Where to try a tea ceremony: Kyoto, Uji, Tokyo and Kanazawa

For a priced, bookable tea ceremony, choose Camellia in Kyoto (shared from $26 (¥4,000), private from $52 (¥8,000)) or Taiho-an in Uji (from $10 (¥1,500)). Kanazawa has two tea rooms priced from $2 (¥310) on Ishikawa Prefecture pages. Tokyo’s Hamarikyu teahouse has no price on its official page.

Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate. The tea ceremony guide explains the styles and the etiquette.

Which city fits your trip?

Choose Kyoto for a private session or an evening show, Uji for the lowest price and a making experience, and Kanazawa for tea and sweets in a castle or garden.

The ranges cover the options below. The Kyoto range is Camellia’s “from” prices, and the Kanazawa range covers tea and sweets, not a full ceremony.

Kyoto: which venues can you book?

Camellia is the priced ceremony venue, Gion Corner sells a seat inside a show, and Urasenke’s Konnichian serves tea in a museum.

Camellia

Camellia lists every price per person on its own site. Shared sessions are at the Flower Teahouse, and private sessions are at three teahouses:

• Shared: adult from $26 (¥4,000), child aged 6 to 12 from $16 (¥2,500), ages 6 and over.
• Private Flower Teahouse (east Kyoto): from $52 (¥8,000), ages 4 and over. A kimono is $39 (¥6,000) extra.
• Private Flower Annex: from $65 (¥10,000), ages 4 and over.
• Private Garden Teahouse (west Kyoto): from $97 (¥15,000), ages 4 and over. It is wheelchair accessible and has no kimono rental.
• Groups at the Flower Annex: from $26 (¥4,000) per person, room for 9 to 20. Contact the venue for fewer than 9.

The Garden Teahouse lists sessions at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00, or at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00. Session length, English availability, booking steps and cancellation terms are not on the operator page.

Gion Corner

A tea ceremony seat costs $39 (¥6,050) at any age. The tea is an Urasenke-style demonstration inside a show of about one hour, which also has kyomai (Kyoto dance) by maiko, flower arranging, koto, gagaku and kyogen. Shows are at 18:00 and 19:00. The winter programme runs from 1 December to 11 March. Tickets are on the official e-ticket page, and the official page is inconsistent about winter show days, so check the booking page for your date. Seat prices and show details are in Tea ceremony, kimono and maiko experiences, and the Gion rules are in Geisha and Gion etiquette.

Urasenke’s Konnichian

Per the Kyoto City museum page, the first-floor tea area serves matcha and sweets. A reservation is preferred, the fee is separate and was not found, and the area may be unavailable on event days. The gallery number is 075-431-6474.

No official price was found for Ippodo’s Kaboku tea room, Ju-An, Kaikaro or Higashi Chaya.

Uji: how do you book Taiho-an?

Taiho-an is the Uji option: each option has its own online form, and prices include tax, per the Uji tourism association’s page.

You can also call 0774-23-3334. A standard ceremony takes groups of about 10. The experiences use a tatami room, a table-and-chair room or a ryurei room, and the page and its FAQ are in English. Opening hours are not on the page, and its closing dates sit in a linked PDF.

Before you book Reserve the koicha and usucha set or the making experience at least 3 days ahead, through the online form or by phone.

An older Kyoto tourism listing gave $11 (¥1,650) for matcha-making at Fukujuen Uji Kobo, 10:00 to 15:00. That figure is last known and undated, so the current price is unclear right now. For Uji’s tea history and picking calendar, see Japanese tea regions.

Tokyo: is there a priced tea venue?

Hamarikyu Gardens has a teahouse, Nakajima no Ochaya, but its official park page lists no price or hours. Call the garden office on 03-3541-0200 for both before you plan a visit around the teahouse. No other Tokyo venue with a price was found.

Kanazawa: where can you have tea and sweets?

Two Kanazawa options appear on Ishikawa Prefecture pages; confirm them with the facility.

Shigure-tei’s prices come from the prefecture’s January 2026 price sheet. Gyokusen-an is open 9:00 to 16:30, with last entry at 16:00, per the prefecture’s fee page. Booking steps are not stated for either venue.

What happens when you arrive?

Whichever venue you book, JNTO’s guest steps apply. Remove your shoes before the waiting room. Wash your hands and rinse your mouth at the basin. Sit, and when the bowl reaches you, raise it to the host, turn it slightly so you avoid the front, sip and praise the tea. JNTO says minor faux pas are usually overlooked. The full sequence is in the tea ceremony guide. No 2026-27 changes appear on any venue page, so check the venue before you go.

Where next?

• Styles, etiquette and prices in one place: Japan tea ceremony guide.
• Tea types, picking calendars and farms: Japanese tea regions.
• Gion Corner seats and rentals: Tea ceremony, kimono and maiko experiences.
• The wider picture: the culture guide and the Culture hub.