Tea Ceremony in Kyoto: Is It Worth It? + My Experience 2026

Joining a tea ceremony is easily one of the biggest things to do in Kyoto, and it was definitely a highlight of my trip. It’s a super unique way to actually participate in Japanese culture rather than just looking at it from behind a barrier.

I’ll be honest with you: I was actually pretty skeptical at the beginning. I wasn’t sure if it would feel too touristy or just be a bit awkward, but I ended up enjoying it so much. It’s a lot more interactive than I expected, and it really gives you a deeper appreciation for how much thought goes into every single movement in Japanese traditions.

I did my tea ceremony in downtown Kyoto at a beautiful, small tea house. The experience started with a kimono dress-up, followed by the ceremony itself where we were taught the “proper” way to make matcha. Afterward, we had some time to wander around and take photos in their cute little Zen garden, which was a nice touch.

In this guide, I want to share my own experience because I know exactly how it feels to be on the fence about whether it’s worth the time and money. I’ve put together this quick guide to give you some honest insights and my personal recommendations for how, and where, to book your own tea ceremony in Kyoto.

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Tea Ceremony in Kyoto: Is It Worth It? + My Experience 2026

Overview: Kyoto Tea Ceremony

I know when you’re planning a trip, sometimes you just want the quick facts so you can decide if it fits into your day. So here is my quick overview!

Cost: Around $60 USD (This usually includes the kimono rental, hair styling, and the actual ceremony).
Location: Kyoto Downtown (I stayed in Kyoto Downtown myself so I just walked there from my hotel!)
Booking: I always use these platforms because their support is great if plans change:
- Click here for booking with Viator
- Click here for booking with GetYourGuide
Who is it For: Friends, families, and couples. And guys, don’t let the kimono part scare you off! Oliver actually loved it, so I promise you’ll enjoy it too.

Tea Ceremony in Kyoto – My Experience

I feel like the best way to show you if this is actually worth it, and what you should really expect, is to just talk about my own experience.

To be honest, I ended up at the tea ceremony because I was visiting Kyoto with a group of my friends and it was actually their idea and they set up the whole thing.

I obviously agreed because I didn’t want to miss out, but to be honest, I was definitely super skeptical. At the time, I wasn’t even that excited about it. I think I was expecting some super touristy, cringy situation where we all just wear “costumes,” so I didn’t exactly go in with the best mood.

However, as soon as we started, I was immediately convinced. The tea house where we met was so cute and pretty. I was actually the first one to go into the dressing room for the kimono, and the ladies helping us were so professional. They had loads of high-quality, authentic kimonos and they definitely felt like real garments and not costumes at all. Everything felt very authentic and traditional, and they even did our hair, which was amazing.

While the rest of the group was getting ready, I had some time to take pictures. Needless to say, I took loads of photos. I mean, when else am I going to be wearing a pretty kimono like that?

Then the actual tea ceremony started. Our tea master was super professional and explained everything so well that it was really easy to follow. We all participated in the ceremony while she led the way, and we even learned how to make the matcha ourselves during the process. They even allowed us to take pictures during the ceremony, which was great.

Afterward, we headed back out into the garden and the yard of the tea house where I took a few more photos, and then we were done. I’d say the whole experience took around 90 minutes.

I had such an amazing time and I would definitely do it again. Honestly, even just for the photos I got at the end, I thought it was totally worth it.

► Click here for booking with Viator

► Click here for booking with GetYourGuide

What is Included in the Tea Ceremony Experience

1. Kimono Dress Up

So, this was probably my favorite part of the whole experience—the kimono part! How it worked is that one of the friendly ladies from the tea house picked me up and took me to their dressing room, and honestly, it was incredible. They literally had walls full of kimonos in all sorts of different colors and patterns for me to choose from. I was actually so overwhelmed by all the choices that I asked them for help, which was great because they had a really good idea of which color scheme would suit me best.

One thing I didn’t realize before this is just how much work actually goes into putting on a kimono. We started with a bottom layer and then had two more layers of garments on top, including all the accessories and even our hair. It’s a whole process!

