The book is written for a Western audience. It was originally written in English. Okakura had been taught at a young age to speak English and was good at communicating his thoughts to Westerners. In his book, he discusses Zen and Taoism, but also the secular (non-religious) aspects of tea and Japanese life. The book emphasizes how Teaism (the art of tea) taught the Japanese many things. Most importantly it taught them simplicity. Kakuzō says that this simplicity, inspired by tea, affected arts and architecture.