The Tale of Tea

Abstract

Soon after the Portuguese made landfall in Japan in 1542, the first accounts were sent back to Europe, saying that people in the Far East drank hot water. These early reports created a stir in Europe, where hot beverages such as tea, coffee and cocoa were still quite unknown. The Western amazement about the drinking of hot water became the very first topic of conversation when the first Japanese embassy in the West opened in Europe on November 14th, 1584. At the time, Phillip II was the king of both Portugal and Spain. After months at sea, four emissaries from Japan travelled overland to the royal residence northwest of Madrid. The Japanese diplomats entered the Escorial bearing various gifts, and the first item they presented to the king was a porcelain sake cup. The Jesuit priest escorting the Japanese emissaries explained to Phillip II that the cup was used for drinking rice wine. To this the king replied, "How is that? Do they not drink hot water?" The escort explained to the king, "Yes, but the Japanese also make wine". Then the king inquired, "Do the Japanese drink hot water only in wintertime?" To this the priest replied that they always drank hot water. This confirmation of the many Portuguese reports about the drinking of hot water in the Far East amazed the Iberian king.