be able to refund your ticket or change your ticket to another tea ritual.
• The images are a record of the tea ceremonies we have held so far. They do not show the contents of this tea ceremony.
• The staff will take pictures of the tea ceremony. Please note that the images taken may be used for publicity purposes at a later date.

Support:

Globus Family / Nippon Cha / Ueda Soko-ryu

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Host or Publisher Yoshitsugu Nagano