Service culture in tea ceremony
The hospitality of Omotenashi learned from Senrikyu
Tea ceremony culture is a prominent topic when it comes to Japanese hospitality – Omotenashi. Specifically, according to Senrikyu, who laid the foundations for Japanese Omotenashi culture: Despite the age of division taking place in which the gap between people and people grew, Senrikyu explained the importance of educating about character. equality (in the tea ceremony room, everyone is equal), and the great influence of modern Omotenashi culture.
What are the seven principles of Senrikyu?
1. Making tea must be delicious
It means, “Make delicious tea to suit the taste of each guest.” In today’s business, this seems to be changing. Be proud of your business’s products and services, press the items you create that “this is our service” is also important, but more important is to always change the form of services and products. products to meet each customer’s expectations.
2. Put charcoal for water to boil
That is, put charcoal so that the water is completely boiled. This may seem obvious, but even the simple task of boiling water to boil shows that “we always welcome you with all the necessary preparation.”
3. Flower arrangement as flowers are living in the field
When inviting guests to make tea, you need to decorate the tea room with flowers. This sentence expresses our attitude, our soul when decorating flowers. That is, you do not decorate the flowers for you, as you want, but decorate the flowers in a natural state, that is, to flower in the state of being, accurately represent the nature of things.
4. Summer is cool, winter is warm
In the days when there was no air conditioner or heater, many invited guests to various ideas such as summer slapping (uchimizu) and indoor choreography. Nowadays, it is easy to create a comfortable room, but the above sentence shows that: from the past, the heart of caring, thoughtful (kikubari) to the guests was taken seriously.
5. As soon as possible
This sentence means “Spend some time”. Other than having to comply with the time, by leaving a bit of free time, you can leisurely entertain guests. When planning chores and outside work, it is advisable to schedule with a certain amount of free time, to immerse yourself, interact with your guests’ feelings without being constrained by time.
6. Prepare an umbrella even if it doesn’t rain
“Prepare an umbrella even if it doesn’t rain”. Preparing to avoid risks is important, but the focus here is to avoid risking for others, for visitors to enjoy tea, not risking yourself. Thoughtfulness, thought for others – that is the concept that Senrikyu emphasizes.
7. Be considerate of all guests
“Guests” are the ones present in the tea room. Of the six rules above, the covenants were written for the host relationship to the guest, but this was a covenant between the guests. This sentence means by respecting each other’s guests. Spent special time together.
These Rikyu rules apply not only to tea ceremony, but also to internal business and training services. Rikyu’s worldview always considers guests, changing guest behaviors, such as delicate attention and courteous reciprocity, to bring guests emotion. Touching beyond customer expectations will result in word of mouth and service reuse. In Vietnam, we will continue to spread hospitality culture in many companies and help Vietnam develop further.
