Japanese Tea Ceremony with a Tea Master at Wakwak-kan

Depending on the option you choose, you will either be picked up from your Kyoto city hotel and taken by subway or city bus to meet your tea instructor at their house, or you will meet your instructor at the machiya. For the tea ceremony, you will learn the proper way to sit, and observe how the instructor prepares the tea using matcha (a powdered green tea that dates back to the Tang Dynasty in China). In the 12th century, the monk Eisai brought the powdered tea to Japan.

When the tea is ready, you’ll sip the delicious brew and savor the traditional Japanese sweet that accompanies it. You can even try your hand at preparing the tea with the help of your instructor. Enjoy this quintessential part of Japanese culture that has been described as a formal social gathering, a meditative practice and a performance art.

1-Hour Tea Ceremony

If you choose to participate in the tea ceremony at the machiya, you will be shown into a tearoom. The tea master will explain the tea ceremony to you and show you the proper way to sit, and then you will go through the ceremony together.

1.5-Hour Tea Ceremony with Kimono

Learn to dress in the kimono before you begin your tea ceremony at the machiya. Donning a kimono correctly can be a tricky business, but your teacher will be there to help you.

Click on "View Additional Info" for machiya house location.