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Kyoto Tea Ceremony
Private sessions

Private tea ceremony in Kyoto

No other guests in the room: a townhouse near the station, a garden house in the north-west, or a Zen temple with matcha after meditation.

Good places to start
Private Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy and Kimono
Matcha experience Kyoto Private Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy and Kimono
★ 5.0 (238) from €59
Check dates
Private Tea Ceremony with Garden View
Camellia Garden · 50 to 60 minutes Private Tea Ceremony with Garden View
★ 4.9 (65) from €102
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Zen Experience in a Private Hidden Temple
Denei Japan tour · 2 hours Zen Experience in a Private Hidden Temple
★ 4.9 (546) from €102
Check dates
See all options in the table

A private session costs more per person than a group ceremony, and in return the pace is yours: questions take as long as they take, children and slow knees are no one else's concern, and no next group waits at the door. The machiya and the garden house below are booked for one party only; the Zen temple sells private and small-group sessions.

Photo Ceremony What you doLengthKimonoSeatingArea Reviews ↕ Price ↕ Book
Zen Experience in a Private Hidden Temple Denei Japan tour Zazen with a monk, then matcha Matcha after 2 h of zazen programme Not recommended Floor, chairs on request Myoshin-ji ★ 4.9 (546) €102 per person Book on GetYourGuide
Private Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy and Kimono Matcha experience Kyoto Tea ceremony and calligraphy 45 min to 1.5 h by plan Option (kimono plan) Not stated Near Kyoto Station ★ 5.0 (238) €59 per person Book on GetYourGuide
Private Tea Ceremony with Garden View (Camellia Garden) Camellia Tea Ceremony Tea ceremony with garden view 50 to 60 min Unclear (listed, no details) Floor, chairs and tables available Ryoan-ji ★ 4.9 (65) €102 per person Book on GetYourGuide

The prices shown here are refreshed from GetYourGuide and Viator and may still change at checkout, for example when you add a kimono or a private slot.

Private sessions in detail

Each card lists duration, venue and the points that are easy to miss. Open a card for everything the listing says.

Private Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy and Kimono
Matcha experience Kyoto

Private Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy and Kimono

A 125-year-old machiya for your group, 9 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station.

  • Duration: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the option
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from €59 ★ 5.0 (238 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Everything on this ceremony

Highlights

  • Only your group in the whole machiya townhouse
  • Kimono plan and video available as options
  • About 9 minutes from Kyoto Station

About this ceremony

A private session in a machiya of about 125 years that is reserved for your group alone, with calligraphy as part of the programme: you write your name in Japanese with brush and ink.

The kimono comes with a separate plan when you book, so choose the option with kimono if you want to wear one. Video is part of a souvenir package with professional photos.

Where it takes place

Machiya in Minami ward, about 9 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station.

Good to know

  • Kimono and video are booking options, not part of every plan.

Taken from the listing on the booking platform and checked against it.

Private Tea Ceremony with Garden View
Camellia Garden

Private Tea Ceremony with Garden View

Garden house opposite Ryoan-ji; chairs available, wheelchair accessible.

  • Duration: 50 to 60 minutes
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from €102 ★ 4.9 (65 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Everything on this ceremony

Highlights

  • The whole house for your group
  • Opposite Ryoan-ji temple
  • Chairs and tables available
  • Wheelchair accessible

About this ceremony

The private Camellia house with a garden view, across the road from Ryoan-ji in north-west Kyoto. During your session no other guests are in the house, and the introduction takes place in a sofa room before the tea.

The sweets are vegan and free of gluten and nuts. Photos are fine without flash, video is not. The group format of Camellia runs in its other house on Ninenzaka.

Where it takes place

Opposite Ryoan-ji: a path leads downhill from the Ryoanji-mae bus stop, first house on the right behind a high wall. Ryoanji tram stop is under 10 minutes on foot.

Good to know

  • No video; photos without flash.
  • Guides and translators can join free of charge.

Taken from the listing on the booking platform and checked against it.

