As early as the Muromachi period, tea and tea utensils were introduced from China to Japan. At that time, tea rice was a simple and time-saving dish for commoners who often did physical labor, and adding tea had the effect of refreshing and invigorating.

In "Konjaku Monogatari" and "Uji Shūi Monogatari," there are stories about the noble Sanjō no Nakanoin and tea rice and water rice. The overweight Nakanoin sought medical advice for weight loss and was told to eat tea rice (water rice) to limit his food intake, but because tea rice was too delicious, he ended up eating more and became even fatter.

During the Warring States period, tea rice was referred to as "the food of samurai." In military campaigns, hot tea was poured over rice with seasonings, allowing for quick consumption to satisfy hunger and refresh oneself in the shortest time.

By the Edo period, tea rice became popular and more diverse, and shops providing simple meals called "Chazukeya" appeared, becoming typical fast food places for commoners.

After World War II, food supply in Japan was insufficient, and many people relied on miso soup and tea rice to stave off hunger, leading to tea rice being regarded as a representative dish of the common people.

To this day, there are many varieties of tea rice, with increasingly refined ingredients and higher nutritional value. Adding wasabi, soy sauce, broth, mirin, sesame, and various side dishes like pickled plum, seaweed, salmon, eel, cod roe, tuna, and sea bream gives the originally simple tea rice endless possibilities.

Kitaōji Rosanjin, known for his pottery and culinary expertise, was very particular about the ingredients and utensils used in cooking, making him a true connoisseur. He founded a members-only restaurant called "Gourmet Club" and "Hoshikawa Charyo," creating a culinary trend. This "gourmet who has eaten around the world" was fascinated by the delicacy of Japanese cuisine and, after tasting countless delicacies, still had a special fondness for tea rice. He said, "After a hearty meal, sometimes I suddenly crave tea rice, and the desire just won't go away."

He wrote seven or eight articles about tea rice, introducing various types, including Kyoto's ayu tea rice, natto tea rice, and seaweed tea rice.

In his introduction to tuna tea rice, he wrote: "Add half a bowl of rice, then lay three slices of fresh tuna on top, drizzle with an appropriate amount of soy sauce, and place a small mound of grated radish next to the tuna. Pour hot water slowly over the tuna from the side, using a tea strainer filled with tea leaves, until the rice is completely submerged in the transparent tea, and the tuna is soaked in the tea."

Then, use chopsticks to gently press the tuna into the rice, and the still-red back will turn white. The transparent tea will turn milky white, and after mixing the soy sauce, the tea will become cloudy, with the fish oil floating on the surface. Mix the grated radish evenly, and finally add a bit of wasabi paste, and the original aroma of the tea rice will fill the bowl."

For salted trout tea rice, he also expressed: "Salted salmon should be cooked before making tea rice. The flavor of the pan-fried salted salmon is exquisite, making it a delicacy in tea rice, worthy of focusing solely on savoring it. When selecting salmon fillets, gourmets choose the tail part, not only because the fish skin there is delicious, but also because the meat is tender and has a better texture than the middle part."

Trout comes in various flavors, including lightly salted and heavily salted, and the kind that looks like a thin, shabby board is suitable for making tea rice. The salted trout that looks rust-red is the best among trout~ Tear off the heavily salted, firm trout meat and place it on the rice. Don't forget to put the trout skin on the rice as well, and then pour hot tea over it."

He also believed that "the most important thing in making bonito flakes is the grater for the bonito, which must be sharp. The best flakes are freshly grated, thin as paper, and deliciously fresh" (from "The Taste of Japan"). He was not only particular about what he ate but also personally cooked and made the ceramic dishes for serving food. His ceramics were based on ancient Japanese porcelain, and he created unique styles such as "cutting boards" and "large bowls," which had a profound impact on the Japanese culinary world.

He was outspoken and critical, criticizing gourmets and restaurants, and he would not hesitate to speak out against customers. Behind this was his commitment to the character of a craftsman and chef, elevating cuisine to the level of aesthetic philosophy. He looked down on coarse, quick, shallow, and chaotic flavors, believing that chefs obsessed with small profits would degrade their character. He said, "Everything must be generous; it won't do without a noble feeling. A spirit that is too lowly is unacceptable." One must have the awareness of a creator: "Whether it is calligraphy or painting, pottery or cooking, what is manifested is actually the author's own image. Regardless of good or bad, one will appear in the work." Though these words may be unpalatable, they are deeply reasonable and fitting for those who have strict requirements for themselves.

After the release of Yasujirō Ozu's "The Taste of Tea Rice" in 1952, tea rice became a topic of discussion among people. Ozu's films are like a pot of tea, starting off somewhat bitter, like tea leaves in water, gradually releasing their fragrance after a few brews. The stories of ordinary characters are also included in the plain narrative, and the characters' emotions are always restrained, hidden within, only to be understood in the end.

Ozu was skilled at portraying "family" themes, exploring father-daughter and mother-son relationships in his films, while "The Taste of Tea Rice" focuses on the narrative of the husband-wife relationship.

Mr. Satake Shigekichi (played by Noboru Sada) comes from a rural background, quiet and simple. He is the most typical Japanese man, silent and reserved, not good with words and somewhat dull. He works diligently and treats his superiors and elders with respect and obedience. He does not understand romance and would not think of little tricks to please his wife.

His wife, Taeko (played by Miku Minchiyo), comes from a wealthy family, extravagant and playful, always with an arrogant demeanor. Taeko looks down on her practical and rigid husband, believing she does not love him and is quite dissatisfied with his way of life. For example, he likes to eat tea rice, smokes low-end Asahi brand cigarettes, and is accustomed to sitting in third-class seats on trains.

On the surface, the Satake couple does not argue; Taeko speaks to her husband using honorifics and is polite, but their conversations are filled with coldness and rejection. Seven or eight years of married life have not bridged the gap between their backgrounds; instead, the differences in their living habits have led to numerous conflicts.

Taeko often makes up various lies, hiding from her husband while going out with her former classmates and friends to relax and gossip. Mr. Satake never easily criticizes his wife's capriciousness and extravagant spending habits, nor does he expect her to change. He is well aware of the lies she tells to go out, but he does not expose them, and the audience sees another side of him—mature, composed, and tolerant.