Tokyo: Private Tea Ceremony in Asakusa with Matcha & Wagashi

Step beyond a simple matcha tasting and experience the rituals, space, utensils, and hospitality of a Japanese tearoom.

This private, beginner-friendly tea ceremony takes place at Chadogu Kaki Kakinuma, a specialist tea-utensil shop in Asakusa with an authentic four-and-a-half-tatami tearoom named Kojitsuan.

Begin outside the tearoom, purify your hands at the stone basin, and enter through the low nijiriguchi doorway. Inside, learn how the alcove, seasonal flowers, hanging scroll, utensils, sweets, and tea are brought together for one encounter between host and guest.

Enjoy a bowl of matcha prepared for you with a seasonal Japanese sweet, then take the whisk into your own hands and prepare a second bowl.

Begin with purification at the tsukubai

Meet your instructor or guide at the tea-utensil shop in Asakusa.

Before entering the tearoom, walk through the approach and stop at the tsukubai, a low stone water basin traditionally used by guests to purify their hands.

Your host will demonstrate the order of the movements and explain why preparation for tea begins before entering the room.

The ritual is brief and beginner-friendly, but it introduces the attention and respect that shape the rest of the experience.

Enter through the nijiriguchi

Approach the tearoom through the nijiriguchi, a small entrance that requires guests to lower themselves as they enter.

Historically, this design helped create a tea space in which outside status and social position were left behind.

Passing through the low doorway also creates a physical transition from the busy streets of Asakusa into a quieter and more focused environment.

Guests who cannot use the low entrance should contact us before booking so an alternative can be discussed with the venue.

Discover the meaning of the tearoom

Inside the four-and-a-half-tatami tearoom, observe the tokonoma alcove, hanging scroll, seasonal flowers, hearth or brazier setting, and carefully selected tea utensils.

Your instructor will explain how the room is arranged for the season and occasion.

Rather than viewing the utensils only as decorative objects, learn how the tea bowl, tea scoop, whisk, kettle, water container, and other tools each have a role within the preparation and presentation of tea.

Because the session is private, you can ask questions throughout the experience at appropriate moments.

Enjoy seasonal wagashi and matcha

Receive a seasonal Japanese sweet before drinking matcha.

The sweetness of wagashi prepares the palate for the gentle bitterness and aroma of the tea.

Your host will explain simple guest manners, including how to receive the sweet, hold the tea bowl, turn it before drinking, and return it after finishing.

The design and ingredients of the sweet vary according to the day and season.

Taste matcha prepared by your host

Watch as your first bowl of matcha is prepared.

Notice the movements, sounds, utensils, and pace of the preparation before receiving the bowl as a guest.

This is an introductory experience rather than a complete formal chaji meal or an advanced tea lesson. The focus is on understanding the tearoom, basic etiquette, and the relationship between host, guest, utensils, sweets, and matcha.

Whisk your own bowl

After tasting tea prepared for you, take the chasen bamboo whisk and make your own bowl of matcha.

Learn how to hold the whisk, combine matcha and hot water, move your wrist, and create a smooth surface.

Drink the bowl you prepared yourself, a practice known as jifuku.

No previous experience is required, and your instructor will guide you through each step.

Ask questions in a private setting

The private format provides time to ask about matcha, tea bowls, seasonal decorations, etiquette, tea schools, or the wider culture of Japanese tea.

As the experience takes place inside a specialist tea-utensil shop, you can also learn how utensils differ in material, form, craftsmanship, and use.

Purchasing tea utensils or souvenirs is completely optional and is not included in the activity.

Continue exploring Asakusa

The experience finishes at the shop.

Afterward, continue sightseeing in Asakusa, visit nearby temples and traditional streets, or browse the tea utensils available in the store at your own pace.