Kyoto: Tea Ceremony Experience & Seasonal Wagashi at Machiya House in Gion/Kiyomizu Area

About this experience

Kyoto tea ceremony tickets: a 45-minute session in a Gion machiya Book this Kyoto tea ceremony and spend 45 minutes in a preserved machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse, in the Gion and Kiyomizu area. Camellia Tea Ceremony hosts the session in English, so you do not need to speak Japanese to follow the steps, the gestures or the meaning behind them. You learn what each utensil is for, how the tatami room is arranged and why the host moves the way they do. Then you prepare your own bowl of matcha with traditional tools and taste it alongside seasonal wagashi, the Japanese sweets served with the tea. The sweets change with the season, so the plate you get in November will not match the one in spring. Gion and Kiyomizu-dera sit close together on the eastern side of Kyoto, which makes this an easy fit before or after a temple walk. For a similar cultural stop, compare the Garden Teahouse private tea ceremony or browse more things to do in Kyoto on VervTrip. Choose your session: shared, private or with kimono There are four options, and all of them include the 45-minute ceremony in English, seasonal wagashi, and matcha preparation and tasting: Shared Tea Ceremony Experience: join a shared session with other guests. Shared Tea Ceremony Experience with Kimono Rental: the same shared session plus an optional all-day kimono rental. Private Tea Ceremony Experience: a private session for your own group. Private Tea Ceremony Experience with Kimono Rental: a private session plus the all-day kimono rental. Each booking takes from 1 to 10 guests. The kimono rental is only available at Flower Teahouse and Flower Annex, and the kimono options are listed at 1 hour 45 minutes. When you book a kimono option you are asked whether you need a male (M) or female (F) kimono. If you want a longer kimono-focused outing, the Kyoto Tondaya kimono and tea ceremony is a separate product from a different operator. Tickets, meeting point and cancellation Your booking is confirmed instantly and the voucher arrives by email. Show it on your phone, with a valid photo ID, at the redemption point: Camellia Tea Ceremony Flower Teahouse, 349-12 Masuyacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto 605-0826. The supplier says to arrive at the teahouse named in your booking, which can be Flower, Garden or Annex, so check your confirmation before you set off. It is possible to cancel this booking free of charge up to 24 hours before the start of the experience. This applies to all four options. Inside 24 hours the booking cannot be cancelled. Etiquette and practical tips Bring socks, because shoes come off before you enter the tea room. Photography is fine without flash. Video recording is not allowed during the ceremony. Outside food and drinks are not permitted. If you are bringing an interpreter, book a private session. Camellia Garden is wheelchair accessible. Flower Teahouse and Flower Annex may involve stairs. Age restrictions vary by location, so check your selected teahouse before you book. Flower Annex opened on 5 March 2026, and the supplier notes that maintenance closures may apply. If your plans are fixed, pick your date and confirm availability on the VervTrip booking page.

Highlights

• 45-minute tea ceremony in a preserved machiya townhouse in the Gion and Kiyomizu area
• Hosted in English, with the meaning of the utensils and gestures explained
• Prepare your own bowl of matcha and taste it with seasonal wagashi
• Choose a shared or private session for 1 to 10 guests
• Optional all-day kimono rental at Flower Teahouse and Flower Annex

What is included

• 45-minute tea ceremony performed in English
• Shared or private session, depending on the option you choose
• Seasonal Japanese sweets (wagashi)
• Matcha preparation and tasting
• Optional all-day kimono rental in the kimono options (Flower Teahouse and Flower Annex only)

Before you go

Show your voucher on your phone, with a valid photo ID, at Camellia Tea Ceremony Flower Teahouse, 349-12 Masuyacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto 605-0826. Your booking names the teahouse to use (Flower, Garden or Annex), so check your confirmation before you set off. Bring socks, because shoes must be removed before you enter the tea room. If you are bringing an interpreter, book a private session. Kimono rental is only available at Flower Teahouse and Flower Annex. You choose a male (M) or female (F) kimono when you book. Age restrictions vary by location, so check your selected teahouse before you book.

Cancellation terms

It is possible to cancel this booking free of charge up to 24 hours before the start of the experience. Inside 24 hours the booking cannot be cancelled.