Shinto shrines are called Katsuogi

The short wooden logs found on the roofs of Shinto shrines are called Katsuogi. 🌸

The number of these logs often indicates the deity enshrined within. In ancient times, the number allowed was strictly determined by the shrine's rank—it was a "privilege reserved for the elite." This concept deeply resonates with the history of Matcha. 🍵

During the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, drinking Matcha was an exclusive culture permitted only to high-ranking classes, such as Shoguns and nobles. Just like the Katsuogi, owning and serving Matcha was a way to demonstrate one's status and prestige.

Furthermore, just as Shinto architecture strictly dictates the number of Katsuogi to maintain a certain aesthetic, the Way of Tea (Sado) pursues a rigorous beauty through the precise placement of tools and refined movements. Just as the roof ornaments evolved from practical weights into "formal beauty," tea transcended its origins as "medicine or a simple beverage" to become a spiritual "art form." 😌

Creating a culture is exactly this process of refinement. Japan is a country with a history so deep that it is recognized globally. 🇯🇵

 It is precisely because of this long history that such traditions are born and woven together over time. I feel that by learning and sharing this history, we ourselves become a part of the living culture.