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Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience in Kyoto by Local Operator

Top rated
4.3
Activity provider: B.B.Advisors Inc. AN KYOTO
Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience in Kyoto by Local Operator
Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience in Kyoto by Local Operator 2
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0.5-hour tour in Kyoto, including A set of experience of OTE-MAE (Japanese tea ceremony). Run by B.B.Advisors Inc. AN KYOTO, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Runs 30 minutes
  • A set of experience of OTE-MAE (Japanese tea ceremony)

Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience in Kyoto by Local Operator: Key Facts

PriceFrom $11 per person
Duration30 minutes
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

This is a 30-minute experience in Kyoto. It is run by B.B.Advisors Inc. AN KYOTO, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.

Gion is Kyoto's historic entertainment district, the streets of wooden machiya houses around Hanamikoji where the geiko and maiko of the Gion Kobu district still work. They are working professionals on their way to engagements, not performers for the street, and Kyoto has banned photography in the private lanes; an evening walk with a guide who explains the ochaya system is the respectful way to see it. Tea ceremony sessions in Gion teach the basic form of matcha preparation in an hour. Kimono rental for a day, with dressing and hair, is an established business around the district and is welcomed rather than resented.

The price covers A set of experience of OTE-MAE. It does not cover Experience completion certificate: 300 JPY, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.

B.B.Advisors Inc. AN KYOTO sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with B.B.Advisors Inc. AN KYOTO before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.

Includes

  • A set of experience of OTE-MAE (Japanese tea ceremony)

Excludes

  • Experience completion certificate: 300 JPY

Important information

Meeting point

B.B.Advisors Inc. AN KYOTO sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 30 minutes
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $11
$11
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Traveler Reviews

4.3/5
based on 74 reviews
Guide
4.4/5
Value for money
4.3/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
S
Serenity
October 11, 2025

She taught us the history of Matcha and the do’s and don’ts. I learned a lot from this session and got a matcha certificate for fun! Matcha was very rich but they had a snack prepared with it as well. Great experience!

Review photo 1Review photo 2
5
K
Kim
April 13, 2025

I like it! We were given an explanation about matcha, about making it, the customs and etiquette of drinking it and then we were allowed to make and drink it ourselves. The teacher spoke English very well. In my opinion a very nice and short (a little over an hour) activity.

Review photo 1
5
R
Rhodri
September 13, 2025

Great and translated everything into English

Review photo 1
4
S
Sofiya
October 18, 2025

It was short and sweet and the place was quite crowded. Was difficult to hear the guide as well.

3
L
Lisa
May 8, 2026

objectivement c'est un peu un attrape touriste, on va pas se mentir. mais bon à se prix là, y a pas grand chose à perdre non plus. l'intervenante était sympathique

5
F
Francesca
April 13, 2026

molto bello e interessante! te matcha buonissimo!

5
T
Traveller
February 12, 2026

It was educational and calming

3
T
Traveller
October 22, 2025

The activity itself lasted maybe 25 minutes, of which maybe 12 were in English and 12 were in Korean. The information was very basic. I wish they would have discussed more about the history, cultural significance, when matcha is usually drank and by whom, etc. Instead the information was like "add hot water and mix" and that was it.

4
T
Traveller
July 26, 2025

Un peu court et commercial

5
E
Ertugrul
May 17, 2025

Diese Veranstaltung war weit mehr als eine Verkostung – sie war eine Lektion in Achtsamkeit und Kultur. Ich bin dankbar für diese einzigartige Erfahrung und empfehle jedem Kyoto-Besucher, die Magie der Teezeremonie selbst zu erleben. Der Gastgeber, in einem eleganten Kimono, begrüßte uns mit Herzlichkeit und vermittelte die tiefe Bedeutung jeder Bewegung und Handlung.

2
T
Traveller
April 28, 2025

Nous ne nous attendions pas à nous retrouver dans une grande salle avec une présentation au micro des différentes étapes mais à quelque chose de plus traditionnel. Nous avons plutôt trouvé notre bonheur dans un salon de thé classique.

5
T
Traveller
April 25, 2025

A lo mejor darnos un poco mas de tiempo libre en las paradas para que podamos investigar, comprar etc...

Frequently Asked Questions

B.B.Advisors Inc. AN KYOTO sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.
The price does not cover experience completion certificate: 300 jpy. Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
Not in the private lanes of Gion, where Kyoto has banned photography, and not close up anywhere: a maiko on the street is on her way to work. Your guide will say where a photograph is acceptable. Tea ceremony and kimono sessions include photographs as part of the session.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we treat it as final, and we need at least one day's notice. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
A set of experience of OTE-MAE (Japanese tea ceremony)
The duration of the Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience in Kyoto by Local Operator is typically 30 minutes. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, or mid-to-late November for peak autumn foliage. Kyoto sits in a basin and runs hotter in summer and colder in winter than Tokyo, even at a similar latitude. Full month-by-month figures are in our best time to visit Kyoto guide.
Kyoto never built an extensive subway — just two lines (Karasuma and Tozai) — so the city bus network does most of the work, especially for Higashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkakuji. Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama are best reached by JR rail instead. See getting around Kyoto.
Three days covers the essentials well: a day for Higashiyama and Gion, a day for Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji, and a day for Fushimi Inari plus a Nara or Uji day trip. Our 3-day Kyoto itinerary has the full route with timing.
Arrive by 6:30-7am — the shrine is open 24/7 and free, and most visitors only walk the first 20-30 minutes anyway. Past that point the crowds thin out fast. Full hike details in our Fushimi Inari guide.
Yes — it's a public path with no entrance fee and no set hours. The trade-off is that it gets shoulder-to-shoulder by mid-morning; arrive before 8am for a nearly empty walk. See the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest guide.
Kyoto restricts photography on certain private alleys in Gion after complaints about tourists chasing and blocking geiko and maiko, with fines for violators. Public streets like Hanamikoji-dori remain open, but never chase, touch or block a real geiko/maiko anywhere. Full etiquette in our Gion geisha district guide.
Yudofu (simmered tofu, best near Nanzen-ji or Arashiyama), kaiseki and shojin ryori temple cuisine, and Nishiki Market's stalls of tako tamago and fresh yuba. Uji, just south of the city, is one of Japan's top matcha-growing regions. See the Kyoto food guide.
Starting from$11