Japanese Tetsubin
Exactly when the tetsubin first appeared in Japan is unclear, but much evidence suggests a close relationship with the rise of the sencha, a form of tea-drinking that uses tea leaves instead of powdered tea. Sencha was introduced to Japan from China around the middle of the 17th century, a period when Japan’s literati were greatly influenced by China as well as by Neo-Confuciani thought. Sencha was not considered a formal ceremony [...] Click here to continue reading.