How tourism, a booming wellness culture and social media are transforming the age-old Japanese tea ceremony

Social media has turned traditional Japanese matcha into a commercial trend, though its roots lie in Zen Buddhism. A scholar of premodern Japanese literature unpacks that history.

By: Małgorzata (Gosia) K. Citko-DuPlantis, University of Tennessee, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 7, 2026

Words: 1,446

Last Updated: 2 days, 7 hours ago

Body Text Preview

By Małgorzata (Gosia) K. Citko-DuPlantis, University of Tennessee

One of Japan’s most recognizable cultural practices – the Japanese tea ceremony, known as chanoyu, or chadō – is being reshaped by tourism, wellness culture and social media.

Matcha, the Japanese powdered green tea that is used during the ceremony, has entered the global marketplace. Influencers post highly curated tearoom photos, wellness brands market matcha as a “superfood,” and cafés worldwide present whisked green tea …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us