ON SUBSTACK: [WJTCIB #2] "Through The Tea, Find Yourself" — Japanese Tea Master Yumiko Sayama
An interview with my teacher and Urasenke Tea Master, Yumiko Sayama | Part 2 of "Why Japanese Tea Ceremony Is Badass"
Tea Master Yumiko Sayama 📸 John Hook
When my early response to training in Chado (The Way of Tea or Japanese Tea Ceremony) was resistance and suspicion, I was counseled to "learn strength from Kendo. And learn grace from Yumiko."
I know now that this is overly simplistic, but it was absolutely what I needed to hear at the time. It held a mirror up to how I thought of strength and grace as two distinct, even opposite, traits. But in fact, in their highest realization, they are indelibly intertwined. To make progress in my Zen training to realize my True Self, I had to let go of my baggage and attachments to how I thought of physical and spiritual strength, masculinity, femininity, and power. I am so thankful that my teachers could see, even early on, how good Tea would be for me.
As I mentioned in my first post on Why Japanese Tea Ceremony Is Badass, Tea has taught me as much about realizing my own strength as martial arts like Kendo. For one, I have learned a lot about overcoming discomfort from sitting for hours in seiza on the floor, my legs folded under me until they are screaming in pain or completely numb. But the most meaningful lessons in what my own strength, particularly as a woman, could look like have come through observing and spending time with my teacher in The Way of Tea, Yumiko Sayama.
What strikes you first when you meet Yumiko-san* is her beauty. At 62 years old, she is stunning. Through old photos around the Sayamas' home, it's possible to see what she looked like in her 20s and 30s, when she was a rising star in the theater troupe led by Tatsuya Nakadai, a muse of the famous film director Akira Kurosawa.
The second thing that you notice about Yumiko-san is her intensity. It's hard to pin down or describe in one word, as her energy combines fierceness, sensitivity, strength, and gentleness. It also comes out in different ways to suit the situation. One version comes out in the Tea Room, tall, elegant, and refined. On the occasions when I get to assist her cooking, though, I find myself in the presence of a human hurricane. I am often left shell shocked and exhausted after several hours on Yumiko-san's heels, cleaning up or prepping ingredients for the half dozen classic Japanese dishes she cooks simultaneously. Cupboard doors slam and cutting boards get a more cursory wash than maybe they should, but this go-for-broke energy infuses Yumiko-san's food with life. Once, upon first biting into one of her dishes, a Zen student blurted out that it tasted “alive." It did.
In my recent interview with Yumiko-san, I asked her about how she first started training in Tea, how it changed her, its history, and how she'd like people to understand The Way of Tea.
*Following in the footsteps of Tatsuya Nakadai, who was called Nakadai-san in his theater troupe, Yumiko prefers to be called Yumiko-san, which is kind of like, "Aunty Yumiko", over the more formal "Sayama Sensei".
Cristina Moon: What first drew you to Tea?
Yumiko Sayama: I started Tea when I moved to Hawaii. At that time, I missed Japanese culture. It didn't matter to me whether it was Tea or martial arts or anything. I was just searching for some kind of Japanese thing, The Way. So I called the Japanese Cultural Center and asked what kinds of programs or classes they had. The lady on the phone said, "Oh, we have Tea ceremony class today. Would you like to see?" And I said yes and went to see the class.
The teacher at the JCC was nice, like a mother figure. She was so kind. I decided to take Tea and practiced for 10 years over there. But at the time, I didn't actually know anything about Tea. I didn't know any other Tea so I totally believed that that was Tea. But after 10 years I had the chance to go to the main [Urasenke headquarters] ub Kyoto. At the time, I was shocked to realize I was practicing Tea like a hobby. Kyoto Tea, they showed me the Way of Tea. So it was a total shock to what I was doing.
I realized I'd like to learn this The Way of Tea. So from that point on for a couple years, I went to Japan to take the Way of Tea workshops, one-week intense trainings, etc. I took these four times over four years. Then, I realized I wanted to pursue The Way of Tea, but not as a hobby or tea salon kind of Tea. I left the cultural center's Tea class and started practicing by myself.
What was the difference between how you were doing Tea before and after going to Urasenke in Kyoto?
The big difference was the seriousness, I think. I was practicing more for fun like you would for a tea salon, like if you sat at a coffee table, practicing Tea and chatting. And after Tea class we would go to a restaurant, just having fun. It was not The Way.
In Kyoto, they explained the history and philosophy of Tea, and how it goes from hobby tea to The Way of Tea. And that's why it was different. But I liked it, I really liked it. Some people might feel, "Oh this is too much, too serious." But for me that world was so attractive. I thought, "I want it." So just I started training this different way all over again after 10 years, like a beginner.
Later, I was awarded a scholarship to do the Midorikai, a small group of selected students who are allowed to study in Kyoto for one year. So many people applied but only I think four or five students can get in each year from all over the world: Asia, Europe, America, Australia, all over. Everybody there has passion for Tea. It's very serious. It's not for a hobby or fun. They are very sincere.
What do you mean when you translate Chado as "The Way of Tea"?
Chado is The Way. Through the Tea, find yourself. Tea is not a performance. This is training, exactly the same as Zen training. You have to pay attention to everything. You can't be selfish.
It's hard to say it in a couple words but Chado is not about other worldly things. It's very connected to daily life. So, if you understand Chado, you can act and live beautifully, gracefully.
How did training in Tea change you?
