As complex and interesting as wine - a not to be missed fascinating insight into Chinese tea culture - Before this class I thought Chinese tea was just green tea, not particularly good and with some vague health benefits :). After the class and Miki’s expert guidance I was truly proven wrong. Chinese tea is as diverse and interesting as wine and there is a strong social element to sharing tea between friends and in business. There is a ceremony around serving tea that one as a westerner might find maybe overly elaborate. Cups and tea are washed. Tea is poured in a specific way. You hold the cup in a special way. The tea is savored. It takes time and it is far from just brewing a pot and having it for breakfast :). The ceremony is as peaceful as it is beautiful. You feel relaxed and it is a fantastic icebreaker when meeting new people. Miki does a great job in guiding you through this and explaining the details. The environment in the tea shop is authentic, non touristy, and you really feel you are there for a class, not to be pushed into buying expensive tee. I got the possibility to test six different types of tea white tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, dark tea and yellow tea. You learn about the differences and how to brew them. Contrary to how I have brewed my morning cup, Chinese tea is brewed for less than a minute can brew up to 15 times if the tea is really good. So even if some teas turn out to be pretty expensive you get a lot out of very little. The two teas that I found stood out was the white tea, which is just dried non processed leaves and the black Puer treat that grows on trees and is the only tea that you can store for years. The white tea turns out to be great for the evening since it has less theine and the Puer tea helps you loose weight (so awesome:)). Miki has an in depth knowledge and you feel she is really passionate about Chinese tea and sharing her love for it. She travels the country to learn more and more about growing, processing and types even if you get the feeling she is already a master. After the class Miki can also help you with buying tea and a tea set if you are interested. There is no pressure on this. She will help you get the same deal as the locals and explain the differences between tea sets to help you out. A good one is not for free, though it is a beautiful souvenir. In the class I also learnt about, Lishang xiaozhong which we call Lapsang souchong and the history behind it. In my ignorance I have always thought this was a tea from India. A fun benefit from this tea class was that I the week after was in Xiamen where the tea culture is very strong. There I was served tea expertly by one of our customers and for the first time I understood the importance of this and really appreciated the courtesy. So probably this tea class should be mandatory if you want to make friends or do business in China :). All in all a really nice and interesting morning in Shanghai with probably the best guide there is.

Highly Recommend - I don't often write reviews but felt I had to after this tour. I did not have much time in Shanghai but wanted and authentic experience. Miki did not disappoint. I got to learn so much about tea. Who knew there was more to it than a tea bag or leaves and black tea ?! Miki was so knowledgable and accomodating. What you get for the price is an incredible value - instruction by a certified tea master, tea tasting, personal poem with calligraphy, and an authentic Shanghai experience. Even if you are only in Shanghai for one day this tour is a must do. I can't recommend it enough.

Learning a lot about tea - After having booked Miki Tours several times in the last 6 years, I took this time their tea tour. Initially I didn’t know what to expect from this tour. But after the 2 hours of tea class, I realised I had always been wrong in brewing my green tea, brewing it too long, which made it turn bitter, and sometimes to a brown colour. I gained a new appreciation for both tea and its meaning in the Chinese culture. From the 6 kinds of tea I have learnt, white tea, yellow tea and dark were new to me. I like the white tea, very tasty and refreshing. Dark tea is very good to loose weight, I will try dark tea in future. The Tianshan tea market is a must to visit for tea lovers. Miki guided and taught us how to choose the correct tea sets for the different kinds of tea, this is very useful information for my shopping gifts for friends. Highly recommend « One bud two leaves tea » tours for anyone who wants to gain quickly valuable knowledge in tea and tea sets !

Tea Farm and Tea tasting - The 6 of us including a 18 year old wanted to know more about tea, and this tour far exceeded our expectations. The visit to a real tea farm, and experiencing the different teas, with full explanation about what we are drinking, were informative and insightful. Miki is a true tea master. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about all the different teas in China, and to experience something truly cultural.

The BEST thing I did in Shanghai ! - I recently spent nine days in Shanghai for holiday and hands down One Bud Two Leaves Tea Tour was my FAVORITE thing I did the entire trip ! First, you cannot visit China, the birthplace of tea, without at least tasting and experiencing China’s rich tea history. But if you don’t speak Chinese, this can prove challenging. Sure- you can go to touristy places that speak some English but you won’t get the “real stuff” and experience. This tour is the "real deal" - not some showy touristy thing in a teahouse. We had Miki and her English is great ! She is so knowledgeable and helpful. She really makes sure you have an amazing experience. She is actually a Certified Tea Master (you have to study, take an exam etc), not just any tour operator . We learned about the six different kinds of teas and how to prepare them. (Who knew there was a type called yellow tea ?!) She taught us hands on how to brew each type of tea so that it would taste the best. We learned about leaves, and water temperature and the different tastes and aromas in tea. So we didn’t just taste tea. We actually learned a lot that we can use back home. Her help and guidance in Tianshan Tea City was invaluable. The place is amazing (a must see if you go to Shanghai) but a bit overwhelming if you are a foreigner. Although some of the shop owners speak some English, it is hard to tell on your own what is good tea , what is a good price, what is a good tea pot, etc. . Miki was able to help us with all that. We got some amazing stuff we would have never on our own and paid way less than we would have on our own thanks to her help. We came home with an authentic Chinese experience from a true expert. The personalized calligraphy poetry gift with our names was so beautiful and unique. Something that will always make us remember this trip. This is a must do if you come to Shanghai.