Kyoto: Tea Ceremony in 100-year-old Kyo-Machiya Townhouse

[Tea Ceremony and Kimono Rental]
★Visit Gojo Shop at the starting time stated on the voucher★ to pick out your kimono. Choose from a range of colors, designs and sizes. Opt-for the add-on and ladies can complete their experience by having their hair-styled, makeup and upgrade the kimono from causal kimono to formal kimono(Houmongi). After you are authentically dressed, head to Yumeyakata Oike Bettei, a traditional machiya townhouse by your own. The tea ceremony will begin two hours after the selected starting time. (For example, if you choose 11:00 AM, the tea ceremony will start at 1:00 PM.) Immerse yourself in a traditional atmosphere during a tea ceremony at a 100-year-old house with a tea master. Finally, you can wear the kimono and stroll around Kyoto before returning it to the shop by 5:30 PM.

[Tea Ceremony only (without Kimono Rental)]
★Visit Oike Bettei 5-10 minutes before the starting time stated on the voucher★

[TEA CEREMONY]
Start with an explanation of tea ceremony history, from its introduction into Japan from China about 1.200 years ago, until the form that is known today as the Japanese Way of Tea. Sit on a small chair or feel free to sit on the floor.

Find out how to bow, use proper greeting words, eat sweets, drink the tea, and observe and appreciate the tea bowl. Get deeper into the experience when the master brings all the necessary items into the room and prepares the first tea for a guest.

After this first tea service, prepare the tea by yourself under the master's supervision. Finally, the master closes the ceremony. Feel free to ask questions before you leave.

[if add-on selected] Right after the tea ceremony, you are invited to join our Kyo-Machiya (Kyoto Townhouse) Tour – held in the same beautiful place. As we walk through the traditional architecture of the Machiya, we'll explore the history, cultural significance, architectural details and hidden functions of these unique Kyoto homes. This immersive tour is designed to deepen your understanding of Kyoto's living heritage.

Our Tea House is located near Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace), and right next to us is the former residence of Nijō Yoshimoto (1,320-1,388), a high-ranking court noble from the Nanboku-chō period (14 Century). Nijō Yoshimoto was not only a Daijō Daijin (Grand Minister of State) but also one of the founding figures of Renga (linked verse poetry) culture, wielding significant influence over the literary world.

Since ancient times, the Kyoto Gosho area has been the cultural and social center for the imperial court and aristocracy. For centuries, emperors and nobles have held tea gatherings, elegant poetry recitals, and artistic discussions here, embodying the pinnacle of Japanese aesthetics and refinement.

Experiencing a tea ceremony in this historically rich location is not only an opportunity to connect with the thousand-year-old traditions of the imperial court but also a chance to step into the elegant and profound world of the nobility