Kyoto Small-Group Tour: Introduction to Japanese Culture
Kyoto, Japan
Rating: 
Trip Type: Cultural Tours
Duration: 90 minutes
Learn about the art of the tea ceremony, the correct way to wear a kimono, and the architecture of old Kyoto during this 2-hour introduction to Japanese culture. You'll enjoy the atmosphere of an old-style Kyoto ‘machiya’ (shophouse) for your tea ceremony, then try on a kimono before the option of an origami workshop or a short short walk through a traditional Kyoto neighborhood to a sake brewery to sample the local brew. This small-group tour is limited to 10 curious travelers for personalized attention from your guide.
More About This Activity All Cultural Tours →
Learn about the art of the tea ceremony, the correct way to wear a kimono, and the architecture of old Kyoto during this 2-hour introduction to Japanese culture. You'll enjoy the atmosphere of an old-style Kyoto ‘machiya’ (shophouse) for your tea ceremony, then try on a kimono before the option of an origami workshop or a short short walk through a traditional Kyoto neighborhood to a sake brewery to sample the local brew. This small-group tour is limited to 10 curious travelers for personalized attention from your guide.
Click on "View Additional Info" for the machiya house location.
You’ll meet your guide and small group at a beautifully restored machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse, where the first part of your 2-hour tour will take place.
Your guide first takes you through the machiya and points out the architectural features of these classic shophouses, in use for centuries by Kyoto merchants as home and workspace. With a shop in the front and living space in the rear, the long and narrow buildings once lined Kyoto’s streets. However, many machiya have disappeared due to modern development.
After settling into a tranquil room in the machiya, you’ll have the opportunity to try on a kimono. Get great photos of yourself in these traditional garments now mostly worn only by women for festive occasions, although men may wear one for tea ceremonies and weddings.
Next, you’ll have an introduction to the tea ceremony, a quintessential part of Japanese culture that has been described as a meditative practice and a performance art. The tea master will explain the act of preparing and drinking matcha, the powdered green tea used in the ceremony, a choreographed art that requires years of study to master.
Your tour finishes with one of the following two options, selected at booking:
Option 1: Walking Tour and Sake Tasting
Take a walk through a picturesque old Kyoto neighborhood and stop at a sake brewery. You’ll sample the sake—an alcohol beverage made from fermented rice—and learn about the brewing process. Toast your small group and guide with a glass of sake to wrap up your taste of Japanese culture!
Option 2: Origami Introduction
Get a short introduction to origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. After a demonstration, try your hand at folding delicate paper into intricate shapes, with help from your guide.
Click on "View Additional Info" for the machiya house location.
« Go Back