You could say the Japanese tea ceremony is a sophisticated game of hospitality, or esprit, that can be enjoyed via sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. The serendipity of Mitate in  a tea ceremony is not just a question of formality—it is a question of making an effort to be creative. Mitate presents an occasion for enjoying yourself alongside companions, or once-in-a-lifetime encounters, in any place and with any person you meet. Regardless of how casual the style is, it is important to be able to entertain and be entertained, and to bring yourself closer to the various utensils, tools, and objects used in the tea ceremony. In doing so, you create space to form all sorts of relationships.

According to Soshin Kimura, “If you come to a real tea ceremony, you will see that it is not just performing arts. It’s about shortening the distance between utensils and people.” He is a Japanese Tea Grand Master, but he insists there is no single word in English to describe his profession. The same is true for “tea ceremony”—also known as Sado and Cha-no-yu. This is simply because it does not exist in other countries the way it exists in Japan. The culture of tea for the Japanese cannot be described by the term “tea ceremony.” It is more than merely drinking tea; it is closely linked to an aesthetic, and to aestheticism. It is the very philosophy that underpins Japanese daily life and hospitality. On the other hand, it has elements of both the performing arts and L'Art de Vivre (the art of living).

In addition to presiding over the Urasenke and Hoshinkai schools, Soshin Kimura has written books on Cha-no-yu, appeared in magazines, on television, and supervised the construction of a new tea room in Salone del Mobile a Milano. He doesn’t believe that a tea ceremony necessarily has to be conducted on a tatami mat. However, just because it’s conducted at a table, for example, doesn’t mean it’s okay to be casual. In his conversation with smART Magazine, he recommends finding an opportunity to experience the real and authentic tea ceremony through architecture, gardens, flowers, hanging scrolls, utensils, space, atmosphere, temperature and humidity, the scent of incense, the subtlety of sounds, serenity and tension, confectionary, provisions, green tea, tea cups, brief conversations, and hospitality.