Zen Experience in a Private Hidden Temple
Denei Japan tour

Zen Experience in a Private Hidden Temple

Zazen with a monk at Jusho-in, then matcha; not a formal ceremony.

  • Duration: 2 hours
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
from €102 ★ 4.9 (546 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Everything on this ceremony

Highlights

  • Zazen meditation with a monk
  • Matcha afterwards
  • Group or private

About this ceremony

The guide takes you from the north gate of Myoshin-ji to Jusho-in, a sub-temple, where the chief monk introduces Zen and the zazen posture. After two zazen sessions you drink matcha with seasonal sweets and talk with the monk; a photographer records the visit.

There is no formal tea ceremony; the focus is meditation. Wear loose clothes: tight jeans and kimono make zazen hard.

Where it takes place

North gate of Myoshin-ji, Kyoto (the temple has two gates).

Good to know

  • Not a formal tea ceremony.
  • Go to the north gate, not the south gate.
  • Chairs can be prepared if sitting on the floor is difficult.

Taken from the listing on the booking platform and checked against it.

A machiya near Kyoto Station

Matcha experience Kyoto reserves a whole townhouse of about 125 years in Minami ward, about nine minutes on foot from Kyoto Station. Besides the tea, you write your name in Japanese with brush and ink. The kimono comes only with the kimono plan, so pick that plan if you want to wear one; a souvenir package adds video and professional photos. The header of the listing gives 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, while the description speaks of 90 minutes, so check the length of the plan you select. Guides speak English and Japanese.

A garden house opposite Ryoan-ji

The private house of Camellia stands behind a high wall across the road from Ryoan-ji. Sessions last 50 minutes to an hour, begin in a sofa room and continue at the tea, with chairs and tables for anyone who finds the floor hard. It is the only private option here listed as wheelchair accessible, and the sweets are vegan and free of gluten and nuts. Video is not allowed. More on both Camellia houses is on the Camellia page.

Zazen first, then matcha

The Zen experience is a different thing. A guide meets you at the north gate of Myoshin-ji (not the south gate) and takes you to Jusho-in, where the chief monk explains Zen and the sitting posture. After two rounds of zazen you drink matcha with seasonal sweets and talk with the monk, while a photographer records the visit. There is no formal tea ceremony. Wear loose clothes: the listing advises against tight jeans and kimono, and chairs can be set out if sitting on the floor is hard. Small shared groups are possible as well as private ones.

Private options on group listings

Several group ceremonies also sell a private slot. Japan Wonder Travel in Gion and Éclat Japon in Fushimi offer group or private sessions. Sanjo Chasuian near Karasuma Oike requires the private option for families with children under 6 and for guests who need an interpreter. In Uji, the tasting at Tokaan is always private; see matcha in Uji.

Questions about tea ceremonies in Kyoto

Which private tea ceremony in Kyoto includes a kimono?

Matcha experience Kyoto, if you book its kimono plan. The Camellia Garden listing names a kimono without details, so ask first. The Zen temple advises against wearing one because it makes zazen difficult.

Is there a private tea ceremony near Kyoto Station?

Yes. Matcha experience Kyoto reserves a whole machiya about nine minutes on foot from the station.

Which private option works for a wheelchair user?

Camellia Garden opposite Ryoan-ji is listed as wheelchair accessible and has chairs and tables.

Is the Zen experience a tea ceremony?

No. It is zazen meditation with a monk, followed by matcha and sweets. There is no formal tea ceremony.

Can I book a private slot at a group tea house?

At some. Japan Wonder Travel and Éclat Japon sell group or private sessions, and Sanjo Chasuian asks families with children under 6 to book privately.

More on this site

Camellia

The garden house and its group sister on Ninenzaka.

Matcha in Uji

A private tasting at Tokaan, south of Kyoto.

Tea ceremony with kimono

If the kimono matters more than the privacy.

Compare private and group sessions

The main table shows every ceremony with seating, kimono and area.

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