I changed a lot! I became more humble and came to care more about people, nature and lots of other things. I learned to pay attention a lot. This is totally unconscious but if you learn Tea you can see small details. Many people do not pay attention but if you practice, you can see well like this.
Because our life is too busy, our five senses totally become dull. But practicing Tea, you have to be very sensitive, use all of your five senses a lot. Usually we can't see or feel. But if you practice well, then you can see and you can feel.
Why do you think people dismiss Tea? Even some Zen people seem to not take it seriously.
I think it's because they cannot see the true Tea. That's why they can't understand. It is a different kind of seeing. If you're already training in another Way, then probably you can see. Because Tea is a way to train to develop yourself, The Way of Tea is not 1 + 1 equals 2. There are many answers to finding your True Self. It's up to you to find your own answer.
Some people feel, "Oh I don't like Tea." That's fine. I'm not saying everybody is supposed to do Chado. Some people are more interested in martial arts, and martial arts can also be The Way. Or Flower. There are many Ways.
Tea has many components of culture. Tea is flower, ceramics, calligraphy.... It's pretty deep and wide. You need the knowledge of a big world. It never gets boring. It's fun!
What was the hardest thing about training in Tea?
Concentration? People cannot concentrate 24 hours a day, right? Concentration is not just being tense. You have to be more relaxed, too. When you master the procedure, concentration is effortless. It's not just concentration, but also completely using the five senses and then it comes out without any tension at all, totally natural.
The ideal is wa kei sei jyaku. Jyaku means solid mind, always staying calm but very sensitive. Like air, like wind. People shouldn't be able to say, "Oh, the person doing Tea is very tense." They should see a regular human being but also something different. We usually think of being concentrated as having a certain amount of tension, right? But Tea concentration is not like that. It's more natural, effortless.
What are the qualities of a good Tea person?
The person who's really wind or water. Very natural and pure, free. Maybe people don't feel like their "life is Tea." They're just themselves.
Who should train in Tea?
Those who are interested in it? Anybody can but if you don't like it, you shouldn't. But people do change. Maybe younger people are not interested in Tea. They just hate sitting seiza. But at a certain age, 30 or 40 or 50, all of a sudden they might change. Every person has their own timing.
Tea in almost 500 years hasn't changed. 500 years of practicing the same way means Tea has something, it hasn't disappeared. So it might be special.
What is the history of Chado?
Chado actually came from China. At the beginning, Japan sent monks to China to learn Buddhism and culture and things. So some of the monks brought Tea seeds back to Japan. Because the monks needed to study a lot, they needed strong caffeine. In the beginning, even in China, the monks used tea to wake themselves up. And also they believed tea was medicine for longevity. Of course, tea is good for our health. The Chinese and Japanese believe the bitter taste is good for the organs. That's why the monks brought the tea from China, especially for the shogun and other high ranking people who would like to live long.
So that is the beginning. And in the beginning, it was for only the noble people but gradually the monks developed Tea so it was not a luxury drink. They added more philosophy like Zen, making an inner part of Tea that was training oneself. Instead of drinking sake, drinking tea, and eating luxury food, certain monks drank tea and enjoyed the Chinese monks' calligraphy or arts. Then it evolved into small gatherings where you would also appreciate the tea utensils. And then not only imported tea utensils but there came a focus on domestic utensils.
Why are the utensils important?
All tea utensils were originally imported from China. At the time, imported utensils were really rare. That made them valuable. All the shoguns gave tea utensils to their men as rewards for battle. The shoguns decided the value of the chawan (tea bowl) and chaire (thick tea container). Often, those utensils ended up being valued more than money. One chawan might have the same value of a building, a castle, or a country.
Utensils today are important because of their history. It's not only a thing, an object. When someone makes it, they put their soul and spirit into it. Utensils are not only for use. We can feel and see the spirit and life within them. Not only the kiai [presence or character of the maker] but just life. It's history. It's time. We can see all of that in it. How many people used that chawan? How many tea people with passion used this and passed the chawan to others? That kind of feeling.
Before Rikyu did seppuku he made several chashaku and passed them to his students. Those chashaku may have been sold to somebody or sent to friends. That's the kind of history the utensil can have. It also doesn't matter if it's not Rikyu's or somebody famous. For example, maybe this is my grandma's chawan. And this chawan was a gift from my grandma's mother to her or something like that. For that person the chawan is really valuable. You can make the history of an utensil.
What have you noticed is the hardest thing about training in Tea for your students?
Sitting seiza. It's just hard physically. The challenge a student faces also depends on their level. The beginner, middle or upper class levels have different challenges. And people also change. So even my student Emi-san said at the beginning she couldn't see the true value of Tea. But now she understands a little bit so she is more interested, more into it, more passionate. But at the beginning she didn't feel that way.
For beginners it's just for fun: "I want to eat the okashi or wear the kimono!" They started for these kinds of reasons. But maybe three or four years later, they realize the Way of Tea is really interesting and is good for their lives. Maybe after 10 years, they really change. Then, Tea really becomes full of joy. It's more than happiness. Really full of joy.
Anything else you want people to know?
People are afraid to participate or practice Tea because of seiza. That is the main reason. But people don't need to do seiza. If you feel uncomfortable, you can relax your feet.
People also mistakenly think that only Japanese people can understand Tea. But I see a lot of foreign teachers and students studying beautifully. I know many people like that. Even non-Japanese people can understand the way of Tea and be great Tea people.