Kyoto · KYOTO TEA CEREMONIES

Kyoto Tea Ceremonies: The 15 Best Sittings

103 tours  ·  from $4 a head

A tea ceremony can be a quick demonstration for a crowd or a quiet hour in a temple tea room. These 15 are compared on price, group size, length and whether you get to whisk your own bowl.

Kyoto: Tea Ceremony in a Traditional Tea House in Kiyomizu - Watching the Tea Master at Work
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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony in a Traditional Tea House in Kiyomizu

1.Tea Ceremony in a Traditional Tea House in Kiyomizu

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 3,519 reviews · 45 min · from $49Our pick

At Sakaguchian, a traditional tea house on Sannenzaka near Kiyomizu-Dera, an English-speaking instructor introduces the tea ceremony and its 500-year history. Watch a tea master prepare matcha, then make your own and enjoy a Japanese sweet while looking onto a garden designed by Ogawa Jihei VII. The 45-minute experience includes two cups of matcha and a photo.

“This was such a wonderful experience. I highly recommend - small groups, wonderful guide, the view on the gardens is just breathtaking and the matcha is good”

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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Ju-An at Jotokuji Temple - The purification ritual sets the tone
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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Ju-An at Jotokuji Temple

2.Tea Ceremony Ju-An at Jotokuji Temple

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 3,207 reviews · 1h 10m · from $29

At Ju-An, inside Kyoto’s Jotokuji Temple, an English-speaking guide introduces the grounds and a tea master demonstrates the matcha ritual. You’ll learn how to drink the tea, hear why each step matters and prepare a cup yourself. The 70-minute small-group session costs $29 per person; hosts such as Kate and Taka have led sessions.

“Superb intro to a tea ceremony (the "real" ones take 4 hours) with great hosts, super informative, engaging, entertaining, and made us really feel at peace, with the environment created, really reflecting the Ju-An created by the host.”

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Kyoto: 45-Minute Tea Ceremony Lesson Experience - Private, small-group or candlelight
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Kyoto: 45-Minute Tea Ceremony Lesson Experience

3.45-Minute Tea Ceremony Lesson Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,378 reviews · 45 min · from $22

On tatami near Kinkakuji, an English-speaking Urasenke tea master demonstrates matcha preparation, explains the ceremony’s history and etiquette, then guides you as you make tea yourself. The 45-minute lesson includes two green teas and Japanese sweets. Choose a private, small-group or candlelight session; kimono hire is an extra.

“the activity was too good. our host is very knowledgeable, showed us all aspects of the art and tradition in details. would highly recommend to anyone visiting Kyoto.”

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World Heritage Kyoto & Nara Uji Authentic Matcha Experience - Kasuga Taisha: lanterns and a quick first stop
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World Heritage Kyoto & Nara Uji Authentic Matcha Experience

4.World Heritage Kyoto & Nara Uji Authentic Matcha Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,573 reviews · from $129Top rated

Leave Kyoto at 7:50 am with an English-speaking guide for a full-day trip to Nara and Uji. See Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Nara’s deer, then visit Byodoin Temple and a historic tea shop to whisk your own matcha. Lunch is optional, and the day includes plenty of walking.

“This tour was well planned and executed. Our guide had the perfect balance of info with exploring time. Something for everyone to enjoy. Great photo ops and just an overall fun experience”

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Kyoto: Table-Style Tea Ceremony at a Kyo-Machiya - What happens during the 90 minutes
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Kyoto: Table-Style Tea Ceremony at a Kyo-Machiya

5.Table-Style Tea Ceremony at a Kyo-Machiya

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,211 reviews · 1h 30m · from $45

In southern Kyoto, English-speaking hosts welcome you to a 100-year-old townhouse for a 90-minute, table-style tea ceremony. Learn the customs, whisk your own matcha, taste a traditional sweet, try calligraphy and flower arranging, and take photos in the garden. A kimono can be added, with an early arrival required.

