11 Tea Traditions and Rituals Around the World

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Like singing and dancing, there are few things so cherished universally across world cultures. Yet tea—the second most consumed beverage globally behind water—has held a special place in humanity’s heart throughout history, from lively Turkish tea gardens to fast-paced bubble tea shops in Taiwan [1].

While today’s trends come and go in the blink of an eye, tea traditions and rituals are slow-moving, many having withstood the test of time. No matter where in the world you look, tea is synonymous with feelings of comfort, hospitality, and tradition.

English afternoon tea

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea [2].”

- Henry James, 19th century American author

The quintessential English tea tradition of afternoon tea began as posh of an affair as it is today.

This iconic practice may have started as soon as the 1750s according to evidence from ads in city newspapers from Oxford and Bath, which allude to drinking tea with bread and cake in the afternoon [2]. While high society started discussing scandal and juicy gossip during tea parties, reading fortunes in tea leaves soon became popular as well. In the 1850s, afternoon tea was firmly embedded in English tradition, and by Victorian times the formal tea party (by invitation only) was in vogue.

Today, you’ll find opulent afternoon tea at places like high-end hotels that offer a delectable menu of dainty sandwiches, scones, and cakes alongside your favorite tea [3]. However, the average person may just enjoy a cuppa steeped with a tea bag and a biscuit or small cake at home.

High tea

Whereas afternoon tea is firmly rooted in high society, parties, gossip, and jolly good times, despite the name high tea originated from the working class.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, most of the British population worked on the fields and had their heaviest meal around midday with a light dinner [2]. Yet after the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, lunch wasn’t so convenient and so the main meal of the day shifted to dinner when workers would come home tired and hungry. This hearty meal supplemented by a strong tea came to be known as high tea. A 1784 reduction in tea taxes also made tea much more accessible to all classes.

High tea is served a bit later than afternoon tea at 6pm and involves more substantial dishes [4].

Japanese tea ceremony

The time-honored Japanese tea ceremony (known as chado, meaning "the way of tea") began with Buddhist monks in the 14th century, who instilled the ritualistic process of preparing the tea with feelings of tranquility and humility [5]. A detailed structure and a strict set of rules are still observed, though in modern days, the tea ceremony is more often a hobby and tourist attraction [6]. Hotels, culture centers, and gardens are a few locales where you can enjoy a tea ceremony with varying degrees of formality.

Tea ceremonies take place in a traditional Japanese tea room with tatami mats [7]. After tea utensils are brought out, Japanese sweets and sometimes even a light meal are served to guests, after which the host will go through a silent, highly meticulous process of preparing matcha.

Shop Ceremonial Japanese Matcha

Outside of the tea ceremony, tea is commonly enjoyed in everyday life in Japan. While Japanese green teas are primarily the tea of choice, black tea like Ceylon or Assam is also consumed at some level, although from Western-style teacups and with more European-style sweets [5]. Japanese tea, on the other hand, accompanies wagashi (Japanese sweets) and is served in Japanese-style cups or bowls if it’s matcha.

Moroccan mint tea

After British merchants brought excess tea shipments from China to Morocco in the mid-1800s, tea quickly gained a foothold in the country and became a tea tradition enjoyed to this day [8]. By the 1880s, tea and sugar combined accounted for one-fourth of Morocco’s total imports.

Serving tea to guests is an absolute must. Gunpowder green tea is used in Moroccan mint tea, in addition to sugar and lots of fresh herbs, especially domestically grown mint. In winter, some other favorite herbs to add include absinthe leaves, marjoram, sage, and verbena. Next comes the ritualistic art of preparing the tea, which can involve pouring the tea from high heights into colorful glasses.

Turkish tea

Today, Turkey leads the world in tea consumption per capita, but tea has only been the drink of choice in Turkey for less than 200 years [9]. When the governor of Adana published a pamphlet about tea’s health benefits in 1878, tea consumption quickly spread throughout the country, eventually overtaking coffee [10]. The rise of tea’s domestic production, increasing affordability, opening of tea houses, and integration into culture made tea a national staple.

Two sugar cubes are served with tea in public, but some towns in Eastern Turkey prefer to place a sugar cube between the tongue and cheek to enjoy tea. Turks like to drink tea at any time of day and serve it to guests as a sign of hospitality, similar to many other tea rituals around the world [11]. One rule of thumb, however, is to never add milk to your Turkish tea! Although, lemon is perfectly acceptable.

Russian zavarka

“The best tea is drunk in St. Petersburg and in general across all Russia [13]."

- Alexandre Dumas, French author

Tea first arrived in Russia in the 1600s when the ruler of Mongolia gifted the Russian Tsar tea [12]. Since then, a tea tradition of hospitality accompanied by cookies, sandwiches, and other treats has continued on through the ages.

