As the guests kneel or sit cross-legged on mats, the host places a spoonful of powdered tea into a special bowl, adds boiling water, and then stirs it with a bamboo whisk. Although in early tea ceremonies everyone drank from the same bowl, it later become the practice for the host to serve the tea in individual bowls. The guests sip the tea slowly and talk until they have finished drinking. Then they are expected to throw back their heads and take the final sip with a loud sound to show how good the tea is. As the ceremony comes to an end, the guests admire the empty serving bowl for its beauty. The host washes the cups, and the ceremony ends. The formal tea ceremony is certainly not undertaken every time someone drinks tea in Japan, but the tea is always served with much care and politeness.