Table-Style Tea Ceremony at a 100-Year-Old Machiya in Kyoto
Table-Style Tea Ceremony at a 100-Year-Old Machiya in Kyoto
10 meals
No need to sit on the floor! Enjoy a comfortable tea ceremony with tables and chairs in a traditional Kyoto machiya house that is over 100 years old. Taste freshly-made matcha and wagashi sweets.
Highlights
Experience a traditional tea ceremony with comfortable chair seating
Taste premium matcha from an award-winning Uji tea farm and whisk your own rich, frothy matcha
Capture photos with traditional fans, umbrellas, and a katana
Try Japanese calligraphy, write your name in Kanji, and take it home as a souvenir
Enjoy a welcome drink including sake or umeshu from Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district, with nonalcoholic options available
10 meals
Experience Details
Step into a 100-year-old Kyoto machiya and experience Japanese tea culture surrounded by history. From a warm welcome at the door to the tea ceremony, discover the traditions and everyday details that make Kyoto special.
When you arrive, Hiromi and her staff will give you a warm welcome. Before the tea ceremony, learn how the 100-year-old machiya was built and explore its unique layout, historical records, and old photographs. With so much of its history preserved, the house feels like a small window into Kyoto's past.
A kimono option is also available. Hiromi's family owns a gofukuya shop specializing in traditional Japanese clothing, with beautiful silk kimonos featuring classic designs and intricate details. Kimono are available for guests of all ages, including children and infants.
The tea ceremony follows the modern ryu-rei style, with table-and-chair seating for a comfortable experience. Begin by tasting premium matcha from an award-winning tea farm in Uji, one of Japan's most celebrated tea-producing regions. Then, learn to prepare your own bowl of rich, frothy matcha using authentic tea utensils. With guidance from your host, discover the techniques and etiquette behind this centuries-old tradition.
The tea ceremony is about more than preparing and drinking tea. It is also a way to experience Japanese hospitality and traditional arts. Depending on the season, the experience may include calligraphy, kodo, the art of incense, or chabana, seasonal flower arrangements.
After the ceremony, head to the garden to take photos with traditional Japanese props, including umbrellas, folding fans, and a katana.
Located in Fushimi in southern Kyoto, the machiya offers a peaceful setting away from the busiest tourist areas. It is also convenient for exploring nearby attractions such as Fushimi Inari Shrine and Uji, making this a relaxed way to experience Kyoto's tea culture, history, and traditional arts with a local host.
What You Get
Good To Know
- Kimono rental is available onsite for an additional fee (see options)
- If you choose the kimono option, please arrive 30 minutes before the start of your tea ceremony experience to prepare for dressing
- This can be reserved as a private experience upon request(from 16:00)
- If possible, please wear socks when you visit. This is part of standard tea room etiquette. If you don't have any, we would be happy to lend you a pair
- For guests who are pregnant, we kindly ask that you refrain from wearing a kimono, in consideration of your health and safety
- Groups under four participants and prefer private section, please contact byFood
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
The experience venue is approximately a 5-6 minute walk from Keihan Fushimi-Momoyama Station, or from Kintetsu Momoyama-goryō-mae Station. More details and a Google Maps link will be provided upon booking.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel your booking at least 48 hours before the experience start time to receive a full refund.
Experience Location
Featuring beautiful landscapes from mountain to sea, Kyoto Prefecture conveys traditional Japanese culture through its architecture and gardens, art and artisanal crafts, and delicious local cuisine made from regional produce.
a fun group of women run this presentation. we enjoyed learning about the tea ceremony and how to make matcha tea. about half of the guests opted to wear traditional kimonos. very beautiful. loca...read more
The hostesses performing the tea ceremony were excellent - very engaged and good instructors when we had the make the tea ourselves. The calligraphy option was a bonus. However, it did feel very cr...read more
The whole experience and hospitality was simply amazing. We got great kimonos, wonderful eats in the beginning, a slide show explaining the rituals of tea - followed by tea making . Each of us then...read more
It was a wonderful and fulfilling experience! The house in which the tea ceremony took place was quaint and lovely as were the ladies who guided us through each step of the beautiful process. From ...read more
It was a very interesting experience, and the hosts were very good.
Frequently Asked Questions