Despite living in Japan for a year, I never understood what a tea ceremony was. That all changed when I went to Tea Ceremony Nagomi in Kyoto!
Japanese tea ceremonies have been a pillar of the country’s culture for as long as humans have been drinking tea! More than just enjoying a hot beverage, the practice allows one to disengage from the hectic rush of everyday life and return to the present moment.
100% Foreigner-Friendly
Located in the heart of Kyoto’s Ninenzaka, Nagomi Tea Ceremony is a much-loved establishment, particularly among foreign tourists.
Easy to book and easy to find, Nagomi Tea Ceremony has a wide foreign appeal for its English website and English-speaking hosts.
For 3,000 yen (20 USD) or less (price drops to as low as 2,500 yen per person based on how many guests you bring), you get to enjoy the tea ceremony with your friends, family, and other participating guests.
The entire event runs for about an hour, and you and your group’s photo will be taken with the hosts and uploaded to their Instagram page!
So, How Does The Tea Ceremony Work?
The tea ceremony consists of a traditional Japanese tatami room where you will be looked after by two hosts. They will give a brief history of tea ceremonies in Japan before moving on to the practical part of the event – making tea!
Guests will be given a traditional tea cup made of Japanese ceramics and a wooden whisking brush. The host will then demonstrate the correct technique for whisking matcha green tea powder with hot water before passing around the jar of matcha powder to the guests.
Delicious Matcha Green Tea
You can choose how much matcha green tea powder to put in your cup, depending on how strong and bitter you like your tea. In traditional cultural fashion, you will be shown to the pot of hot water where you will add one to two scoops of water into your cup, again, depending on how strong you like it.
After you finish whisking up your tea, the hosts will come around and serve some delicious Japanese treats to go with your tea. One of these treats is mildly sweet while the other is extra sweet, allowing you to enjoy the flavor dynamics in contrast with the soothing bitter taste of high-quality premium matcha tea!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!