Attend a Japanese Tea Ceremony

“My husband and I also did the Maikoya one in Gion, and we loved it! When we first arrived, it was so busy, and the process of getting outfitted in the kimono and getting my hair done was so efficient that it felt a bit like a tourist factory, and I was thinking maybe it wasn’t a great choice. But the ceremony itself was wonderful, and the tea master (mistress?) who did it explained everything so well. She told us a lot about the history and meaning of the ceremony. It ended up feeling very special, actually, in spite of my first impressions. I definitely recommend doing the experience with the kimono rental; I think wearing the kimono enhanced the beauty of the experience.”

“We stayed at Sumiya ryokan in Kyoto, which is known for its tea ceremony. Guests get it free, but only on 2 specific days of the month. The rest of the month you can pay extra for it (at a discounted rate), which is what we did. Members of the public not staying at the hotel can also book it for full price. The owner and her daughter conducted it. The daughter provided us mochi-like sweets and provided most of the explanations as the owner made the tea. She explained the traditional words to say, what to do with the utensils, how to pick up the vessel, etc., along with facts and lore about matcha and green tea generally. Then we got the opportunity to make our own, which is mostly the process of whisking air into the matcha. There was some general conversation. We were allowed to take pictures and they took some pictures of us. It was a nice experience that I would recommend to those who are interested.”

“I did one and tbh I didn’t expect to feel anything from it but it ended up being kinda grounding in a quiet way it’s slow, a bit formal, and you start noticing small things like how intentional every step is… made me a bit self aware lol not sure if everyone connects w it the same tho”