Tea master

The art of chado (tea ceremony) involves more than preparing tea with boiling water and powdered green tea, then serving it. It is an integrated art form that includes various elements, such as tea utensils and other objects that are used to serve the guests. In the following interview, a tea master named Randy Channell Soei explains his view of this world:

1. First encounter with chado
Initially, I came to Japan to learn budo (martial arts). I wanted to live according to the expression “bunbu ryodo” (the union of cultural and martial ways), because I felt that training in budo only represented an imbalance. My first experience in the way of tea was very interesting for me. There were so many similarities in movement between chado and budo like the way of walking, posture, and bowing. That’s what first attracted me to the way of tea.

2. Before becoming a tea master
Initially budo was my main focus and tea was more or less a hobby… that turned around completely. I attended the Urasenke Gakuen Professional College of Chado for three years, and after graduation opened my own tea class. The way of tea gives me opportunities to meet many different types of people. That’s what draws me to it.