Authentic Kyoto Tea Ceremony: Camellia Flower Teahouse

A moment of zen in Kyoto

Very beautiful ceremony with explanations for each aspect and their significance. A moving experience, I highly recommend the kimono rental as well.

Great and authentic Japanese experience!

We booked a private tea ceremony for 2 people, including Kimono rental. There was a wide selection of kimonos available, and the staff for the dressing was very welcoming and professional. Since we arrived a bit earlier, we had the opportunity to wear our Kimonos a bit longer. The ceremony was something really special. Thanks to the explanations of the staff accompanying us, we could learn a lot about the Japanese culture and the preparation of the matcha itself was fascinating. We fully recommend this experience if you visit Kyoto.

Awesome experience

Our tea master was very nice, funny and explained very well the history and the different steps of the ceremony. It was truly an experience I will remember forever. Thank you

Just what you’re looking for

Terrific experience. The ceremony was beautiful and our host kindly spoke perfect english . We liked how she shared information about tea and the history around it

Not a Tea Ceremony

This event/experience was a lesson in tea making a plain classroom that lacked any ambience, except for 8 pillows on the floor. It is definitely not a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It was informative and we were briefly shown how to make matcha. The instructor was nice. After it was over, our class was told to put our shoes back on outside, which we were doing, stepping on the sidewalk in our socks. Then an employee came out and told us to get away from the door and to go out into the alley to put on our shoes away from their locale. Like literally kicked us off the sidewalk and into the dirty street in our socks! It was so weird and rude how we were treated at the end. I felt awful and depressed after being treated like that.

The experience is a bit...

The experience is a bit short for the price at around 40 minutes. There's a decent amount of information conveyed, but that could be improved upon. There's almost no time for questions, which is the biggest problem with this experience. There's also a bit of a language barrier.

Very nice and informative

It was really nice insight into the traditional tea ceremony. We were preparing our own tea and I learned a lot about tradition over the tea drinking.

A lovely introduction to a tea ceremony

Our tea hostess gave such a beautiful explanation of the ceremony and we are so glad to have experienced the history and to now know how to properly make a dose of matcha!

Beautiful and calming ceremony!

This was a very memorable experience. Our guide for the tea ceremony was very friendly and charming. She spoke English very well and took the time to answer all of our silly questions. Her respect for and knowledge of the ceremony was very admirable. We had a great time learning about this important tradition.

Truest authentic experience

A very memorable experience. A small group attended by a knowledgable host. Lots of information given before the tea ceremony itself. Amazing value for money, highly recommended.

Great experience

Had such a beautiful experience. They were so lovely with our 2 boys (6 & 9) We learnt so much & it was such a peaceful experience. Highly recommend.

Kyoto Tea Ceremony

This is a beautiful introduction to the Japanese Tea Ceremony in a tranquil setting. You're given an explanation of the tea ceremony history and ritual, and then a demonstration of the ceremony by one of the staff. Each guest then gets a chance to make a bowl of matcha tea on their own. The staff were very welcoming and helpful, and fully Japanese/English bilingual. The business is on the heart of the Gion District and very easy to find.

Wonderful and worthwhile tea ceremony

We wanted to lean about the culture of Japan and during our stay looked for opportunities for this. This was one activity we did. We greatly enjoyed the tea ceremony. The staff was inviting of questions and great with explanations. This was truly a great experience. Thank you!

Very relaxing with excellent host.

Excellent host with informative and engaging conversation. The process was very interesting and well presented. Peaceful and relaxing experience

Very beautiful experience

This was a lovely and tranquil experience. Our tea master was wonderfully welcoming. She taught us how to make matcha tea in a Japanese ceremonial fashion which was very interesting and informative. The tea house staff were all very friendly and welcoming. We really enjoy it!

Nice experience

It was a lovely tea ceremony in the heart of Kyoto. The tea master also explain a lot of details about the tradition. So, recommended to do it

Engaging tea ceremony in Kyoto

The tea ceremony was a lovely cultural experience that served as a highlight of our trip here in Tokyo. The Tea Master was knowledgeable, charismatic, and a great communicator who was able to share the history and practice of the Japanese tea ceremony in a relatable and engaging way. I left feeling rejuvenated mentally and with more appreciation for Japanese tea culture.

