This is the full experience. Thick tea - koicha - is the most formal, most revered form of tea in the Japanese tradition. Richer and more concentrated than thin tea, it is traditionally shared only among trusted guests. Most visitors to Japan never encounter it.
Inside a 100-year-old machiya in Kanazawa’s Nishi Chaya geisha district, your host Yuta - with 19 years in the Enshu-ryu tradition, a school of tea rooted in samurai culture - will guide you through a 90-minute private ceremony featuring both koicha and usucha (thin tea), paired with seasonal jounamagashi (handcrafted fresh sweets by Kanazawa artisans).
During the session, you will:
Experience koicha (thick tea) - the pinnacle of Japanese tea ceremony, rarely offered to visitors
Watch a full tea ceremony demonstration with detailed explanation
Prepare your own bowl of usucha (thin tea) hands-on
Savor ounamagashi - exquisite fresh sweets reflecting the season
Enjoy an extended QandA on aesthetics, philosophy, or Kanazawa life
Capture the experience with a commemorative photo
Completely private. No other guests. No compromise.
English-guided throughout. Must be booked at least 3 days in advance.