Understanding Guest Roles in the Japanese Tea Ceremony

This article is written by Seiya H.

In the Japanese tea ceremony, the host prepares and serves matcha for the guests to enjoy. However, depending on where each guest is seated, their role changes. This time, I will focus on explaining the mindset and roles of the guests.

In a formal tea gathering (or chaji), it is common to invite around three guests.
When the host holds a tea gathering, they often invite the person they wish to honor or welcome as the shōkyaku (main guest). At the same time, the host personally selects and sends invitations to the other guests as well.

Shōkyaku (Main Guest)

The act of guests entering the tea room from outside is called seki-iri (entering the seating). The shōkyaku always enters the room first. In celebratory occasions, this role clearly represents the guest of honor.

Receiving wagashi (Japanese sweets), drinking matcha, and viewing the utensils (haiken—the opportunity to see the tea utensils prepared by the host for that gathering) are all done first by the shōkyaku. The shōkyaku is usually seated in a position where the host’s tea-making procedure is easiest to see.

Another special aspect of being the shōkyaku is the time for mondō (dialogue), during which the shōkyaku asks the host about each of the utensils. As expressed by the tea concept ichigo ichie (one time, one meeting), encounters with tea utensils may be truly once in a lifetime. Depending on the tea gathering, the host may bring out utensils that are rarely used and reserved only for very special occasions—sometimes solely for the shōkyaku. This makes it a precious opportunity to share a space with utensils that one may never encounter again.

Note: Nowadays, there are tea gatherings that host dozens of people at once. However, if you end up sitting in the shōkyaku seat, you will be expected to engage in dialogue with the host. Since the shōkyaku also plays the role of expanding the conversation within the tea room, a certain level of knowledge is required. Without it, one may struggle to keep the conversation flowing. For this reason, it is generally safer to leave the shōkyaku role to someone with experience and knowledge, and to enter the seating later in the order.

The Host’s Position from the Main Guest’s Perspective

Jikyaku (Second Guest)

The jikyaku sits next to the shōkyaku and follows them in all actions, such as entering the seating and viewing the utensils. The jikyaku is expected to help facilitate smooth interaction between the host and the shōkyaku, using conversation skills to enliven the atmosphere and keep the proceedings flowing smoothly.

After that come the third guest, fourth guest, and so on.

Makkaku (Last Guest)

Also known as otsume, the makkaku is the last to enter the seating and the last to view the utensils. While enjoying the matcha, this guest is expected to quietly support the host without drawing attention. By calmly observing the timing, the makkaku may inform the host that all guests have entered or help return utensils. Unlike the jikyaku, who supports the gathering through conversation, the makkaku supports the entire setting through keen observation and thoughtful action—very much a “behind-the-scenes supporter.”

Personally, the position I like most is the makkaku. It allows me to enjoy the tea while carefully judging the situation, making it an excellent learning experience at the same time.

At a tea gathering held by a nearby university, the guest seated closest to the host becomes the shōkyaku (main guest). On this occasion, I attended with two colleagues from the same year and one senior member, and the senior took on the role of shōkyaku.