Surreal experience and thoroughly enjoyable

I had long wanted to experience a Japanese Tea Ceremony, but not the full 4-hour experience. We booked a private, 45-minute tea ceremony for ourselves, son and future daughter-in-law. It was fantastic and our host was wonderful, graceful, talented and engaging. My husband and I can not sit on the floor comfortably, so we knew that chairs could be provided for us on request allowing us to truly enjoy the experience. The experience exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend this tea house.

At Tea Ceremony in Kyoto, Japan

The person helping us make Green Tea 🍵 was very kind, funny and helpful. Making Green Tea was very fun! The atmosphere in the room was very nice.

Calm tea ceremony away from the hustle and bustle of Kyoto

We thoroughly enjoyed the Camelia tea ceremony experience. We pre- booked and had a 45/50 minutes introduction to a Macha tea ceremony. Our host explained the history, calmly demonstrated the ceremony and then helped us make our own tea. Just five of us in a traditional room, a calm break from busy Kyoto streets in the Spring. Highly recommended.

Great insight into Japanese Tea Ceremony

Our hostess showed us how to make match tea, which was delicious. She also took the time to explain all the pieces of the ceremony, Japanese Tea House culture, and what makes each ceremony unique. It was a great learning experience.

Lovely presentation

The tea hostess was very nice and friendly. She spoke excellent English and although the ceremony is formal and simplistic, she never made us feel awkward.

An interesting experience

The history behind matcha tea was very interesting and the lady presenting and serving the tea was charming.

A wonderful tea ceremony experience.

I had previously booked the garden tea house which was recommended by an experienced friend, but the Camellia Flower Teahouse was only available for the time/day in my travels. It worked out great! It is very convenient and walking distance from Kiyomizu-dera as well as near bus routes. The alley for the teahouse is hard to spot but directions are good. The tea ceremony demonstration and explanation of the importance of tea in one’s lifestyle was very good, albeit abbreviated. We got a sweet treat and made our own tea bowl of matcha. All in 50 minutes as a shared group of 8. I was pleased and recommend this highly. Book early.

A treasured new memory and one of a kind experience

One of my top highlights of my visit to Japan. I had a private tea ceremony, and having seen on TripAdvisor that the Flower Teahouse also has an adjoining kimonorental also hired a kimono as well - all very easy to arrange through message through the platform and the team were so very helpful, informative and so I felt confident and ready for the experience as a solo traveller. The instructions on the location were clear and helpful. The kimono rental was straightforward and the amazing team got me dressed in half an hour, and have such a good eye for colour and also did my hair too. For the ceremony experience itself, Akiko (apologies for my spelling) was warm, gentle and demonstrated the full process of the tea ceremony and helped show me how to do the matcha myself as well. I very much enjoyed our conversation and sharing joy in the ceremony and understanding how the tradition started to how it is still kept alive in modern times today. I love the mindfulness aspect and also taking time to engage the mind and take time, before the day starts and also being more present with others. The spirit of the tea room will be a fond memory that will stay with me. I'm really pleased I booked the private experience as I feel it is that much more special. Thank you!

A cozy experience of tea ceremony.

We learnt a lot about the essence of tea ceremony. The teacher spoke good English, she is knowledgeable about tea ceremony and curious about people. We truly enjoyed this experience.

Authentic experience

Interesting experience and unexpected. A bit boring . Should provide kimonos for free to dress up for ceremony. These are not included

Enjoyable and Educational

My wife and I did the basic 45-minute tea ceremony. The woman who led the ceremony/demonstration spoke very good English and did a nice job of explaining the process and showing us how to make the tea. We had 10 or so people in our group and sat on the floor. We were very relieved to get off the floor, however, as we got pretty stiff. I don’t consider it a “must do” activity but we enjoyed it and found it informative.

Little piece of history and good tea

Good experience to understand a little more history of Japan and enjoy a good cup of tea. It was very hot upstairs though and my leg did go numb from sitting. Happy to have added it to the trip overall.

Super experience!

Very kind staff e master of cerimony stilish and great!! Location in Gion the very antique part. I ll suggest friend

Interesting intro to matcha

Pleasant experience of a traditional tea ceremony in a small group (just our family of 4 plus a couple). Our lovely host talked us through the significance of matcha and the ritual surrounding it, demonstrated how it is made before we made and drank our own cup. Handily located just off the main route through the old town/temple Higashiyama district

Great experience for the whole family

My 8 yr old son enjoyed it and the tea ceremony took place in a humble traditional home setting Wonderful cultural experience

Perfect !

