Discover Japanese Culture Through Traditional Tea Ceremony in English

【OUTLINE】

Experience traditional Japanese tea ceremony in English. Take the opportunity to watch a tea ceremony expert practice their craft, and then try it yourself! Tea ceremony lies at the heart of Japanese culture, and enjoying it will help offer a deeper understanding of Japanese history, architecture and tastes. We are dedicated to sharing the beautiful culture of tea with the world. Visit our location which is nuzzled  between Gion and Kiyomizu Temple, in a historical neighborhood filled with traditional houses and shops. 

【HIGHLIGHTS】

• Become familiar with Japanese traditional arts and tea ceremony.
• Receive instruction from an English speaking instructor.
• Learn about the history of tea ceremony in English.
• Make your own tea after watching a demonstration by our skilled instructors.

【SCHEDULE】

Arrival → Explanation → Tea ceremony → Make your own tea→ End 

【DETAILS】

At the start of your session, your instructor will welcome you with a brief introduction to the history and culture surrounding tea, before performing the tea ceremony. After being served a small traditional sweet, you will have the opportunity to make your own bowl of frothy matcha under the guidance of your instructor. During your time with us, we do hope you will ask questions. Photos are permitted throughout, though we ask you to turn off your flash and respect other guests. Please do not take videos. 

【THINGS TO NOTE】

• Duration：45 minutes
  

• Meeting point：Camellia FLOWER
  349-12 Masuya-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-city. 　[MAP]

• Access：  
  BY TAXI:
  When traveling by taxi, please ask your driver to take you to Kodai-ji (Kodai Temple),
  Ninenzaka. This area is one of the most famous in Kyoto, so is well known by all taxi firms.
  The taxi will stop only 1 or 2 minutes away from Camellia.
  In the unlikely event that your driver does not know Ninenzaka or Kodai-ji, please feel free to call us on 075-525-3238 and we can explain our location to the driver in Japanese.
  
  BY BUS:
  ーFROM JR KYOTO STATIONー
  For guests arriving via JR Kyoto Station, you can take Kyoto City Bus #100, #110 or #206 to the Kiyomizu-Michi stop (each bus has English display screens inside, so you will know when to get off).
  
  From the bus stop, cross the street. Climb the hill in the direction of Hokan-ji Pagoda (Yasaka Pagoda). The road will pass by the pagoda, but keep going for about 100m until you see steep steps descending on your left. This is NINENZAKA.
  Go down the steps and continue for 30m until you come to a small alley on your left. A small sign at the entrance will indicate this is the right place.
  Go to the end of the alleyway and you will see us on your left.
  
  ーFROM DOWNTOWNー
  For those of you taking the bus from downtown Kyoto, take Kyoto City Bus #207 to the Higashiyama-Yasui stop. Walk along the street (in the direction the bus was going that dropped you off) for about 50m, then take the first left. Go uphill for about 100m until you come to a stone gate (Torii Gate – traditional shrine gate). Turn right before the gate.
  
  You are now on NINENZAKA. In about 30m you will see a GHIBLI shop on your right.
  Straight after this, there is a small alley. A sign will indicate this is the right place. Go to the end of the alleyway and you will see us on the left. 
  

• Language support：The experience is performed in English. All our staff speaks fluent English.

• Included ：
  ・The tea ceremony demonstration
  ・The opportunity to make your own bowl of Matcha
  ・A traditional sweet
  *If you require a chair, please do not hesitate to ask our staff.
  
• Participation requirements：
  ・Adult: Age 13 and over.
  ・Child: Age 7 to 12.
  ・No charge for children aged 6 and under (sweets offered). Matcha has high caffeine content, so we do not serve tea to children under the age of 6.
  
• Special support ：
  We will be happy to help you to arrange a surprise on special occasions such as birthday and wedding anniversary with your precious persons.  Why don't you make the day even more special, in a different way than usual?  Please feel free to consult Attractive JAPAN.   

• Free Wi-Fi：Yes.

• Other things to note：  
  All the traditional sweets we serve are vegan and gluten-free, but if you have any allergy concerns please let us know. 

【FUN FACTS】

Ichigo Ichie (一期一会) is a Japanese idiom that perfectly captures the spirit of the tea ceremony. Translated as ‘one time, one meeting’, the phrase indicates that we should treasure each moment, for such moments are unique and will never be repeated in the same way. 

【NEARBY AREA INTRODUCTION】

Camellia Flower is located in a small alley that branches off from Ninenzaka, one of three gradually steepening roads that wind from the temple of Kodai-ji up to Kiyomizu-dera in Higashiyama. No one is quite sure how Ninenzaka (2 Year Slope) got its name. Possibly, it was when the path first opened in 807, the 2nd year of the Daido era. But maybe it is simply a reference to the road being less steep than adjoining Sannenzaka (3 Year Slope).

West of Ninenzaka is the almost flat Ichinenzaka (1 Year Slope) and to the east the steep Sannen-zaka. There is a frightful legend that if you fall down on Ninenzaka you will be dead in 2 years! But don't worry, the story was told to warn people to be cautious on the hill. For the superstitious, a shop on Sannen-zaka sells gourds that can be bought to trap any misfortune and prevent the predicted death. Much of the townscape around Ninenzaka dates to the Taisho period (1912-1926). In 1976 the area became an architectural preservation district. We offer a bubble of calm in the very heart of Higashiyama.

【CANCELLATION POLICY】

7 to 4 days before the tour date: 40% of the tour price
3 to 2 days before the tour date: 60% of the tour price
The day before the tour date, on the day of the tour: 100% of the tour price