What’s the Authentic Tea Ceremony for You? My Answer is Here.

When I left this tea house, I really wanted to go back. The tea ceremony at Camellia GARDEN was far beyond my expectations and I got lots of good things from the experience. Especially, “the meaning of 15 minutes in a day” might change your way of life.

Why don’t you tag along and explore “the meaning of 15 minutes” with us?

Every single move you make matters

The class starts with a Japanese wagashi sweets. Teachers select the sweet depending on the season. Ours reflected the season of Fall and its falling leaves in Japan.

Then, your teacher prepares tea along with the explanation. You can simply enjoy those. To me, it was beyond words… so tasty.

Then, it’s your turn to prepare your own tea with your teacher. At this point, you will also have time to talk with the teacher. Feel free to ask anything you are curious about. I’ve learned so much during the conversation. Let me share some of it.

Japanese tea ceremony – 15 minutes to wait

If you’re interested in the tea ceremony, you are probably wondering:

“What tea ceremony really is about?”

Maya, one of the teachers, shares her view which might help you find the answer. “What would you do if you have 15 minutes now?”, she said. “You may easily find something to make you occupied. But, just wait 15 minutes. Just wait and relax for 15 minutes while you drink a cup of tea. It, all of a sudden, becomes such a luxurious time, doesn’t it?”

The Japanese tea ceremony means not only drinking and eating, but also the series of flow and the background. Your mood, the aroma in the room, the silence… Everything is closely related to the taste of your tea.

 

And Camellia GARDEN teaches you the concept of 和敬清寂, ”Peace, Respect, Purity, and Tranquility” These four elments complete our tea ceremony experience. How did you interpret it? Visit to learn!

Camellia, in short

  1. A private class provided in fluent English by a professional
  2. Located near some of the most famous sightseeing spots
  3. Perfect reviews on TripAdvisor

1. Actually, there is another affiliated tea house called “Camellia FLOWER” which is for group sessions. FLOWER is a bit more reasonably priced than GARDEN, but my recommendation is GARDEN’s private lesson. I believe you’ll have a lot of questions during the experience and will want the chance to ask questions freely. It would be  difficult to talk with your teacher in a group setting.

All of the teachers at Camellia GARDEN are professionals trained to teach you about the tea ceremony. They can answer your questions and tell you about their passion for the tradition in fluent English. I’m sure you’ll get many ideas on how to live a better life through the lesson.

2. Camellia GARDEN opened in June 2017. It’s in the same area as Ryoanji temple, Kinakuji temple, and Ninnaji temple. All of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. In addition to the accessibility to the spots, it is very quiet and peaceful around the house.

3. The traditional Tea ceremony has more than 1,000 years of history in Japan. You might imagine that professional teachers, or “sensei” are strict and unfriendly. But, fortunately, Camellia GADERN’s “sensei”s are very warm and welcoming.

Like the Japanese tea ceremony itself, the tea house itself and its interior have a decent history of their own. The house has been more than 100 years without any renovations!!

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