Sowa Style Tea Ceremony Experience in Kanazawa, where Historic Tea Traditions Thrive

The Deep Roots of Tea Ceremony in the Tearooms of Kanazawa

Kanazawa was the center of the historic Kaga domain (today’s Ishikawa and Toyama Prefectures), and the seat of a vibrant and flourishing culture during the Edo period (1603-1868). Its power and influence sometimes put it at odds with the samurai government in Edo (modern day Tokyo), but it held its own against this threat not only as a military power but a cultural one as well. Through this, tea ceremony and art blossomed as fixtures of life in the city, and even today it remains dotted with tearooms used by the public.

The former Sono residence Shokoan is approximately 12-minute walk from Kanazawa Castle Park

The venue for this experience is the former Sono Residence called Shokoan, an early 19th Century sukiya-style structure filled with ingenious touches that facilitate tea ceremony within. In particular, its teahouse and garden are set up for gorgeous four-seasons natural harmony, and each room offers a different view of this greenery.

Delight in tea while overlooking the garden and the earthen veranda that shields the interior from snow and humidity

The Kaga Roots of the Elegant Sowa Style of Tea Ceremony

Japanese tea ceremony comes in a variety of styles, each with its own characteristics and aesthetic sensibilities. The Sowa style was founded by Sowa Kanamori and has been preserved and passed down through the ages from the historic Kaga domain to modern day Ishikawa Prefecture.

Sowa Kanamori drew inspiration from two people – his father, who was a master of tea ceremony, and Sen no Doan, the son of legendary tea figure Sen no Rikyu – to develop a sophisticated style of tea ceremony that he used in dealings with the court nobles and samurai families of Kyoto. This new style combined the elegance of the nobility with the spartan minimalism of the samurai and the spirit of wabi-sabi.

The tea ladle’s rounded corners are characteristic of Sowa style tea ceremony

The Sowa style’s roots in the Kaga domain begin with Sowa’s eldest son Shichinosuke, who served the third lord of Kaga, Toshitsune Maeda. Shichinosuke taught his father’s style to the domain’s high retainers, who found that it fostered their warrior spirit. In turn, these retainers worked to spread Sowa’s tea ceremony further and deepen its teachings, ultimately making it a fixture of life in the domain. In this experience, participants can learn directly from the head of the Sowa style’s Sowa Group, Sojun Takagawa.

Takagawa performs sumitemae

Accoutrements Embodying the Seasons and the Host’s Welcome

The first place to look when entering a tearoom is at the tokonoma, an alcove space in traditional tatami rooms where wall scrolls and flower arrangements are displayed. The tokonoma has special significance in tea ceremony as a place for the host to express their seasonal theme for the ceremony, and their hospitality toward their guests. Intuiting the meaning of the scroll and flower arrangement on display can be a challenge for beginners, but Takagawa will offer a full explanation to make it completely accessible.

Themes that change with the seasons are integral to the joy of tea ceremony

Sowa Kanamori is known for placing high value on an elegant aesthetic in his tea ceremonies, favoring ornate utensils, but nonetheless also including utensils imbued with a sense of wabi-sabi and seasonality. Through these, guests can appreciate the beauty of the seasons and tradition alike, which is part of the joy of the ceremony.

Guests can also observe the etiquette and movements characteristic of the Sowa school, such as the way that the fukusa (purification cloth) is handled, which varies from school to school. The Sowa school favors graceful and dignified movements that originate from samurai customs.

Tea utensils that change with the seasons

Tea Ceremony Imbued with Seasonal Beauty and Welcoming

The experience begins with sumitemae, the process of boiling water over charcoal to make tea, which is an important part of the ceremony. By carefully managing the number, size, and shape of charcoal pieces, an optimal water temperature can be achieved and maintained for delicious tea. Performing this before the guest’s eyes is itself considered part of the traditional hospitality of the tea ceremony, creating a sense of quiet anticipation that draws guests further into the mood of the ceremony.

The vital step of charcoal preparation for boiling water

Before partaking in the tea, wagashi confections are served. The wagashi served in this experience are from a specialty shop called Yoshihashi, which has been in business in Kanazawa since 1947. Wagashi are traditionally served in tea ceremonies because their sweetness complements the bitterness of the matcha and deepens the overall flavor. Seasonal sweet selections also convey the theme of the ceremony and the spirit of hospitality, and enhance the joy of the seasons.

Seasonal wagashi confections served before tea

After the wagashi, Takagawa serves usucha (thin tea) matcha with a delicious froth on the surface, from a Kanazawa tea shop. Usucha has only moderate bitterness, and is a smooth drink that brings out the depths of the matcha’s flavor. This quiet cup will calm your mind and draw you into the moment so you can enjoy the beauty of the ceremony with all five senses.

Closely observing the tea bowl is part of the enjoyment

After serving tea, Takagawa explains about the chawan (tea bowls) used in this experience. Sowa style tea ceremony often uses Ohi ware, a traditional Ishikawa prefecture craft boasting three and a half centuries of history, characterized by warmth, simplicity, and a harmony with the seasons and the tranquil atmosphere of the tearoom. Drinking from Ohi ware can add an extra bit of unique Kanazawa charm.

Steeped in Tradition and Tranquility, a Special Kanazawa Tea Ceremony

This tea ceremony experience is a chance to luxuriate in silence in a historic Kanazawa tearoom, healing your mind and finding a deep, focused presence in the moment. With your attention concentrated on various movements, you’ll find your mind is naturally calmed and cleared.

Give yourself over to the bliss of the moment in quiet relaxation

Your instructor Takagawa’s refined movements, the beautiful wagashi confections, the various seasonal tea utensils, and the decoration of the tokonoma alcove space all fill the experience with the beauty of Japan’s four seasons and the spirit of hospitality. Enjoy a special moment surrounded by the rich aroma of matcha, calming your mind for peaceful, quiet focus.