[For beginners] A complete guide to tea serving etiquette!

Introduction

Many people probably have simple questions about tea, such as, "What's the correct way to hold a tea bowl?" or, "Is it wrong to place the tray on the table?"

Making tea can be a stressful situation, so it's important to know the proper etiquette, especially in business situations.

In this article, we will clearly explain the basic etiquette for serving tea so that you can behave with confidence and avoid offending your guests.

Basic etiquette when serving tea

1. Preparation for Obon

When serving tea to a guest, place the teacups and a clean cloth for wiping the tea on the tray, and place the tea trays on top of each other.

The proper procedure is to present the teacup on a tea tray in front of the guest. Avoid placing the tea bowl on the tray beforehand to prevent spillage during the process.

2. Arrangement of tea utensils

First, arrange the tea bowls on a tray and stack the tea trays. When carrying many tea utensils at once, you need to be careful not to lose balance. If you cannot carry the tea utensils on a tray, you should think of safety first and have two people carry them.

3. How to hold the tray

When holding the tray, hold it slightly to the side, not in front of you. This will prevent your breath from splashing onto the tea and give a smart impression.

Tea Tray Etiquette

The tea tray with the rings should be oriented horizontally, with the narrow inner part facing the guest. This is an ancient custom and a sign of respect for the guest.

Be careful not to hold it vertically as it may be perceived as ominous.

Basic tea preparation

1. Take the tray and the dish towel and carry them quietly to the table, being careful not to place the tray directly in front of you.
2. Place the tea bowl on top of the tea tray on the tray.
3. When serving tea, place the teacup on the table. Make sure to place it to the right of the guest. Be careful not to make any noise when doing this. If there are documents or other items on the table, place them somewhere that won't get in the way.

*If the bowl has a lid, the lid and bowl should match with each other and face towards the guest.

*If you are serving sweets together with tea, the sweets should be served first. Place the sweets to the guest's left and the tea to the guest's right.

If there is a side table

Once you enter the room, place the tray on the side table and prepare to serve tea.

1. Approach the side table and place the tray on it.
2. Set the tea on the side table by placing each teacup on its tray.
3. Once preparations are complete, the next step is to serve the tea to the guests. Holding the tea trays with the tea bowls firmly in both hands, carry each one to the table.
4. When serving tea, use one hand and gently place the other hand over the teacup to make it look smart.
5. If there are a large group, you can prepare all the tea and tea trays on a side table first, then carry them to the table one by one.

summary

How was it?

When serving tea, the most important thing is to act politely and not be rude to the other person.

For example, avoid lazy gestures such as sliding the tea bowl down or serving it from far away. It is also useful to know the proper etiquette for drinking tea so that you don't panic when you are the one being visited.

These manners are not something special, but are a sign of consideration for others. By being a little conscious of them, you can provide smoother and more pleasant hospitality.