Shogun : Traditional Tea Ceremony in Episode 8 – The Abyss of Life

There seem to be many references to tea being made on television shows and movies these days. Whether you’re watching The Crown, Bridgerton, or the new Shogun series, there is an unmistakable tea culture that adds a warm and fuzzy undertone to the shows that incorporate it. The plethora of tea references on television have inspired this blog series entitled, Tea on TV. What better way to begin than by recognizing the iconic tea ceremony from episode 8 of the 2024 Shogun series. The scene provides historical context around how a traditional matcha ceremony would have been performed during 16th century Japan.

In recent years, matcha has gained popularity in the United States, and you may have heard of ceremonial grade matcha. In Shogun episode 8 – The Abyss of Life, a traditional matcha ceremony is performed by warrior Buntaro for his wife Mariko. It is quite interesting to watch Buntaro invite Mariko to tea and await her acceptance. After Buntaro carries out the tea ritual, Mariko compliments him. During the scene, it almost seems as if Buntaro was seeking to win his wife over, all over again. Adorable right? Well actually you’ll need to watch the episode in order to learn of Buntaro’s true intentions for asking Mariko to tea.

Check out our selection of Steepers Only tea blends which feature Sencha, another famous green tea from Japan. Find it as the base tea in our Mint Green Tea and Mint Green Tea Lemonade blends.