I found a great tea ceremony experience place at a building right next to the Kabukiza Theatre in Ginza. The shop’s name is “Chazen.” Its location is incredibly convenient. When you get off the elevator on the 5th floor, this screen greets you.
A Great tea master
And inside the building, a Japanese tea room has been created. The German friend who came with me absolutely loved this tea room and took numerous photos. At the entrance, Tea maser Ms.Takeda welcomed us. She’s a professional tea ceremony instructor who can explain everything in English. Her smile is wonderful.
Lesson Begins
First, a lecture on the tea ceremony. This was a very well-made video, covering the history, tea schools, and tea leaves—it hit all the key points and was compactly put together. This is a computer screen, but you’ll actually watch it on a large monitor.
Next, we ground our own tea using a tea grinder. I had no idea how much pressure to apply, so I ended up turning it round and round repeatedly. The French group experiencing it with us also turned it cautiously. We were too cautious, resulting in not enough powder—something to learn on.
Right in the heart of Ginza, a tsukubai sits on a building’s balcony. It’s the real deal. Here, you wash your hands and purify yourself.
Now, into the tea room
Through the nijiri entrance into the tea room. Stepping inside, you’re instantly enveloped by the space of the tea room, often called a microcosm, and feel calm. A solemn atmosphere. It’s amazing, but they can create a space like this inside a building.
Ready for the tea ceremoy.
First, the tea master will carefully prepare the tea for us. All explanations are given in fluent English, so you can listen with ease.
We enjoyed matcha green tea alongside seasonal fresh sweets. The tea master, Ms.Takeda, kindly explained each flower motif on the sweets one by one.
Finally, we concluded by preparing our own tea using a chasen whisk. It was a delightful experience not just to observe, but to try preparing tea ourselves.
This is a space where you can learn about Japanese culture while having a wonderful time. Please give it a try.
Stay tuned for more updates of Japan. See you soon!
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Ginza Apollo Building 5F, 4-12-17, Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo
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