Traditional Tea Ceremony in Kyoto
Description
• Experience “ryurei,” a traditional style of Japanese tea ceremony • Discover all the details of a formal tea ceremony • Learn about matcha snacks and tea • Study the etiquette of an ancient Japanese custom
Tour Options
Itinerary
Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan and the origin of many of the country's cultural practices. One of these is the art of making tea, or chanoyu. Visit the townhouse of an interesting figure in the world of tea, Randy Channell Soei, who is the highest-ranked master of tea ceremony from outside of Japan. Join him to experience a proper authentic tea ceremony following the traditional ways. His particular style of tea ceremony is called "ryurei" and goes back to the 1870s. It is the formal way of showing hospitality to visiting foreign dignitaries through tea. Experience what it is like to be greeted as a diplomat by an expert in the art of tea ceremony. Then, try it out for yourself under his helpful instructions. Learn the four ideals of tea: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility through this traditional art.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Kindly note that you are not seated on the Tatami mats or low tables
Reviews(4)
What a great experience! This far exceeded my expectations and I was sad to see it end. Our tea master, Randy Channell Soei, was one of the most interesting people I've met. What he taught us, and our experience, will stay with me for a lifetime. It was a highlight of our Japan trip!
Thank you very much for sharing your review! We are truly pleased to hear that your experience exceeded expectations and became a highlight of your trip to Japan. Randy sensei is indeed a remarkable tea master, and we’re glad his guidance and stories left such a lasting impression. It was an honor to welcome you
Very educational experience. Learnt so much and enjoyed the whole experience. The tea was delicious.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tea experience and are truly grateful for your kind words. We hope you will choose to visit us again the next time you are in Kyoto.
This experience was average. I did learn how to make matcha tea and now like it. The place the ceremony was held was very small and we thought the experience would have been more authentic. For example: we sat on benches rather than on a low Japanese table. It felt more like school than an authentic tea ceremony. The store below did sell the matcha so we were able to purchase it.
Dear valued customer, Thank you so much for your feedback. Your input is truly valuable to us. We will use your experience to optimize our content and share it with our host. Once again, we deeply appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Best regards,
Randy was so informative. We really learned a lot. We all got a chance to prepare tea and got to sample delicious sweets.
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! We're so happy to hear that Randy made the experience both informative and enjoyable. We're thrilled you had a memorable time, and we’d love to welcome you back in the future. Thanks again for sharing!
