The Book of Tea

Ostensibly a modest treatise on the tea ceremony, The Book of Tea is also a sardonic and insightful examination of the Western view of Japan and its civilization, from a Japanese citizen who was given such a thoroughly Western education that he learned nothing of his traditional culture until he was eleven. This book also suggests a deep connection between beauty and war, and between flowers and social mores. When first published, The Book of Tea fascinated foreign audiences with the major role of tea and its many ceremonies have played in the culture of Japan.

This edition is accompanied by an introduction by Christopher Benfey, which explores Okakura's career in the arts establishment, his flair for the English language and his relationship with the United States, and includes suggested further reading.