Green tea in glass cup

Chanoyu in summer can be done using a handmade glass chawan, the cup, to suggest the idea of freshness, suzushi. Harmony with the season will be all the accessory, like the kimono of the master performing the Tea Ceremony, the flowers of the chabana and the calligraphy or print in the tokonoma. In the foreground of this picture are some coloured sugar sweets, the higashi, served here on a laquered tray in the shape of a fan, again to sugest the idea of freshness. The contrast is important too in Japanese culture, the bitter of the matcha, the powdered green tea and the shugar sweets.