Kimono Tea Ceremony in Kyoto
The kimono tea ceremonies in Kyoto compared: Gion, Nishiki, Shijo-Karasuma, near Kiyomizu-dera and a private machiya, with group sizes, lengths and prices (Oct 2026).
For a kimono tea ceremony in central Kyoto, book GLOBA’s at Shijo-Karasuma: kimono dressing, then about 90 minutes in a tea room with a tea master, your own bowl of matcha and seasonal sweets, rated 4.9 from 746 and from US$53 a person (checked October 2026). In Gion, the Kimono Tea Ceremony at Orizuruya is the one with the most reviews and the smaller groups, of up to 10.
The tea rooms, side by side
| Tea ceremony | Where | Length | Group | From | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLOBA | Shijo-Karasuma | About 1.5 hours | About 12 to 14 | US$53 | 4.9 (746) |
| Orizuruya (LINKTIVITY) | Gion | 1.5 hours, 2 with calligraphy | Up to 10 | US$49 | 4.9 (2,031) |
| Orizuruya (LINKTIVITY) | Nishiki | 1.5 hours, 2 with calligraphy | Up to 10 | US$49 | 4.8 (300) |
| Traveling Tokyo | Kyoto | 1.5 hours | Up to 10 | US$44 in current promotion (usually US$63) | 4.9 (498) |
| Kaouka, with a full day in kimono | Near Kiyomizu-dera | About 2 hours | Not stated | US$63 | 4.9 (311) |
| Yours Japan, private | Near Kyoto Station | 45 minutes to 1.5 hours | Your group only | US$63 in current promotion (usually US$70) | 5.0 (272) |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways for the prices and ratings.
Prices, ratings and review counts from GetYourGuide, checked October 2026. Prices are per person in US dollars.
What happens at a kimono tea ceremony
The order is the same everywhere. You arrive, choose a kimono and are dressed by the staff, and women with long hair get a simple hairstyle. Then you go into the tea room. The host or tea master prepares a bowl of matcha in front of you, explaining the tools, the steps and the etiquette: how to receive the bowl, how to turn it, when to drink. Then it is your turn with the bamboo whisk, the chasen, and you drink the matcha you made with wagashi, the small seasonal sweets that go with it.
Sitting is on tatami. At GLOBA’s Shijo-Karasuma room, bamboo chairs are available if you ask in advance; tell any shop before you book if kneeling is hard.
Check dates for the Shijo-Karasuma tea ceremony →
Which tea room to book
For the smallest group in Gion: LINKTIVITY’s Kimono Tea Ceremony at Orizuruya Gion, with more than 200 kimono to choose from and groups of up to 10. The same company runs it at its Nishiki shop near the market, and both add a Japanese calligraphy option that takes the session to two hours.
For central Kyoto and chairs on request: GLOBA’s Shijo-Karasuma ceremony, led by a tea master. The shop also takes guests from other booking sites, so expect 12 to 14 people, and it is not open to children under 7. The company has shops in Shinjuku and Asakusa too: check your voucher and go to the Kyoto branch.
To keep the kimono afterwards: Kaouka’s tea ceremony near Kiyomizu-dera comes with a full day in kimono, until 5:30 PM. If you book an afternoon ceremony you can come in the morning, get dressed and sightsee first. Traveling Tokyo's ceremony excludes wearing the kimono outside; the others do not say, so ask before you plan a walk in it.
For privacy: Yours Japan reserves a 125-year-old townhouse nine minutes’ walk from Kyoto Station for your group, with calligraphy and, in its kimono plan, the kimono.
Pick by what you want from the hour
Kimono Tea Ceremony, Shijo-Karasuma
Kimono dressing, the ritual explained in English, your own matcha and seasonal wagashi; chairs on request.
Check dates →Kimono Tea Ceremony, Orizuruya Gion
More than 200 kimono to choose from, groups of up to 10, and a calligraphy option.
See the Gion tea room →Tea Ceremony & Full-Day Kimono
A matcha tea ceremony near Kiyomizu-dera, then the slopes of Higashiyama in kimono; not for under-7s.
See the full day →Prices and ratings from GetYourGuide, checked October 2026; shops change prices, so treat them as a guide, not a quote.
For the tea ceremony on its own, without dressing up, teaceremonyinkyoto.com covers the tea rooms of Kyoto. What it costs to wear a kimono without the tea is in kimono rental prices.
Programmes, lengths, group sizes, prices and ratings from the GetYourGuide listings, read in US dollars on 28 October 2026.
The Kimono Tea Ceremony at Shijo-Karasuma
Kimono dressing, then a tea ceremony led by a tea master with English guidance: the history, the tools and the etiquette, your own bowl of matcha and seasonal wagashi. About 90 minutes, chairs on request, as listed in October 2026.
Check Tea Ceremony Dates