Tea Ceremony, Matcha-Making, & Kimono Experience in Okinawa

Guided by a tea ceremony expert from Okinawa, this unique hands-on learning experience is one to write home about. You’ll change into a simple kimono, experience a Japanese tea ceremony in a tea room, learn about etiquette and utensils, enjoy Okinawan and Japanese sweets, make matcha, and then participate in a commemorative photoshoot at a dedicated cultural facility in Onna–a picturesque coastal village on the west coast of Okinawa Island. Experience flow: Change into a simple kimono Experience a Japanese tea ceremony in a tea room Learn etiquette and listen to an explanation of tea ceremony utensils Enjoy Okinawan and Japanese sweets at a special Ryurei-style table Matcha-making experience: Learn about the tools, make, and enjoy matcha tea Participate in a commemorative photo shoot in the tea room Change out of the kimono Experience conclusion Okinawa is a tropical island paradise and Japan’s southernmost prefecture. Surrounded by cascading mountains, lush jungles, and tropical flowers, it makes for a welcome retreat for those seeking an island life pace and atmosphere. Your experience takes place at a dedicated arts and culture center in Onna Village. Here, you’ll dress the part by changing into a vibrant Japanese simple kimono. Once you’ve changed into your cultural attire, move into an elegant tea room where a Japanese tea ceremony experience and etiquette lesson await! Following this, take a seat at a special Ryurei-style table to enjoy Okinawan and Japanese sweets and conversation. Typically, a tea ceremony requires participants to sit in a kneeling (seiza style) position. However, as tea ceremony culture has evolved and become increasingly popular with foreign tourists, a new (Ryurei-style) setting was developed that involved a table and chair. From here, you’ll embark on a matcha-making adventure and participate in a commemorative photoshoot in the tea room.