You will be SENT a bowl, a tea spoon, a tea whisk and Macha Tea for each person booked.
On the tour day, you log on to ZOOM, the Guide will provide a 15-min intro
The camera will be set as the Tea Master prepares the Tea, and you will follow along, watch the ceremony and use your items
The high-quality Tea you will be using is the same Tea as you would have gotten at the actual ceremony
You will then participate in drinking your Tea the proper way
Asia/Tokyo (UTC +9hs)
You will be SENT a bowl, a tea spoon, a tea whisk and Macha Tea for each person booked and that will arrive at your home days before the ceremony begins. These items will be packed nicely in a furoshiki, (large Japanese bandana). These items are for you to keep, as keepsakes of your experience. We want the bowl to match you as close as we can get, so we will ask a few questions about you and each guest that will participate. Each persons’ bowl may or may not be similar.
Once the day has come, and you have logged on, the Guide will introduce himself and provide a 15-minute spiel of what you can expect during the Tea Ceremony.
We will then have the camera set up for you to watch as the Tea Master prepares the Tea, and you will follow along, watch the ceremony and use your items that you received from Japan during the ceremony.
Though there are things you cannot do the same as the Tea Master, like making the hot water the same, as for the other aspects of the ceremony, you will be able to follow along and ‘feel’ the atmosphere of the ceremony. The Tea you will be using is the same Tea as you would have gotten at the actual ceremony. It will be a high-quality blend.
After making your own Tea as instructed, you will then participate in drinking your Tea the proper way and conclude the ceremony. This should take around thirty (30) minutes after the ceremony starts.
As you will be sent the items from Japan for the ceremony, you can set up your items and be comfortable in your home during the ceremony. As we recommend a quiet room as the Tea Ceremony will be quiet outside of the Guide explaining to you what to do.
There will be a layout guide for you to set up the site items in your own home. Any kitchen or coffee table will do. Please be comfortable.
As you will not be able to create the hot water the same as the Tea Master, we recommend you ensure hot water is ready to go before you log on.
The Guide will give you no more than a 15-minute explanation about what to expect before the ceremony begins and will introduce you to your Tea Master.
You will then watch the Master prepare the Tea on this end in Japan, experiencing the sounds and movements of the Tea Master during the Tea preparation time.
As you will have the exact same Tea that will be prepared in the ceremony, the Guide will explain how much to use and how to, 'whisk', the Tea to gain the proper froth and taste.
You will also have time to ask the Master any questions.
One (01) Japanese Tea Bowl (Chawan) per person (to keep)
One (01) Japanese Tea Spoon (Chashaku) per person (to keep)
One (01) Japanese Tea Whisk (Chasen) per person (to keep)
Mail costs to send these items to your home or office address
45-minute Guide/Translator Costs
30-minute Tea Master Costs
n/a
If you do not see the tour you are looking for or want to add or subtract something, let me know what you want to do and where you want to go and I will ensure I put together an itinerary that fits your needs and blows your mind. Welcome!!!
Quiet room is important with no-one to disturb you for about 45 minutes to an hour
wow what a day! so much fun thank you so much!
Richard went above and beyond every step of our tour. Even though we’ve been in Japan for years, we got turned around at the train station so we’re late getting started. Richard was patient with having us, a toddler, and our visiting grandma who was overwhelmed with excitement! He helped us carry the stroller up stairs (I brought a baby carrier, but we were only in town for a day) and took pics. He gave lots of surprising and interesting information and really told the story of Japan and was always willing to answer extra questions. Thank you for making our day trip to Kyoto special and memorable! And thank you for taking extra care so our grandma and toddler were able to set the pace and enjoy themselves too!
Tanya, that is a very kind review. It was a pleasure to have your family over for the day. Your whole family were great fun and cause you live in Japan, I hope to see you again one day.
Loved our tour with Richard. Would have missed so many special details and quirky hidden gems if we had seen Kyoto without such a fantastic guide. Wonderful , relaxed and very special day. Highly recommend!
Richard was fantastic from step zero to the end of the trip. He clearly loves to make sure the customer is happy and really gave us a good time. His knowledge of what would work with our group was fantastic and making sure we see any hidden spots and answer any questions about Japanese culture as well. We had a group of three and I had done extensive research on my own on what we should see and asked him how he would put it together. He adjusted a few things but made sure that we got as much as we could in the short time we had! Even until the day before the tour was supposed to happen, he was able to answer a few last minute questions which really put us all at ease! If you are looking for an English speaking man of culture, Richard is the right man for you! Thanks again for everything, Richard!
Frank, you are an absolute gentleman and your group was brilliant. It's always my goal to make sure every single guest has a fantastic time and are left with great memories to last a long long time. Enjoy the rest of your Japan experience!