In direct contrast to The Wisdom of Tea, in which we are taken on a 25 year journey of a Tea practitioner from their very first lesson, in The Book of Tea we are given the history of Tea itself and its associations through the ages with Eastern religions and philosophy.
As such, this book is wonderful and it makes one realise that there is so much more to Tea than simply throwing some tea leaves in a pot. There are some great passages in this book where Kakuzo has some wonderful rants about western culture which are a delight to read. One can really get a vision of just how coarse the Devon Cream Tea in a sea side cafe — not forgetting morning tea in mother’s finest china with a biscuit — is when compared to Japanese Tea in a traditional tea hut, even though the English will proclaim these two tea ceremonies of theirs as the height of culture.
A must read for all who enjoy reading about Japan and its culture, and anyone who enjoys a cup of tea, however you may take it. Written over 100 years ago and is as relevant today as it was when it was written.
Kakuzo’s Page