Kyoto Gion Tea ceremony & Wabi-sabi Walking Tour Experience tea ceremony deeply after visiting several historical spots related with Wabi-sabi
★★★★★- 3.5 hour tour
- Small group tour
- English speaking guide
What makes this tour unique
- Visit some historical spots with a local guide such as the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto, traditional tea utensil shop, and local peaceful temple.
- Learn about Japanese tea culture and Wabi-sabi with a local guide
- Experience authentic Tea ceremony and enjoy drinking matcha with a small snack
Tips and recommendations by our official guides
Since I was teenagers, I have learned tea ceremony.
While I have learned, I was always talked by tea master about the philosophy of the tea ceremony.
We Japanese people think Tea ceremony is not just drinking tea itself, is for feeling about the essential of the beauty in Japan. If we say "beauty", we will think about the outlook beauty from something, but in the tea ceremony, we will appreciate the inside beauty from the nature. That's why we get to feel "Wabi-sabi" on this tour.
Wabi-sabi is a traditional Japanese aesthetic concept that finds beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. It is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and philosophy, particularly influenced by Zen Buddhism.
”Matcha” and ”Tea ceremony” are one of the most frequently heard words in Kyoto.
So many tourists from oversees come to Kyoto to have experience Tea ceremony and drinking real authentic matcha here.
We Magical Trip tour guides who have knowledge about the tea ceremony and the background of philosophy about the tea ceremony will take you to walk through the center of Kyoto to see, touch and feel the authentic utensils of tea ceremony.
Of course the guides will explain about the essential of the tea ceremony, but the most unique part of this tour is letting you feel the essential about the word "Wabi-sabi" by yourself.
After you feel the meaning of the "wabi-sabi" through the whole process of the tour, you will never forget about this experience of tea ceremony!
Official guide
What's included
Feel the wabi-sabi, Japanese aesthetic sense, through walking around Gion historical area and experiencing the tea ceremony!
After meeting at Gion-Shijo Station, we will stroll through the historical district of Gion, visiting a famous matcha shop and the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto, where a local guide will explain the history of the tea ceremony.
Feeling Wabi-sabi through many Japanese arts such as tea bowl, painting, garden, and so on with guide's explanation.
Admire wabi sabi tea bowls at a traditional pottery shop, view Japanese paintings and karesansui (dry landscape zen garden) at a quiet temple, and learn and feel about wabi sabi from your guide and many Japanese art works!
Enjoy tea ceremony with tea master's instruction!
Based on the knowledge of Wabi-Sabi learned through the city walk, you will experience tea ceremony under a tea master at last. Choose a tea bowl according to season and taste, enjoy Japanese sweets, and immerse yourself in the deep culture of matcha green tea and the tea ceremony.
Photos from the Recent Tours
Meeting Point
Gion Shijo Station, right outside of Exit 5, in front of Izumo no Okuni Statue
- A guide will be holding a orange signboard saying "Magical Trip Tour"
Itinerary
- Meeting Place at Gion Shijo Station
- Tea Shop in Gion area
- Kennin-ji temple (the oldest zen temple in Kyoto)
- Tea utensil shop
- Local quiet temple
- Tea ceremony Experience
- Out of respect for our other guests and to ensure the best tour for everyone, we must start the tour on time.
- Please note that if you are late for more than 15 minutes than meeting time (10 mins before the tour starting time), you will not be able to join the tour, get refund or rescheduled.
- Japan's climate has become more extreme, with summer highs of 40°C (110°F) and winter lows of -5°C (20°F). Please prepare accordingly for the tour. The tour might be cancelled in case of unsuitable weather for safety reasons.
- You do not need to pay for the guide's food and drinks.
- Please note that there might be other participants
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the tour starting time.
- Free date/time rescheduling up to 24 hours before the tour starting time
- (depending on availability).
