The Art of the Ancient Japanese Tea Ceremony — Meditation in a Cup

In Japan, drinking tea is more than just a momentary passing—it is an art. A meditation on the moments between each sip. A ritual that honors and respects not only the tea itself, but the centuries-old tradition of preparing and drinking Matcha. 

Urth Co-Founders Shallom & Jilla Berkman in a teahouse in Japan

Urth Caffé was proud to host Akihiro Nakai and his family from the prestigious Entsu Estate in Wazuka, Japan, for an ancient matcha tea ceremony in both Urth's Beverly Hills and Hawthorne locations. Akihiro and his son, Akito, demonstrated and shared the ancient, meditative and centuries-old techniques for preparing, presenting and drinking this very special ceremonial tea. A rich and ancient tradition that goes back over 900 years.

Left: Urth Co-Founders Shallom & Jilla Berkman with Entsu Estate owner and farmer Akihiro Nakai and family.

Right: Akihiro Nakai and his son, Akito at Urth Caffé, Beverly Hills.

Urth's organic Wazuka Matcha is sourced exclusively from Entsu Estate in Wazuka, Uji District, Japan. An organic green tea farm that has been producing ceremonial-grade matcha for Urth Caffé since 2002. This gorgeous, eco-responsible farm boasts acres and acres of lush green tea, cultivated with a great respect for the land using ancient sustainable and regenerative farming techniques that go back to the 13th Century. This extraordinary matcha is exceptionally pure and available exclusively at Urth Caffé. Wazuka Matcha is made from the smallest new leaves and is incredibly difficult to produce—making it one of the most sought after and highly prized ceremonial grade matchas in the world. 

Left: Entsu Estate in Wazuka, Uji District, Japan. Right: Urth Co-Founder and Tea Master, Jilla Berkman with Akihiro Nakai at Entsu Estate in Japan.

Less than 10% of Japan's tea production is certified organically grown and this special tea farm in the remote and ancient town of Wazuka produces a delicate and superior matcha tea. Urth offers this exceptional matcha in our café's as a Wazuka Matcha Shot, Wazuka Matcha Americano, Wazuka Matcha Bebero and Wazuka Matcha Macchiato. 

Urth Caffé's Wazuka Matcha Bebero

The Wazuka Matcha Shot is our pure organic ceremonial grade Wazuka Matcha artfully hand whisked frothy in the traditional Japanese way, using a special bamboo whisk called a "chasen." This produces a creamy frothy "crema" that is similar to an espresso. With a nose of sweet earth and grass—reminiscent of sun-drenched hills and rich, fertile soil—it is a vibrant, rich green tea. 

The Wazuka Matcha Americano is the Wazuka Matcha Shot referenced above served on hot water. The Wazuka Matcha Bebero is our ceremonial grade matcha delicately layered with sweetened condensed milk. And the Wazuka Matcha Machiatto is the Wazuka Matcha steamed with milk, with a scoop of cappuccino foam on top. Both the Bebero and Macchiato can be made plant-based upon request. 

In Japan, it is recommended to prepare the palette with a bit of sugar to balance and bring out the flavors of the matcha. In keeping with this very important tradition, when you order the Wazuka Matcha Shot in the café it is accompanied by Urth's Green Tea Cake—a cake that is only served in-house.* It is not available on the menu. 

Matcha Green Tea Sesame Cookies created by Urth's expert baking team. Served as a specialty sweet during the ancient Japanese Tea Ceremony held at Urth Caffé, Hawthorne.

Jilla and Shallom Berkman, Urth's Co-Founders travel often to Wazuka to harvest matcha with Akihiro and his family for Urth Caffé. One of Akihiro Nakai's regenerative practices on his matcha farm is to make rich, nutrient-filled compost made from the herring fish harvested from the beautiful Wazuka river that runs along the family tea garden. This regenerates the farm's soil and keeps it healthy for future generations Nakai-san has what has been referred to as a "religious dedication to quality, organic, biodynamic and sustainable agriculture." He was known as a "renegade" when he first implemented his conscientious and regenerative farming practices and is now at the forefront of the regenerative and biodynamic frontier. You can read more about this remarkable organic matcha tea farm here.

Left: Jilla Berkman and Akihiro Nakai in front of the mural of both of them at the Entsu Estate in Wazuka, Japan. Taken at Urth Caffé Beverly Hills.

Right: Photo of Akihiro Nakai at Urth Beverly Hills. 

Now back to this beautiful and very special tea ceremony. The ceremony itself was a nuanced and delicate ritual. An art form with very specific steps performed: 

First the vibrant and dark green fine grade matcha powder is pushed through a sieve and all the lumps are removed. The Japanese ceremonial tea bowl (called a "chawan") is wiped gently and mindfully with a purple cloth, known as a "fukusa"—an act of ritualistic purification. (The purple color of the cloth signifies that the tea host is male. If a female host were conducting the ceremony, the fukusa would typically be orange or red.) 

Using ancient 900-year-old traditions, Akito Nakai prepares the cup for the sifted Wazuka Matcha tea powder. . 

Japanese Tea Ceremony, Urth Caffé, Hawthorne.

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The cup is then gently warmed with hot water and wiped once again. A natural bamboo matcha spoon, called a "chashaku" is used to carefully measure the powdered matcha into the cup—two spoonsful per cup which equals 1.5 to 2 grams. A small amount of water, heated just to the point of steaming, is then added to the cup and whisked quickly and efficiently with the natural bamboo whisk until creamy and frothy. It is then presented to the guest with a slight bow. 

Left: The sifted Wazuka Matcha tea powder is measured into the prepared cup using a natural bamboo matcha spoon called a "chashaku." Middle: The tea powder is whisked vigorously until creamy and frothy.

Right: The prepared tea is presented to the guest with a formal bow. 

A lump of sugar is offered and eaten before the matcha is presented and then this exquisite matcha is ready to be consumed. A deep inhale—aromas of earth and tea. The lush ancient green farms singing the songs of the centuries—the eons. The traditions. A sip. Smooth, clean, refreshing, vibrant. No hint of the bitterness that sometimes accompanies other matcha green teas. The sugar melding with the flavors. It is served with the green tea cake mentioned above.

Left: Akihiro Nakai and his son, Akito, preparing Entsu Estate's Wazuka Matcha for guests at Urth Caffé, Hawthorne. Right: Sugar being offered to guests before consuming the prepared Wazuka Matcha.

Right: Sugar and sweet treats offered at a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.

Says owner and Co-Founder Shallom Berkman, "It is a spiritual experience. You feel their energy go into it…"

We invite you, our treasured guests, to visit Urth and experience this exceptional and exquisite Wazuka Matcha, available only at Urth Caffé. You can also order online here. 

From our hearts to yours, in gratitude and love, The Urth Caffé Family.  

*Green Tea Cakes served upon availability.

Entsu Estate's ceremonial grade Wazuka Matcha, offered exclusively at Urth Caffé. 

Written by: Lisa Mouhibian