The Art of Mindful Living: Tea Ceremony in Kyoto
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Kyoto, Japan
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Sample Menu
Dessert
Japanese sweet cake
You can choose different kind of Japanese sweet cake, traditional cake made with sweet red bean paste or fresh fruit daifuku.
What's Included
- Snacks
- Alcoholic Beverages
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Kaze no Waon14 Utanokitanoinchō, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8201, Japan
【Access by bus】 ◎5 min. walk from Omuro-Ninnaji bus stop. ◎5 min. walk from Fukuoji bus stop. 【Access by Randen Railway】 5 min. walk from Omuro Ninnaji Sta. 【By bicycle】There is a bicycle parking lot. 【By car】There is a parking and please tell me in advance.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Participation with infants or small children will be a private session rather than a group session. (Private session fees are required separately.) Please inquire before making a reservation.
- You can enter the premises with a stroller, but you cannot bring it inside the building.
- You can book it as a private session.27000yen～
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Veronique_C
Naomi is an exceptional host, and we had a very soothing time in her presence and with her niece. I highly recommend her. We were able to observe a tea ceremony led by her, and then we had the chance to take part and try it ourselves.
Reviews
5.0
based on 24 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
John_C, May 2026
This experience was calming after all of the hustle and bustle of navigating public transportation all trip. Naomi was very knowledgeable and answered our questions thoroughly. The kimono I wore was beautiful. Make sure you arrive at the earlier time if you rent the kimono. I made the mistake of letting it slip my mind and arrived close to the tea ceremony time; however, Naomi worked diligently and still squeezed in the dress up and photo experience for me. I could not be more grateful. Overall, I 100% recommend this experience because it felt authentic and thoughtful rather than flashy and touristy.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for such a thoughtful review! It means the world to me that you felt the authentic and mindful spirit of our experience. Even though the schedule was tight, I was happy to see your beautiful smile in the kimono. I’m thrilled that you could recharge your energy here after a busy journey!
Lisvet_C, Apr 2026
Naomi and her helper were amazing. From helping with the Kimono, to taking pictures and answering every question! Naomi was elegant during her presentation and tea ritual. She kindly answer my “so many questions”. I totally recommend this experience!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for such a lovely review! I absolutely loved answering your questions. Your curiosity gave me a wonderful opportunity to look at Japanese culture from a fresh perspective, and it was great practice for my English, too!
Orlando_P, Apr 2026
Naomi was very detailed explaining the meaning of every step and the history behind the original long ceremony. She helped us to take nice pictures. She is flexible and doesn’t put any pressure, making sure we enjoy the experience. We will recommend her to to our friends coming here next time.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! The reason I love the Japanese tea ceremony is that my tea master taught me without any pressure. I am truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the experience and felt completely comfortable.
Chris_B, Apr 2026
We were thrilled with the tea cermony we had with Naomi. The location is wonderful and quiet and on entering, you can see the lovely gardens around the property. We were dressed in our kimonos and then walked around the gardens for photos and quiet contemplation. The ceremony was explained very well and we got to first sample some of the matcha tea with the very tasty sweets before making our own. The ritual of it all is quite meditative and we were encouraged to focus on the task. It was a wonderfully rejuvenating experience and welcome down-time from Kyoto city and the touristic hustle and bustle. We would highly recommend this to anyone.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your beautiful feedback! We are thrilled to hear that you had a peaceful, rejuvenating time with us. It is wonderful that our quiet surroundings offered you a welcoming break from the busy city streets. Thank you.
Beth_G, Mar 2026
Naomi was so welcoming and provided a wonderful experience of culture and tradition! We loved dressing in beautiful kimonos, taking pictures, and learning about matcha!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for attending the tea ceremony. We are happy you enjoyed the time and made wonderful memories dressing in kimonos.
Ruslan_L, Oct 2025
An amazing and serene experience. Naomi was so welcoming and knowledgeable. She made the experience memorable, serene, and enjoyable. The Matcha was high quality and delicious! The sweets were amazing, soft mochi with fruit and a small cookie.
The garden in the back was very serene and perfect for pictures.
Highly Recommended!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. The matcha is not famous brand but definitely high quality so I'm happy you tasted it. Also thank you for enjoying my recommend sweets! We're happy to be a part of your trip memories.
Debbi_S, Oct 2025
Naomi is lovely and the ceremony is away from all of the chaos. Very nice! Delicious sweet treats as well.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. I'm happy you enjoyed the time in a calm and peaceful atmosphere. I'm glad you liked my recommend sweets too!!
