Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony (known as sado/chado, 'The Way of Tea', or chanoyu) is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of powdered green tea (matcha), the procedure of which is called temae.

Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development of the culture of Japanese tea.

Tea house (Chashitsu).
Japanese tea ceremonies are typically conducted in specially constructed spaces or rooms designed for the purpose of tea ceremony.

A purpose-built room designed for the wabi style of tea is called a chashitsu, and is ideally 4.5-tatami wide and long in floor area.
See more at Chashitsu - Wikipedia.

Waiting room with alcove (Tokonoma).
The guests arrive a little before the appointed time and enter an interior waiting room, where they store unneeded items such as coats, and put on fresh tabi socks.

Ideally, the waiting room has a tatami floor and an alcove (tokonoma), in which is displayed a hanging scroll which may allude to the season, the theme of the chaji, or some other appropriate theme.
See more at Tokonoma - Wikipedia.

Equipment for tea ceremony (Chadogu).
The equipment for tea ceremony is called (chadogu).

A wide range of chadogu are available and different styles and motifs are used for different events and in different seasons, with most being constructed from carefully crafted bamboo.
See more at Japanese tea utensils - Wikipedia.

Small sweet (Wagashi).
Guests are served a small sweet (wagashi) eaten from a special paper called kaishi.

Wagashi are traditional Japanese confections that are often served with green tea, especially the types made of mochi, anko (azuki bean paste), and fruit.
Wagashi are typically made from plant-based ingredients with an emphasis on seasonality.
See more at Wagashi - Wikipedia.

Preparing thick tea.
All the tools for tea are handled with exquisite care, being scrupulously cleaned before and after each use and before storing, with some handled only with gloved hands.

The host ritually cleanses each utensil – including the tea bowl, whisk, and tea scoop – in the presence of the guests in a precise order and using prescribed motions, and places them in an exact arrangement according to the particular temae procedure being performed.
When the preparation of the utensils is complete, the host prepares thick tea.

Individual bowl of tea.
The host will then proceed with the preparation of an individual bowl of tea to be served to each guest.

While in earlier portions of the gathering conversation is limited to a few formal comments exchanged between the first guest and the host, in the usucha portion, after a similar ritual exchange, the guests may engage in casual conversation.