Oliver also got dressed in the men’s dressing room (and yes, this is definitely an experience for men and women alike!). His kimono was really cool too, though it was a little different since it was the men’s style.

All in all, I have to say that all the kimonos felt super authentic and high-quality. Getting dressed in them was such a great experience, and it didn’t feel like I was wearing a costume at all.

2. The Private Tea Ceremony

After everyone in our group was finally dressed and ready, we all made our way to the tearoom upstairs. The room was actually pretty big!

The first thing we did was learn how to sit properly, which I’ll be honest, I struggled with a little bit. We basically had to sit on our shins and knees at these tiny tables in front of us. Each table was already set up with the tea, the bowls, and the whisks for the matcha.

The tea master who led us through the ceremony was awesome. I unfortunately forgot her name, but she did such an incredible job explaining all the traditions surrounding the ceremony. Then, she walked us through exactly how to make the tea and, just as importantly, how to drink it.

I really didn’t think there was that much to it, but there is a very strict way of doing everything, from how you sit to how you prepare the tea and even the way you hold the bowl to drink it. I absolutely loved it!

I also have to brag a little because I did really well with making my matcha and whisking it, while most of the other people in the group struggled a little bit. Overall, it was a great experience and I learned a lot and loved how interactive it was.

3. Photo Session in the Garden

As I mentioned earlier, the tea house itself is really beautiful and has these cute outdoor garden areas. At the very end of the experience, we all headed out there to take loads of pictures together, which was definitely the favorite part for all the girls in the group!

They even offered a bunch of different accessories to use, like traditional umbrellas, masks, and fans. Needless to say, I made sure to use every single one of them to take as many pictures as I could. I just felt so cool being all dressed up in the kimono!

The best part was that everyone in the group was taking photos, not just me, so it didn’t feel awkward at all. In fact, it was totally encouraged!

I really want to recommend this specifically to all the girlies out there or couples, because it’s such a cool opportunity to get some unique pictures. Oliver and I got so many great shots together, and I’m really glad we took them because they’re definitely something special.

► Click here for booking with Viator

► Click here for booking with GetYourGuide

FAQs About Doing a Japanese Tea Ceremony Kyoto

Is a Tea Ceremony in Kyoto worth it?

100%! The tea ceremony in Kyoto turned out to be one of my favorite activities. Like I said, I was very skeptical at the beginning, but by the end, I felt like I had learned so much. The whole experience felt very authentic and high-quality, and I’m so glad I pushed past my initial hesitation.

Is a Tea Ceremony in Kyoto only for girls?

Absolutely not! I’ll be honest, I didn’t really see any groups made up of only guys, but there were loads of couples there. I highly recommend it for couples, especially for taking some unique photos in a kimono together, it’s such a cool memory to have.

How expensive is a Tea Ceremony?

I’m pretty sure you’ll find loads of different offers depending on where you look. From what I remember, I paid around $60 USD for mine. I’ve seen cheaper options and even more expensive ones, but I was more than happy with the one I chose and would definitely recommend it at that price point.

How to book a tea ceremony in Kyoto?

I personally always book all my tours through Viator or GetYourGuide. I just love their customer service; I’ve had bad experiences with random tour companies before, but these platforms have always had my back and offered great support whenever I needed it.

Final Thoughts on Visiting a Tea House in Kyoto

To wrap this up, I can only say again what I’ve been saying throughout this whole article: I loved it!

My favorite part was definitely getting all dressed up because it felt like such a unique, “once-in-a-lifetime” experience. But of course, the actual ceremony and getting to take pictures in the garden at the end were just as great.

I can’t speak for every other tea ceremony you can book, but I would hope they’re all fairly similar in terms of the quality and what happens. I can, however, highly recommend the specific one I booked, so I’ll drop the link for you guys throughout the article so you can check it out for yourselves.

At the end of the day, my best advice is to just do it! It’s especially great for couples. I want to mention that Oliver really didn’t want to do it at first, he thought it would be weird as a guy and that it was more of a “girl thing”, but even he ended up loving it!