Abstract

“How can we help foreigners truly grasp the concept of wabi-sabi?”

This book is written not only for practitioners of tea, but also for general readers with a budding interest in the way of tea. With a warm and accessible tone, it offers effective methods for learning chanoyu. The author asserts, “To be truly cultured, one must possess the wisdom of tea.”
Organized thematically, the book explains key points for studying the tea ceremony in a clear and approachable way. Covering topics such as Zen phrases, tea utensils, and tea room architecture, it serves as a classic introduction to understanding the essence of tea culture.

Author’s Information

Born in 1955 in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture.
Graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Letters, majoring in social psychology in 1980. Earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Tokyo Graduate School. Since 1989, he has taught at Toyo Eiwa University’s Faculty of Human Sciences as associate professor and later professor, specializing in social psychology, risk psychology, and socio-technical systems.
In 1993, he served as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of Oregon. He has also held key advisory positions, including as consultant to Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry and member of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s policy evaluation committee.
Dr. Okamoto is also a certified Master Trainer in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a field of applied psychology. He is a member of the Japanese Psychological Association and the Japanese Society of Hypnosis and Medical Psychology.
His tea name is Sōshin.
Since 1996, he has written the long-running column “Lessons of the Tea Spirit” in the magazine Tankō. He serves as a traveling lecturer for the Urasenke Tankō Association and as a board member of the Urasenke Gakuen Professional School of Tea Ceremony.
Recipient of the 13th Tea Culture Contribution Award (2015), he currently serves as Vice President of the Tea Culture Society.