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Overview
Your experience in immersing in Japanese culture in Kyoto is not completed without participating in a classical tea ceremony. Don't miss your chance to feel the elegant atmosphere of Japan's tea ceremony!
Highlights
- Attend an authentic tea ceremony in Kyoto
- Enter a traditional-style tea house in an old neighbourhood
- Introduction and explanation of the ceremony is included
- Drink Japanese tea with local sweets
Description
Our cozy Japanese tea house is located steps from the Yasaka shrine in the Gion area, one of Kyoto's most charming traditional neighbourhoods. Our goal is to provide a relaxing and calm environment for first-time visitors to enjoy a traditional tea ceremony and gain insight into traditional Japanese culture.
Our 45-minute session starts with a brief introduction to tea and the history of the tea ceremony in Japan. Following this, we give provide a full demonstration of a formal tea ceremony, where you experience a real ceremony first hand.
After our demonstration, we will explain the different steps we took and the significance of each step. You will then get to try making your own bowl of tea with a bamboo whisk! We will also serve you the customary snack to enjoy with your tea and show you how it should be eaten.
Our experienced tea ceremony masters are fluent in English and would be happy to answer any of your questions during or after the session.
Why we love it:
-Tea ceremony is named "Kyoto's #7 Things to Do" by the Times Magazine
-The traditional ritual is meant to show respect and nobility through slow and graceful movement and good etiquette.
-Tea ceremony is held in a cozy tea house, located near Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto's charming Gion district.
-1-hour session starts with a brief introduction of tea, followed by a full demonstration of this refined practice with detailed explanations.
-Prepare your own tea with a bamboo stick whisk in a tatami tearoom.
-Enjoy your tea with a classic Japanese sweet.
Time Slots for regular demonstrations:
- from 3 pm to 3:45 pm
- from 4 pm to 4:45 pm
- from 5 pm to 5:45 pm
Private bookings available at:
- 1 pm
- 2 pm
- 7 pm
Meeting Point
The address will be provided after you book
Important Information
Photos will not be allowed during the actual tea ceremony (as the sounds of the utensils are an important part of the ceremony). However, before and after, you will be allowed to ask as many questions as you'd like!
What you need to bring
Nothing.
- 日本語 (Fluent)
- English (Fluent)
Tea ceremony (the way of tea) is one of Japan's traditional cultural practices, and is the name given to a synthetic art that encompasses not only the making of tea, but also tea-room architecture, the appreciation of tea utensils and bowls, and Zen Buddhism.
It is not a religion, but a means to the study of Japanese manners and spirituality.
Tea master Sen no Rikyu's aphorism "WA-KEI-SEI-JAKU" (harmony, respect, purity and tranquility) conveys the importance of the spirituality in tea ceremonies.
***We are going to have New Year holiday
from 1st to 3rd of January and we will open
for regular hours from 4th of January 2016.***
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Reviews (43)
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Sandra
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Lai Hin
All in a rush!
very rush and brief. Cannot explain the meaning of each procedures in Tea Ceremony, such as the temperatures of matcha, the japanese sweets.... Terrible! All in a rush, waste of money
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Gary
Short but very educational
The operators of the tea ceremony really appear to care about what they are doing and explained each component, as well as why and where the history came from and were more than happy to answer questions. Really worth the effort.
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Jonathan
Awesome experience in Gion
I booked the tea ceremony last minute and the host was very accommodating and responsive to my questions. Since the number of guests are limited the experience seemed intimate, which I liked. The highlight of the experience was when we actually got to make our own tea and drink it. If there were anything this experience were to improve upon it would be to explain more on the background of the movements/gestures and utensils used in the ceremony since it was mentioned that it would take about 15 years at a tea ceremony school to master! The host did her best to answer any questions us guests asked.
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Candas
Perfect Flower
Perfect and elegant as it should be
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Tony
One thing that you must do in Kyoto
Tea ceremony is very wonderful experience in Kyoto. One thing that you must do in Kyoto. English-speaking kimono-clad hosts are very friendly and clearly explain how to make matcha and drink tea step by step. I will recommend it to everyone .
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Amy
Beautiful dancing hands and friendly lesson in hospitality
The host was very friendly and giggly. She made sure we knew from the get go that it was OK if we didn't know the correct things to do. She laughed and talked with us about the process and what the meaning of many of her actions were. During the actual pouring though she slipped into a serious and calm demeanor and we eagerly watched in silence. The tea itself was frothy and delicious. Slurp the last drink to show you appreciate the tea and want to drink the last drop, its polite. She answered all our questions with enthusiasm. The tea room was beautiful, clean and uncluttered. The location would be a bit challenging if we hadn't unknowingly eaten at the ramen place on the corner the night before. Very calm and education experience. The booking says no photography but when I went they offered to let me photograph if I wanted. I declined since the booking info said it would be deleterious to the experience. I agree that being quietly mesmerized. This is definitely best experience without the filter of a camera screen between you and the experience. still you can bring your camera for pics before and after.
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Sameer
This was an educational and interesting view on traditional Japanese tea making!
The ceremony was educational and was fun!
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Scott
Serene and informative
We really enjoyed learning the significance, history and process of the tea ceremony. The location is also very convenient.
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Diana
Interesting experience
A nice way to spend an hour in the city and get an authentic experience on how a tea ceremony happens, the proper way to make and drink tea and what all the utensils are. I would recommend this to anyone that has never experienced a tea ceremony before
Up to 2 Days Prior
great experience in kyoto
this was a great experience to make matcha tea ourselfs and to learn how you have to behave at a ceremony, what to bring and what the meaning of the movements is.
an experience we wouldn't want to miss in kyoto.