Kyoto Tea Ceremony: Explore Gion and Wabi-Sabi Art

Explore Kyoto’s Gion, savor matcha, and experience a traditional tea ceremony. Discover wabi-sabi through art, pottery, and serene Zen gardens.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Gion - Begin your journey by exploring the history and process of Japanese tea production.
    Take a leisurely walk through the historic Gion district, stopping by a renowned matcha shop.
  • Kennin-ji Temple - Discover the ancient Kennin-ji Temple, a site with a rich history spanning centuries.
  • 24 Tsukimichō - Explore the tools and vessels…
What's Included
  • Entrance fee of 2 temples included
  • Photos during a tour
  • An English-speaking guide
  • Tea Ceremony Experience (Matcha and small seasonal snack served)
What's Not Included
  • Additional Food and Drinks
Additional Information

In Japan, the tea ceremony transcends the act of drinking tea—it’s about embracing the essence of beauty. While beauty is often linked to external appearances, the tea ceremony encourages appreciation for the inner beauty of nature, introducing the concept of “Wabi-sabi.”
Wabi-sabi is a traditional Japanese aesthetic that celebrates beauty in…

Location
Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni
In front of Izumo no Okuni Statue, right outside of Exit 5 of Gion-Shijo Station (Keihan line)
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(37 Ratings)
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442jolley
Nov 13, 2025
Pathway of Tea - It was a wonderful experience with so many great details! The amount of people and the tour itself was perfect. The tea house was quiet and calming. Our tea teacher and tour guide were so polite and friendly. I was unsure about the cost at first, knowing there were cheaper options just for a tea ceremony but I was so glad we stayed committed to this tour. Of all the tours we had in our 10 days in Japan, this tea tour was well worth it! I would highly recommend this experience. Seeing the different tea houses, the reason the tea ceremony was created, and then finally learning how the ceremony was preformed. It is a tour we definitely would experience again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q8114dustevenn
Oct 30, 2025
Cultural tour - Fun cultural dive, really enjoyed the pacing and attention to detail to each location throughout the tour. Very welcoming and inviting experience would definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tamarasf6377ny
Oct 9, 2025
All right. - Great small group walking tour with our great Hide guide! The tea ceremony is worth it and the visit to two temples is beautiful
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leebc5894xo
Oct 2, 2025
Very fun!! - Really fun! The tour guide Hide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Gave us lots of information and helped us build memorable experiences. Couldn’t recommend him enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christophepz7076zj
Sep 21, 2025
Waba-sabi! - Tsukito made us discover the Gion district very touristic and we feel like we are off the beaten track, The explanations are clear, the interaction is perfect, bravo! Obviously the tea ceremony comes brilliantly to conclude the afternoon with our hostess Maki who gives us a beautiful demonstration of this custom and guided us during the making of our tea.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Discover453198
Sep 7, 2025
Best tour - Hide was our tour guide. He was impressive and very knowledgeable. We had a great time throughout our tour and the team ceremony.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bachirb601
Aug 31, 2025
Bachir’s feedback - Kyoto Gion - Very Nice guided tour of Gion temples with Josh, I learned a lot about Matcha tea and Zen bouddhism. Tea ceremony Was also very interesting. Arigato Kyoto 🙏🏼
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H7208petobiask
Aug 27, 2025
gion district leadership - Friendly, helpful guide with good English. Very nice, competent leadership. Pleasant and interesting tour of the Gion District with temples that are not too touristy and have a lot of history. Full on convinced and gladly book it again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wulle9
Nov 9, 2025
Nice tour - Fine tour with a knowledgable guide, Mr. Hide. Saw new areas in Gion and had a very nice tea ceremony whipping our own matcha
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pamela_d
Oct 17, 2025
Tour guide spoke very... - Tour guide spoke very soft and was hard to understand her English. Did not seem to know about some of the places we visited. She tried to please though but difficulty hearing her and became frustrating to us.
Review provided by Viator
From $74
up to 7 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).