Wonderful — well explained and right in the middle of an old traditional area in Kyoto. We really enjoyed it ! The sweets they gave us were delicate and delicious!

Making Macha

Great experience with lovely host who gave a demonstration and an interesting presentation on the origins of the tea ceremony. We were then guided through the process of making our own matcha tea. Enjoyable and relaxing experience.

Tea ceremony

Yoko was so attentive and explained everything about the tea ceremony. Very educational and calming. The place was easy to find and very private tea ceremony

Good experience

Good experience , we had a good moment. Very nice explanations about the traditionnel Tea ceremony. We recommend it Many Thanks

Great Place

Had a fantastic time! The tea 🍵 was excellent and everyone was so kind and made us feel very welcome!

Highly recommend!

Incredible cultural experience. Very relaxing. Great neighborhood to tour afterwards as well. We loved doing this as our first activity in Japan!

Excellent. Best experience in Kyoto.

We highly recommend the experience. It’s a beautiful place, very professional. Thank you for such a great time. My family really enjoy our time .

Great traditional tea crremony

Really enjoyable traditional tea ceremony. The instructor was super friendly and engaging, and we learned a lot. The tea was also great. Highly recommend this experience.

Great authentic experience!

We had a wonderful tea ceremony, learned about the history and made tea by ourselves. It felt like a calm and relaxing experience. It was great value for a good price (lower than the most of the tea ceremonies). I would really recommend this place for a tea ceremony!

A privilege

Felt very privileged to watch this ceremony. A peaceful and ancient experience. Highly recommended for a real flavour of Japan.

Worth it if you are even a little interested in traditional Japanese culture

Excellent private tea ceremony. Knowledgeable and friendly expert practitioner in a serene environment

A beautiful tea ceremony experience

It was mesmerizing seeing our host step us though the entire tea ceremony and explain the history and purpose of each step. What a wonderful tradition and it was an honor to participate in this ceremony. Also, I should note this ceremony is held in a house in a truly beautiful part of Kyoto. It is an older and quaint area that kind of feels like you have stepped back in time to old Japan. This only adds to how special this whole experience was for our family.

Well worth it - a good choice

This was an excellent and very accessible experience. Our tea mistress was elegant, informative and charming. A great way to experience an intro to the tea ceremony.

Tea ceremony

I really enjoyed the tea ceremony. We had a small group and it felt authentic I would definetly recommend this experience

Educational experience of how matcha tea ceremonies are performed.

Interesting experience watching how a matcha tea ceremony is performed. You are able to make your own cup of match. The only downside is sitting on “old” legs for so long😉

Tea ceremony experience

Quite pleasant experience. Went there with the family. Kids liked preparing tea by themselves a lot.

An absolute MUST DO experience!!!

This experience was amazing and totally fulfilled all my expectations! The ceremony was personal, enjoyable, interactive and informative. The location was fantastic, set in the historic part of Kyoto and upstairs in a traditional old house off a side street. It was however, a little tricky to get to so, because we were running a little late and rang ahead, they arrange for a person to meet and guide us to the Tea Ceremony directly. We were so thankful!!! This is an absolute MUST DO experience for anyone visiting Kyoto and I totally recommend this experience, one of my best times in Japan.

Not that good.

The activity was as described - But there was some unconfortable moments. 1- I arrived and confirmed with the guy my booking. After I went to the toilet, came back - And another came @ me with a "Do you have a reservation" like I was a thief or whatsoever. 2- There was another family in the waiting room. The girl came and said "You can come" - I was about to stand up and said in front of everyone "Not you". I didn't really know why before 2 or 3 minutes when I found out they had a private room. Neverless, I felt excluded during that time wirhour knowing what was going on --- I would have appreciated a little explanation and not just a "Not you". It was rude. 3- I was with another group of 6 people. When the girl did the tea ceremony, she offered to the other group who wanted the tea without. even asking if I would wanna try it. I guess it was more convenient to ask the group of 6 people and not the solo traveler. Still, I felt like I wasn't welcome in the activity. Really rude.