“An absolutely amazing experience!! Would recommend to anyone, the hosts were so friendly and informative”

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Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya, NISHIKI - Taking your seat on the tatami
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Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya, NISHIKI

6.Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya, NISHIKI

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 911 reviews · from $65

At Maikoya Nishiki in central Kyoto, choose a kimono, have your hair simply styled if you are a woman, then join a tea master for a guided ceremony on tatami. You’ll hear about the ritual’s history, learn to prepare matcha, and enjoy Japanese sweets. The session lasts about 90 minutes, with morning and afternoon times available.

“I strongly encourage you to do both the kimono and the tea ceremony, the dress up was so much fun. The history behind the ceremony was explained wonderfully, and the opportunity for pictures was amazing.”

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Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkeys, Matcha & Temple Tour - A brief walk through Arashiyama’s bamboo
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Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkeys, Matcha & Temple Tour

7.Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkeys, Matcha & Temple Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 759 reviews · from $53

Explore Arashiyama on a four to four-and-a-half-hour guided walk, with Tenryu-ji admission, an Uji matcha drink and entry to Monkey Park Iwatayama included. You’ll visit the bamboo grove, Nonomiya Shrine and Togetsukyo Bridge, then climb to the macaques and panoramic city views. Guides such as Tim, Nay and Gabriele have led groups here, though your guide may vary.

“Watching those wild Japanese macaques up close was endlessly entertaining! Their social interactions and playful behavior kept everyone laughing. The city views from Monkey Park were spectacular too. Perfect combination of nature and scenery.”

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Kyoto: Tea Museum Tickets and Matcha Grinding Experience - Start with tea, town, and a 10-yen coin
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Kyoto: Tea Museum Tickets and Matcha Grinding Experience

8.Tea Museum Tickets and Matcha Grinding Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 739 reviews · 1 hour · from $23

At Chazuna in Uji, learn about local tea, grind leaves into matcha with a stone mill, then prepare and drink your tea with an instructor. Your one-hour booking includes the museum, where touchable displays and digital exhibits explain Uji’s tea culture. Sessions are offered in Japanese and English.

“The women guiding us through the Matcha experience were very warm and welcoming. From interesting facts about Matcha production to taking pictures of the participants and explaining everything in detail this was a thoroughly great and enjoyable experience we would always come back to and warmly recommend to everyone.”

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Kyoto: Kimono Tea Ceremony at Orizuruya Gion - Matcha and Wagashi at the End
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Kyoto: Kimono Tea Ceremony at Orizuruya Gion

9.Kimono Tea Ceremony at Orizuruya Gion

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 618 reviews · 90 minutes - 2 hours · from $49

Choose from more than 200 kimono designs, get help dressing, then join an English-speaking instructor for a tea ceremony and hands-on matcha preparation. The 90-minute session includes wagashi sweets and simple hairstyling for women. Add Japanese calligraphy to extend the experience to two hours.

“It was so amazing! This is my second time in Japan and wanted to experience an authentic matcha tea & kimono ceremony. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and made it so much more enjoyable. It ended being just me with my amazing host and she made it extra special for me. I had such an amazing time, got some amazing pictures, and learned so much about the history of matcha. Could not recommend this more!! Even got a little paper bird as I left :-) they think of all amazing details.”

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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony in 100-year-old Kyo-Machiya Townhouse - Etiquette first, then the tea master’s demonstration
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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony in 100-year-old Kyo-Machiya Townhouse

10.Tea Ceremony in 100-year-old Kyo-Machiya Townhouse

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 546 reviews · 50 minutes - 3 hours · from $31

Learn tea ceremony etiquette and history in a 100-year-old machiya, then whisk your own matcha under a tea master’s guidance. The session includes sweets and an English-speaking interpreter. Add a kimono rental at Gojo Shop, or a short townhouse tour after the ceremony. The host may vary; recent sessions have included Lim, Ling, and Maki.

