Since the middle of the Muromachi period (1336-1573), a ceremony called cha-no-yu, where a master treats Matcha tea to guests had been established. The style of the ceremony developed on two completely opposite way. One is prosperous with luxury tea utensils, and other is with simple pottery in a small room. The person who ultimately enhanced this simple tea ceremony was Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591).
The spirit of his tea ceremony was to think positively about material inconveniences and deficiencies and to enjoy a simple and quiet life. It is “Wabi” and the tea ceremony is also called Wabi-cha (Wabi tea).
The word wabi was originally a verb, wabu which means to lament the incomparable inferiority or deficiency. But Rikyu found beauty there. Today it means “simplicity”, “modesty” or “austere elegance” and is used for both natural and artificial things.