Tocha: A Game of Tea

As tea drinking gained popularity among other parts of Japanese society, it inspired a competitive game among the aristocracy. The Tocha or "tea competition" was a betting game. Held in a room called kissa-no-tei, the game was hosted by the teishu, a name still used today for the host of a tea gathering.

The game consisted of drinking different varieties of tea and guessing which region each variety came from. Contestants would receive prizes of silks or works of art according to the number of correct answers they gave. While Tocha could be described as a flamboyant and riotous game, it helped to extend the custom of tea gatherings to the common people.

You and your classmates can participate in your own rendition of Tocha! This activity needs at least twenty participants. Here is what you will need:

 Five different kinds of tea (one bag, or packet of each kind) that can be found in your home, and / or the homes of your classmates:

Orange Pekoe and Earl Grey (English),
Herbal Tea such as mint, camomile, or lemon
Green Tea (Japanese)
Oolong (Chinese)

 4 inch by 4 inch piece of paper to write down a description in your own words for each type of tea you find. You can find help doing this by looking to the back of the tea box for ingredients, looking at the tea, smelling it, etc. On the blank side of the piece of paper, write the name of tea and the country that it comes from.

 A number of "prizes". These can be purchased inexpensively at a dollar store, or found in the home. Here are some suggestions:

Bar of fragrant soap
Candy
Pencil or pen with a neat design
Picture frame
Roll of pennies

 20 Heat resistant disposable cups
 Hot plate
 Kettle to boil water
 Five teapots

To Make the Tea

1. Place one bag or packet of each kind of tea in a tea pot.
2. Pour the boiled water into the pot.
3. Let the tea steep for 3 - 5 minutes per the instructions on the box of tea.

Preparation and Playing the Game

This is a knowledge and memory game. Each participant should study the descriptions of the tea that have been brought to the "tea-gathering" before they taste the tea. After they have done this, the descriptions should be put into a bucket for the "host" to read aloud after each "tea tasting" is complete.

There are five tea-tasting "rounds". This tasting will serve to be a kind of "blind taste test", and none of the participants should know which kind of tea they are sampling. Each participant should consider the smell, taste, and colour of the tea as they sample it. After each participant has tasted one type of tea, the host will read aloud the description of the tea and will ask the participants to answer which country they think the tea comes from. The host can also switch the questions so that the answer pertains to the name of the tea. The participants that guess correctly win a "prize" for each round. Repeat this process for each kind of tea.