“The tea ceremony was lovely. It was a great way to understand tea ceremony culture while being guided through the proper steps. We're excited to bring this knowledge home :)”

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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Experience - The first lesson: matcha, tools and the room
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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Experience

11.Tea Ceremony Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 511 reviews · 45 min · from $32

At a traditional machiya in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district, an English-speaking host explains the tea utensils, room details and ceremony before demonstrating the precise movements. Taste matcha with a seasonal sweet, then whisk your own bowl with guidance. The 45-minute session costs $32 per person; private and small-group options are available.

“The host was really good, patient and with valuable information.”

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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Meditation - Make Matcha with Tea Master - Watching the tea master’s careful movements
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Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Meditation – Make Matcha with Tea Master

12.Tea Ceremony Meditation – Make Matcha with Tea Master

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 406 reviews · 45 min · from $45

In a 100-year-old Kyoto townhouse, an English-speaking tea master trained in the Omotesenke tradition demonstrates matcha preparation, then guides you as you make your own bowl with handcrafted utensils. You’ll learn the ceremony’s gestures and meaning, ask questions, and enjoy matcha with a Japanese sweet. Groups are limited to 10; kimono rental is not included.

“We really enjoyed learning about the tea ceremony. The best part was we were a small group which really made it special. Also we had children (8 and 10 year old ) and this was just the right mix of learning and hands on experience for them.”

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KYOTO Tea Ceremony with kimono near by Imamiya Jinjya Shrine - Watching the master prepare matcha
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KYOTO Tea Ceremony with kimono near by Imamiya Jinjya Shrine

13.KYOTO Tea Ceremony with kimono near by Imamiya Jinjya Shrine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 343 reviews · from $99

At a three-generation tea room near Daitoku-ji, choose a kimono, have help dressing and styling your hair, and pose for photos before meeting a tea master with 30 years of study. Watch a traditional ceremony, taste matcha with a seasonal sweet, learn its etiquette and history, then prepare tea yourself.

“Such an intimate and unforgettable experience. The attention to detail was incredible, the kimonos were perfect, and the tea master’s expertise truly blew us away. Highly recommend.”

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Kyoto: Japanese Traditional Sweets Making and Tea Ceremony - Make two sweets, then sit down with matcha
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Kyoto: Japanese Traditional Sweets Making and Tea Ceremony

14.Japanese Traditional Sweets Making and Tea Ceremony

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 314 reviews · 1h 35m · from $18Best value

At a Gojo-dori workshop near Gojo Station, a Japanese instructor guides you through coloring and shaping two seasonal nerikiri sweets with Kyoto-made bean paste. Then you prepare Uji matcha and learn the etiquette of drinking it. The 95-minute class costs $18 per person. English help is offered as much as possible, so contact the provider if you would like translation.

“Very good value for money. Lovely little class with just the right amount of people. Some of the staff do not speak much English so be aware that you may be relying on copying what you can see, but we managed to get by with no issues.”

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Kyoto: Kimono and Tea Ceremony Experience at Cultural Asset - Choosing a kimono and getting dressed
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Kyoto: Kimono and Tea Ceremony Experience at Cultural Asset

15.Kimono and Tea Ceremony Experience at Cultural Asset

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 306 reviews · 90 minutes - 4 hours · from $222

At Tondaya, a 140-year-old machiya in Kyoto’s Nishijin district, you’ll be dressed in a silk kimono, shown around the historic townhouse, and watch a tea master perform a traditional ceremony. Staff explain the house and customs in English or Japanese, though a translation device may be used. Bring socks, and consider a private session if you want a quieter experience.

“It was so fun to be dressed in kimonos and experience a beautiful tea ceremony. We loved it.”

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New in Kyoto Tea Ceremonies

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★ 5.0Slow Cycling Tour at Uji’s Matcha Green Tea Fields and HeritageFrom $13025 reviews
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★ 5.0Uji Tea Ceremony and UNESCO Heritage Walking TourFrom $7020 reviews
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★ 5.0Tea Tasting&Private Tea Ceremony -Master Matcha Making-From $6319 reviews
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