Nijo Home SAKURA Experience Japanese Culture - Sakuranipponbunkataiken Nijojo School - Kyoto

Of all the tea ceremony experiences I saw for Kyoto, I can’t believe how much we lucked out in choosing this one!! Aya and her husband were incredibly cordial hosts whose backgrounds in Japanese tea making are surely rivaled by few in the area. They are both still actively learning about the rituals involved - needless to say they were able to educate us in a truly informative and comprehensive way about the history and customs of the matcha ceremony. First, we watched, tasted, and experienced the tea ceremony as guests of our hosts (all while dressed to the nines in kimonos of our choosing - Aya even beautifully arranged my wife’s hair with braids and flowers in seconds flat!). Then, we became the “hosts” as we prepared the tea ourselves, which was an excellent way to appreciate the deliberate, painstaking care that Aya and her husband provide to their guests during the ceremony. The Japanese term “kodawari” (the uncompromising and relentless pursuit of perfection) definitely came to mind when watching them work! To top it all off, our hosts took photos and videos of the entire experience the whole time, and they shared it with us at the end so that we could live in the moment during the ceremony and not worry about the distraction of capturing it on our phones. We then had the opportunity to ask questions about the history of the Japanese tea ceremony, to chat about other Kyoto recommendations, and to get to know each other! All in all, this experience was unforgettable (and at an unbelievably reasonable price), and I hope to come back to Kyoto some time in the near future to have another amazing cultural experience with Aya and her husband. PS - they recommended that we go to a flea market in a Buddhist temple nearby that is only held once per month, and we ended up running into them there a few hours later! That way we knew their recommendations were not just for tourists, but also some things that they themselves do as natives of Kyoto. It was so cool (and unexpected) to run into a friend into Japan! All thanks to this awesome experience!!

Definitely a must-visit activity when in Kyoto! This is one of our highlights in our Japan trip. Aya and her husband were very warm and accommodating, and gave detailed and very insightful information about the tea ceremony tradition. The workshop is very intimate as they only accept a small number of guests, so everyone get to experience how to make and drink tea. We really felt the hospitality and passion of Aya and her husband throughout the session.

Aya and her husband were superb host! We couldn’t be more grateful for participating in this wonderful experience of Japanese tea ceremony. We were a bit late to arrive at the session, but they waited for us patiently and didn’t rush through the session just because we are late. We asked lots of questions and they are very professional and patient to answer them all! The personalisation like choosing your own kimono style, your own tea bowl and making your own tea was really special, it was real worth of money for the 1 hour session, I would recommend to anyone to want to get authentic experience of Japanese culture in Kyoto.

This is a must do when you visit Kyoto. The hosts are extremely polite and welcoming. They taught us as much as possible (there’s a lot that goes into a traditional Tea Ceremony) and offered us the best Matcha Tea we’ve ever had. Everything they offered us was specifically chosen for us by the hosts after they met us. Giving us a unique and wonderful experience. After we were done with the ceremony, they were kind enough to answer any questions we had (in general about Japanese culture) and pointed out must visit shops in the area. You would be missing out big time if you ever visit Kyoto and don’t try this experience. They are giving you a chance to immerse yourself in one of Japan’s oldest traditions.

Wonderful experience of Japanese Calligraphy and Paper Folding- Highly Recommended. Aya is sweetest teacher ever!!

We joined the Tea Ceremony In Kimono with Tea Master experience and it was for max of 4 people. We went as a family of 4 which we all felt very intimate and engaged. Aya and her husband were so friendly and made us feel very welcomed. They both take pride in their knowledge and culture. We have learnt the true tea culture in Japan and enjoyed every moment of the experience. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn about Japanese tea culture!

I had an amazing time! Aya was so kind and patient. I learned a lot about Japanese history and the tea ceremony. She also teaches cooking, calligraphy, flower arranging and koto classes! Her family history is incredible as well. She comes from a lineage that created the Sakura flower and has been studying these art forms for her entire life. I would highly recommended these classes to anyone!

Aya is a patient and so kind teacher. We had a great time trying calligraphy with her and her husband (ok if you look at the pictures we have a lot of progress to make?). I really recommend this place to discover the Japanese culture! They offer a lot of different courses like Japanese cooking, calligraphy, tea ceremony etc...