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Tea ceremony
Discover the ritual of the 'Way of Tea'.
Though many people drink tea
If you do not know the Way of Tea
Tea will drink you up
- famous Japanese haiku by Sen no Rikyu
Could there be anything more Japanese than peeling back a sliding screen door, kneeling on a tatami mat floor and slowly learning the revered art of the tea ceremony? The ancient rituals surrounding the preparation and presentation of macha powdered green tea date back to the 12th century when Buddhist monks began using tea in religious ceremonies. Later the practice spread to samurai warriors in their aim to bring a concentrated level of awareness to everyday activities. There is certainly a controlled meditative element to the tea ceremony and the carefully prescribed movements are based on 4 principles: harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity.
InsideJapan are pleased to offer a hands-on tea ceremony experience conducted in English in a beautiful Kyoto tea house. The kimono wearing instructor will guide you through the preparation and drinking of the tea. During the lesson, you're free to ask questions and take photos.
When to go: The tea ceremony experience is available all year round but is subject to the availability of a teacher. Please ask us and we will be delighted to include this as part of your holiday in Japan.
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: + 44 117 244 3380
Important notice: We are pleased to be able to offer so many amazing experiences in Japan. However, we are sorry that we can only include these as a part of a full Japan holiday package which includes your accommodation and transport alongside the experiences presented in this section of the web site.
Interested in this Experience? It is included in this tour:
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A budget 14-night adventure taking you into the heart of old Japan, with traditional accommodation and visits to the historic cities of Tokyo & Kyoto.
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