MATCHA

In the MATCHA section, visitors will find displays and sales of items such as the Mobile Tea Room and an original Tea Ceremony Set, presented alongside an introduction to the history of the Japanese tea ceremony.

Hanamasu Woodworking, the maker of the Mobile Tea Room, is a construction company specializing in shrine and temple architecture as well as traditional Japanese wooden buildings, employing master carpenters known as miyadaiku. The Mobile Tea Room, inspired by the legacy of Sen no Rikyū, incorporates the refined wood joinery techniques of miyadaiku into each structural component. Designed to share Japan’s wooden architectural craftsmanship and tea culture with the world, it has attracted significant attention both domestically and internationally.

The Tea Ceremony Set is a product that brings together all the essential utensils needed to casually enjoy tea ceremony at home. It allows anyone to relax and savor a quiet moment of tea, whether as personal enrichment or for a short break in daily life.

The Mobile Tea Room created by Hanamasu Woodworking is designed so that the refined traditions of tea culture and miyadaiku carpentry can be experienced even in spaces without a traditional Japanese room. It can be transported, assembled, and used as a fully authentic tea room anywhere in the world. Constructed without nails using tsugite and shikuchi—the joinery methods handed down by miyadaiku for over 1,400 years—it can be repeatedly assembled and dismantled. The use of thinned wood and reclaimed timber allows the craft to embody both environmental sustainability and cultural preservation.

Likewise, the Tea Ceremony Set is packaged in a wooden box made from recycled cedar from Gifu, reflecting a commitment to sustainability in its presentation.

The history of tea utensils began alongside the development of the tea ceremony itself. In the early stages, Chinese tea utensils (karamono) were predominant. During the era of Oda Nobunaga, tea utensils became symbols of authority and were even given as rewards for military achievement. In the Azuchi–Momoyama period, Sen no Rikyū emerged and perfected the wabi-cha style of tea, elevating the value of domestically made Japanese utensils (wamono). Today, ceramic and lacquer artists—including Living National Treasures—create tea utensils, ensuring the art form continues to develop as an artistic expression.