Veronique_C, Aug 2025
Naomi is an exceptional host, and we had a very soothing time in her presence and with her niece. I highly recommend her. We were able to observe a tea ceremony led by her, and then we had the chance to take part and try it ourselves.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. I'm glad you had a good time with us. Also thank you for your kindness. My niece helped me during the summer holidays, and it was a learning and enjoyable experience for her.Thank you again.
Cesar_A, Jul 2025
Great cultural experience! Naomi was very knowledgeable, engaging and super accommodating, especially with our larger group. Also very informative as learned the history and high value placed on the tea ceremony. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. My wish is for our guests to learn about the tea ceremony in an enjoyable way and create wonderful memories, so I am truly delighted to know that you were pleased. Although we are a little distanced from the downtown area, I am happy that you liked this location. Thank you again.
Mandip_S, May 2025
Tea ceremony was delightful and Naomi was very knowledgeable. Went with family and all of us enjoyed the experience of making our own tea. The garden was fabulous with lots of places to take photo’s in this tranquil environment.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. I'm glad you enjoyed making your own tea and taking photos in the garden. Also I enjoyed taking photos of "Kimono Danshi"(cook guy wearingintokimono) and making your trip memories.Thank you.
Caroline_S, May 2025
It was very educational as well as relaxing. Our teacher was lovely and the garden was beautiful. It was nice to learn the history of the ceremony.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. I'm very happy to receive your review, as I place emphasis on both experience and theory to help guests understand the tea ceremony. I also had a wonderful time with friendly guests, so thank you.
Alexia_S, May 2025
Naomi was so wonderful and knowledgeable, she made this experience with my family truly unique and one of the best things we did in Kyoto! Her garden is absolutely beautiful and she, as well as her co-worker, were both extremely understanding and accommodating to our group's needs. I would recommend this activity for everyone to do especially with the kimono rental makes it extra special!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. I'm happy to accommodate your needs and make your trip memories together. This place is far from downtown and it takes time to put on a kimono, but I'm glad you find value in both the garden and the kimono and are happy to oblige!
Hayley_B, May 2025
We had a very lovely experience but a couple of things to note—the location is slightly difficult to access and not near much. And, if the host reaches out to you to ask about upgrades such as a private ceremony, the fees she is talking about will be in addition to the amount you have already agreed to pay on Viator and not in lieu of it. I thought I was spending a total of $190 but it ended up being $275.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. Also I'm sorry for the misunderstanding regarding payment. I will try to be more clear so that it doesn't happen again.
Thank you for your note. It is true that this location is far from the downtown area, in the direction of Kinkakuji Temple and Arashiyama, so it may be inconvenient for those who are not interested in those areas.
Please allow me to add a note so that the reviewer can better understand. Regarding private sessions, If requested by guests with children, we check in advance to ensure that they will be able to remain quiet as a quiet atmosphere is expected during group sessions. Then, if they want a private session, we ask them to pay an upgrade fee to a private session in addition to Viator's group session fee.
For 3-4 guests, the private session fee is $187.54.
$187.54 - paid via Viator(group session fee)
= $62.51 (paid on the day)
Also, $190 and $275 prices include the kimono rental fee. Please allow me to provide more details to prevent readers of this review from misunderstanding that the price only includes the private session fee.
Peter_C, Apr 2025
Great experience. Lovely host. Very friendly, great English, great communication before and after booking. Thoroughly enjoyable. Would highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you for joining the tea ceremony. We are glad you enjoyed the time. We are happy to hear that you are pleased with the experience itself, as well as the before and after. Please enjoy matcha at home!
Sigal_Y, Mar 2023
We had wonderful experience with Naomi! She is lovely, interesting and knowledgeable. she made a serious and long ceremony to a light one, kind of meditation that you can do not just with matcha but also with coffee (:
It was a great and interesting experience I encourage everyone to participate!
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Than you for coming. I value the tea ceremony not only as Japanese cultural experience, but also as a meditation, and I am glad you feel that. The tea ceremony experience is one of the triggers. I hope that the coffee you drink at home will be more relaxing for you.
Alessandro_M, Jun 2026
Naomi welcomed us into her home to immediately convey calm and serenity. With grace and skill, she explained all the steps of the tea ceremony after dressing us in traditional kimonos. Next, we took turns preparing the tea, and finally, we enjoyed it together with traditional sweets.
An authentic experience, and in hindsight, I would say 'necessary' during our visit to Kyoto!
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Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the experience and learned about the art of tea. I truly love sharing that mindful moment when guests step into the tea master's position to prepare their own matcha. It brings me so much joy to know that this became one of your unforgettable memories in Kyoto!
From $43.62
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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