Product Review

The Japanese Tea Ceremony and the Shoguns is a concise historical overview of the evolution of cha-no-yu - that uniquely Japanese ritual, the tea ceremony - and how it was used in Japan by the shoguns and other political powers between the 12th and 20th centuries to validate position and consolidate power. The contributions of leading tea masters of the past are summarized. A description of a typical tea ceremony is provided, together with a discussion of the appropriate environment and utensils. The spirit and purpose of the tea ceremony are also addressed. The survey, by award-winning author Linda Hewitt, approaches the topic in an accessible, listener-friendly style, and has been used as supplemental material in college-level cross-cultural history courses.