rigins
The earliest tea ceremony came to Japan in the 6th century as a significant part of Buddhist meditation. The first documented tea in Japan dates back to a Buddhist monk, Eichu, as he arrived from China in the 9th century. Eichu was believed to have served green tea personally tea to Emperor Saga in 819 while on an excursion in Karasaki.
At the end of the 12th century, another Buddhist monk named Eisai introduced tencha (tea preparation) to Japan. He brought with him seeds that yielded high quality tea leaves. During the Kamakura Shogunate, tea became a status symbol of the warrior class. During this time, tea tasting parties came into wide practice in Japan, regardless of society level. Many tea ceremony schools have evolved throughout the history of chado and are still active today.
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