The Russian tea ritual begins after supper with a samovar, which is a decorative kettle used to brew tea concentrate called zavarka [12]. Strong black tea or Lapsang Souchong, a smoked black tea invented in Russia, are the tea types of choice [13]. After the tea concentrate is served into teacups or glasses, each person can dilute it with water to their taste. This lovely tea tradition can be a family affair or a hospitable ritual when hosting guests.

Indian chai

Did you know? Chai is the Hindi word for tea.

Every fall, the comforting flavor of chai makes an appearance in candles, drinks, and baked goods alongside pumpkin spice, vanilla, and cinnamon. But chai’s real home of India puts all those creamy chai lattes to shame.

In general, tea is India’s most popular drink, consumed at a rate of 837,000 tons each year [14]. India’s current tea obsession began to sprout when British colonists in India grew huge tea plantations to quench the United Kingdom’s insatiable thirst for tea. By the 21st century, Indians consumed over 70% of its tea crop.

India’s tea tradition is so transcendent, that you can find chai vendors, known as chai wallahs, just about anywhere in cities boiling delicious milky tea with sugar and spices for thirsty customers [15]. In northern India, ginger is a beloved addition and has been used in milk-based drinks for centuries, even before tea was popularized. While originally chai wallahs served chai in small clay pots, it’s now more common to use plastic cups, tumblers, or tiny glasses.

Tibetan butter tea

By Antoine Taveneaux, License CC BY-SA 3.0

Butter and tea are two unlikely friends, but this Tibetan tea tradition has been steeping for well over a thousand years. Tea’s introduction to Tibet during China’s Tang dynasty (618 - 907 AD) likely started this delightful marriage with native Yak butter. It’s yellowish and has a soupy consistency [16].

Tibetan butter tea is more than just a time-honored ritual, though. For people who live along the cold Himalayan Mountains, the tea’s warmth and hydrating benefits helps stave off the chill and decreases risk of dehydration, which more commonly happens in high elevations.

In addition to being an important part of Tibetan hospitality, butter tea is generally a staple in Tibetan diet. Traditionally, the process to make it is rather time consuming, but today using loose leaf tea and a blender is a much quicker option. Modern Tibetans have also traded in tea bowls for thermoses.

Argentine yerba mate

Visit Buenos Aires and you may spot locals casually sipping a mysterious drink with a straw out of a curiously shaped container. The Argentine obsession of yerba mate started with a South American plant called the Ilex paraguariensis, which first grew abundantly in Paraguay. Originally enjoyed by the indigenous people of the region, yerba mate became popularized by European Jesuit priests.

Today, Argentina is the main producer of yerba mate, although neighboring countries like Uruguay and Chile are also avid fans and importers of the tea [17]. The tradition is to drink mate from a hollowed, dried calabash gourd and a metal straw with a filter, known as a bombilla [18]. Some gourds may even be passed on from generation to generation. Today, many choose to take their precious infusion in a thermos or stainless steel container instead.

Taiwanese bubble tea

This newer tradition only sprouted up in the 80s (there are conflicting theories of how it came about), exploding in popularity worldwide around the world. Some call it bubble tea and others boba, but no matter your preferred moniker, Taiwanese bubble tea is all the craze with its deliciously chewy tapioca balls in typically a sweet, milky tea.

Tapioca balls have always been common in Taiwanese desserts, and combined with varying, often tea-based beverages, these ingredients together have carved out their own unique category of desserty drink [19]. Today, you’ll find new boba shops opening up almost every day in major cities globally. Taiwan has over 21,000 alone. And while bubble tea’s dessert-like ingredients have stirred up debate on boba’s health implications, it’s easily customizable to suit anyone’s preferences and continues to blow up in popularity.

(Disclaimer: I love boba.)

American iced tea

American iced tea is American as apple pie. Around 75 to 80% of tea consumed in the US is iced, according to the Tea Association of the USA [20].

As tea culture around the world usually goes, tea in America didn’t become a trend until the British introduced the steeped beverage [21]. However, iced tea in particular needs ice, and that wasn’t widely possible through the summer months until the early 1800s. By the turn of the 19ths century, America dominated the world’s ice trade.

Interestingly enough, iced tea began as an alcoholic beverage from at least Colonial times, with the first hints of a non-alcoholic version not appearing until 1876 in print. So, how did America’s beloved non-boozy iced tea come to dominate? Enter prohibition. People were left with little choice but to opt for a refreshing, virgin tea.

And while today we think of black tea as Americans’ favorite type of tea, green tea was just as preferred until World War II when trade was cut off with China and Japan. Ever since, black tea has always remained a clear favorite for sweet tea and iced teas across America.

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[15] “Chai - the Drink India Can't Live Without.” BBC News, BBC, 29 June 2014, www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27991440.
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