The Traveler's Guide to Japan's Tea Ceremonies

One of the most iconic Japanese traditions is the tea ceremony. Known as chado or sado, it’s a historic institution that dates back to 815. That year, a Zen Buddhist monk Eichu returned from China and served sencha (infused green tea) to Emperor Saga, Japan’s 52nd emperor of Japan. Impressed by it, the emperor ordered tea plantations to be created in the Kinki region (Kansai region). Over time, Buddhist monks adopted tea ritual drinking to stay awake during their meditation sessions and it became more commonplace as a religious ritual. However, this eventually made its way into more mainstream culture through tea parties and elite gatherings.

One of the most notable influences was Sen Rikyu, a Japanese tea master who elevated the ritual of tea ceremonies to a sophisticated art. He did it by redefining the rules of procedure, utensils used, and the design of the teahouse and accompanying tea-garden landscape. From this point onwards, his teachings created the philosophies and concepts that define modern-day ceremonies.

With such a historical past, joining one of these tea ceremonies is the best way to understand the tradition. Here we’ve compiled five incredible tea ceremony experiences for you, your friends, or your family to try.

Opening its doors in 2014, Camellia Tea Ceremony made its home in a small machiya (Japanese townhouse) in Ninenzaka, Kyoto. Taking advantage of its historic home, Camellia quickly became popular due to their fully English explanation of the ceremony’s history as well as easy accessibility: Ninenzaka is a famous restored Samurai-era road that leads up to Kiyomizu-dera.

Camellia has two teahouses: the Flower and Garden Teahouses. The former is located on the aforementioned Ninenzaka Road and accommodates shared and private experiences. The latter location has a different history: Camellia’s founder, Atsuko Mori, was invited to be the caretaker of a hundred-year-old machiya, and she turned it into a teahouse. This location is a minute’s walk from the UNESCO-recognized Ryoan-ji, home to the world-famous Zen rock garden. The garden teahouse is only available for private ceremonies; however, both locations offer kimono rental options.

These tea houses are popular – so book in advance if you plan to go during spring or autumn when things are at their busiest. You can book on their website here, and if you have a group larger than nine, make sure to contact them through the official channels.

Want to spend more time in Kyoto? Here are a few hotels near Ninenzaka that you can rest at between your trips to the various temples and cultural spots.

With locations in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, Maikoya is a leading cultural experience provider. With over 100,000 guests annually, Maikoya is well-recognized within the international community as a trusted facilitator of tea ceremonies and kimono experiences.

Maikoya offers a variety of activities for guests visiting Kyoto, but their main services revolve around offering traditional tea ceremony experiences, with an affordable option of also renting a kimono.
For travelers visiting Kyoto, Maikoya has two locations: Nishiki (downtown Kyoto) and Gion (Kyoto’s famous geisha district).

Both teahouses offer the traditional tea ceremony but differ in their options. The Nishiki location is more family-friendly and has options for shared, private, and bundled ceremonies; the bundled ceremonies allow guests to try their hand at making wagashi - the traditional Japanese sweets eaten during the ceremony. They also offer a more simplified tea ceremony for families who have kids aged 7-12, giving an accessible experience for kids and teaching them the importance of focus and mindfulness.

The Gion teahouse only offers private tea ceremonies, but its location also offers a new option: Being joined by geisha (a traditional female entertainer). As Gion was famous for its professional entertainers and hosts (known in Kyoto as geiko). The geiko or maiko (a geiko-in-training) adds a new dynamic to the ceremony, introducing the unique geisha culture of Kyoto - rewinding the clock to when the geiko would serve tea and entertain visitors making a pilgrimage to the temples of Eastern Kyoto.

Curious about Gion and the other Eastern temples in Kyoto? Here are a couple of hotels in Nishiki, a perfect distance between Gion and the Imperial Palace.

Nara is home to some of Japan's most famous cultural sites like Todai-ji, Horyu-ji, and the Nara (Deer) Park.

What is often forgotten is that Nara was also the home to Japan's first capital, Heijokyo, established near Nara City. This was in Nara Basin (also known as the Yamato Basin), and the valley is now the home of various tea plantations, cultivating the local tea called Yamato Tea. While the tea isn't used in tea ceremonies, it's a great souvenir to take away following your day out in the city.

There are two excellent spots to experience a tea ceremony in this historic prefecture: Sarusawa (the Nara Visitor Center) and a hidden spot at a local temple: Jiko-in. The visitor center runs two weekly tea ceremonies on Wednesdays, each for 45 minutes. Reservations are required; for groups larger than six, the center asks that you contact them directly. You can make a booking on their website here.

Jiko-in is a Zen Buddhist temple founded in 1663 by Sekishu Katagiri. When his father (feudal lord of the area) passed, he constructed the temple to pray for the happiness of his father's departed soul.

Overlooking the Yamoto plain, the stones, gardens, and tearoom provide a quaint experience for cha-no-yu (tea hospitality). The head priest will bring you beautiful wagashi and green tea for you to enjoy while you take in the sights and sounds of the rolling plains. They don't take reservations, but if you want to contact the temple before making a journey there, contact details are on their website.
Need more time in Nara? Find a spot to stay at one of these great hotels.

With over 35 years of professional experience under her belt, Rie Takada is the founder and director of Chazen Tea Ceremony Tokyo. Not only is Takada-san a professor of chado-urasenke (a school of tea ceremony), but also a professor of ikenobo-kado (Japanese flower arrangement). With several accolades and recognitions, she set up Chazen Tea Ceremony in 2014 and has shared Japanese traditional culture with thousands of visitors to this day.

Chazen has two locations in Tokyo: one in Ginza, and the other in Asakusa. The Ginza location is a one-minute walk from Higashi-Ginza Station (Hibiya and Asakusa Lines), and the Asakusa tearoom is a three-minute walk from Asakusa Station. In both these tearooms, you can briefly learn about the history of the art, join in a tea ceremony demonstration, then enjoy the sweets and tea. Chazen also offers additional experiences, such as making your own Japanese sweets and tea at their Matcha Cafe in Asakusa. Reservations for either experience can be made here.

Enamored by the beauty of Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s oldest temple complexes? Why not stay in the area and relish in its charm for an evening or two?

Urasenke, as previously mentioned, is one of the biggest schools of tea ceremonies in Japan. For those looking to explore this particular school of tea ceremony and one of Tokyo's more luxurious shopping destinations, then the Urasenke YOUWAKAI Tea Ceremony is up your alley.

Hosted by a descendent of Sen Rikyu, Sosei Ajioka, Urasenke YOUWAKAI's two-hour program covers usucha temae (thin-tea procedure). During the program, guests will experience "harmony, respect, purity and tranquility" — the four important principles of chado — and get a chance to brew their own usucha during the time with the tea master.

The Omotesando-based tearoom is open for reservations on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and you can read all the important contact and location information here.

Need more time in Tokyo's Champs-Élysées? Find just the right place to stay in Omotesando below.