Chado: The Way of Tea

Chado—the Way of Tea—is a Japanese art form deeply rooted in Zen aesthetics and philosophy. This day-long session treats it not as a craft class but as a practice: a way to understand presence, simplicity, and the meeting of host and guest through the ritual of preparing and serving matcha.

The session covers tea ceremony's history and underlying principles, then moves into hands-on practice. You'll make matcha yourself, which is less about technique and more about attention—how you move, how you listen, how small actions contain intention. A vegan lunch is included, likely eaten in silence or with attention to the meal itself as part of the practice.

This works well for people curious about Zen but not ready to commit to sitting practice, or for experienced practitioners wanting to explore a complementary form. No prior knowledge of tea ceremony or Zen is needed.