ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Tea ceremony

The tea ceremony is a special way of making and drinking tea that is very important in some cultures like Japan. This is when people take the time to prepare and serve tea in a special way to show respect, mindfulness, and hospitality to their guests.

First, the host (the person who is responsible for making the tea) chooses the tea and the tea utensils that he or she will use. This can take a long time because it has to be done very carefully.

Then, the host prepares the tea room by cleaning it, arranging the tea utensils, and setting up a special place where the guests will sit.

Once the guests arrive, they are greeted by the host and led to their seats. They will then be served a small sweet delicacy that will be enjoyed before the tea is served.

When the tea is ready, the host begins to make it using a special technique that is very important in Japanese culture. The tea is made in a beautiful bowl, and the host uses a wooden paddle to mix the tea with water until it becomes a beautiful green color.

Then, the host passes the tea to the first guest who will drink it, and the tea bowl is passed around the guests one at a time. Each guest takes a sip of the tea and uses a special cloth to clean the rim of the bowl before passing it on.

Once all the guests have had the chance to drink the tea, the host will clean and put away the utensils, and the tea ceremony is over.

In short, the tea ceremony is a special way of making and drinking tea that is very important in some cultures. It is a way of showing respect, mindfulness, and hospitality to guests, and it is done by carefully selecting the tea, preparing the tea room, making the tea using a special technique, serving it to guests one at a time, and cleaning up after.