Originally written in 1906 in turn-of-the-century Boston, The Book of Tea was intended to be read aloud in the famous salon of Isabella Stewart Gardner, one of the city’s most notorious socialites. In it, Okakura Kakuzo explores not only the art of tea but its profound cultural and philosophical impact. He discusses Zen and Taoism, as well as the secular aspects of tea and Japanese life, arguing that Teaism shaped Japan’s culture, art, and architecture through its emphasis on simplicity. Written with insight and wit, The Book of Tea remains a timeless meditation on the way a single, humble beverage can shape entire civilizations.
Okakura Kakuzo was a Japanese philosopher, art expert, and curator whose work helped bridge Eastern and Western perspectives. Though little known at the time, he went on to influence some of the greatest artists and thinkers of the 20th century, including Georgia O’Keeffe and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Originally written in 1906 in turn-of-the-century Boston, The Book of Tea was intended to be read aloud in the famous salon of Isabella Stewart Gardner, one of the city’s most notorious socialites. In it, Okakura Kakuzo explores not only the art of tea but its profound cultural and philosophical impact. He discusses Zen and Taoism, as well as the secular aspects of tea and Japanese life, arguing that Teaism shaped Japan’s culture, art, and architecture through its emphasis on simplicity. Written with insight and wit, The Book of Tea remains a timeless meditation on the way a single, humble beverage can shape entire civilizations.
Okakura Kakuzo was a Japanese philosopher, art expert, and curator whose work helped bridge Eastern and Western perspectives. Though little known at the time, he went on to influence some of the greatest artists and thinkers of the 20th century, including Georgia O’Keeffe and Frank Lloyd Wright.
