ichi-go ichi-e (一期一会)

A Lesson in Mindfulness

The phrase 一期一会 (ichi-go ichi-e) was coined in the 15th century by Murata Jukō, the founder of the Japanese tea ceremony's wabi-cha style, which emphasizes simplicity and mindfulness. The expression means that even when the same people meet again in the same place, it’s not the same meeting. People change, moods change, the world changes, which is why we are counseled to be present at the tea ceremony where we sit on the floor watching the master’s precise movements: measuring the matcha, which he has finely powdered, then whisking, pouring, swiping pouring again. Until one by one, each of us is presented with a warm bowl of green tea, freshly made by the master for the guest to whom he offers it with both hands. He is on his knees and he bows slightly. We mimic his movements as we accept his gift.

The tea was bitter and grittier than some liked, but I sipped it to the bottom, appreciating the simple beauty of the room and its tatami mats and the questions asked by my fellow travelers. If there’s one lesson to take from visiting Japan, it’s perhaps just that: Be mindful of where you are because it will never happen again.