Chamei has two senses depending on context. One is the name granted to a student by a school or its head as a practitioner's name; the other is the product name or brand given to a matcha or tencha.
A practitioner's tea name
As study advances, a tea name of the form "So-" or "So- -sai" is granted by the school's head at the senior certificate levels. It serves as evidence of formal discipleship.
The name of a matcha
Names such as Hatsumukashi, Nochimukashi, and Shohaku are given to matcha by tea merchants, and a host at a gathering usually selects tea by name. Each school has particular named teas associated with its head family.
Why the ambiguity matters
When a host is asked "what is the chamei?" during a gathering, the question is about the tea being served, not about the host's name. The two senses rarely collide in practice, but the term is genuinely ambiguous in isolation.
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
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Related terms
- Chado (The Way of Tea)chado
The Japanese practice of preparing and serving powdered green tea, treated as a lifelong discipline rather than a beverage ritual.
- Wabiwabi
Finding sufficiency of mind within insufficiency and plainness; one of the root concepts of tea practice.
- Ichigo ichie (one time, one meeting)ichigo ichie
The principle that every gathering is unrepeatable, and should therefore be treated as if it will never occur again.
- Matchamatcha
Shade-grown green tea leaf stone-ground to a fine powder, whisked into water rather than steeped.
- Tenchatencha
The shade-grown, unrolled leaf that is ground into matcha; never drunk in leaf form.
- Mei (poetic name of a utensil)mei
A name given to a tea scoop, bowl, or flower vessel, condensing the theme and season of a sitting.