One of Japan's most recognizable cultural practices - the Japanese tea ceremony, known as chanoyu, or chadō - is being reshaped by tourism, wellness culture and social media. Matcha, the Japanese powdered green tea that is used during the ceremony, has entered the global marketplace. Influencers post highly curated tearoom photos, wellness brands market matcha as a "superfood," and cafés worldwide present whisked green tea as a symbol of mindful living.
Visiting Shasta Abbey can be a little like experiencing a time-warp. On a dark night when the grounds are covered with snow, and black-cloaked monks, solitary figures against the white, walk to and fro around the cloister's unfinished boardwalk, one can easily imagine having stepped several centuries back in time. The silent, one-story monastery, cast in the yellowish glow of small lanterns placed at intervals around the walk, is a tranquil presence in the night. An occasional bell blends with the stillness.
Suzuki arrived in California with answers. At a dilapidated temple founded for Japanese immigrants in San Francisco's Japantown, he slowly defined the trajectory of Zen in the US. 'Just sit,' he told his followers. 'Just breathe.' This simple directive became foundational in adapting Zen practices to a postwar America seeking meaning.