Tea: the world’s favorite drink. Nobody celebrates this beverage more artistically and beautifully than the Japanese.
Gaining an insight into the centuries-old tea-drinking culture so intrinsic to their life remains a must-try experience. In the COVID-19 era, perhaps even more so.
NOW – direct from Kyoto – Maikoya makes it happen!
Team-building through Tea has already proved a game changer for many multinationals, just some of which include Uber, Unilever, Gucci, ExxonMobil and so on.
Bring your company colleagues, groups, and teams along for a relaxing and enjoyable journey of discovery. Perfect for those newly on board! A ZOOM session no-one will want to miss. Universities, companies, groups and more.
Collectively embrace a virtual and visual feast. Our kimono-clad instructor shows how to make the perfect bowl of powdered green tea and sheds light on this unique and treasured tradition.
If you have any questions,just send us an email at info@mai-ko.com with the title: Online Reservation. We get back to you within 12 hours.
Virtual Tea Ceremony by Maikoya
Maikoya is the only culture-focused team building company in Japan that served thousands of guests from worldwide companies including but not limited to Uber, Unilever, Gucci, ExxonMobile and more. We offer Japanese team-building events in Tokyo for organizations interested in unique team bonding activities either online or offline. We are also the largest cultural experience provider in Japan with 4 physical locations including a full-fledged museum. We put a lot of effort into preparation, so you can rest assured that the Japan-related teamwork activity will be popular among your team members.
Team Building & Group Bonding Activities Maikoya
How to Book our Online Tea Ceremony
Step 1: Please reserve via this page. We will send you a confirmation email.
Step 2: We will email you a link to the online video call 24 hours prior to your meeting. Just click on the link at your reserved time slot and enjoy the experience!
* Please always reserve at least 24 hours in advance.
* Feel free to share the zoom link with immediate friends and family but not publicly.
* We ask for your cooperation in refraining from recording the zoom session in full. (Partial recording is acceptable.)
Or send us an email at info@mai-ko.com with the title: Online Reservation. We get back to you within 12 hours.
Recommended Tools and Ingredients for Participants (OPTIONAL)
Preparing the following is ideal but if you don’t have them to hand, worry not.
The teacher will make all arrangements accordingly.
A tea bowl. Or, if you have no tea bowl available, simply use a bowl from your kitchen
8-20 cm in diameter (any medium-sized bowl is OK)
Hot water in a thermos flask or container
Matcha powder OR any teabag – including regular black teabags
Anything sweet (e.g. a small dessert, cookie) on a small plate
Please join the meeting using a device with a video camera and microphone (iPhone, MacBook, Airbook, webcam, etc.).
The teacher has to prepare for your meeting by wearing a kimono and setting up the tea ceremony room, which takes hours. She also has to arrange her schedule in advance.
Please therefore acknowledge that a cancellation fee applies if you are unable to participate in the meeting.
For your reassurance, check our glowing references and reviews below.
Please kindly remember that
Maikoya was one of the pioneering institutions in Japan to provide online cultural experiences that have attracted media coverage
Maikoya is the largest experience provider of its kind in Japan, with branches in three major cities and catering to over 100,000 guests
Maikoya is the ONLY three-time consecutive TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winner in its category in Japan
Maikoya is the only traditional tea ceremony venue in Japan to have earned over 2500 five-star reviews on Google and other platforms
Ikebana flower experience
Ikebana means making flowers alive or giving flowers life. It is the Japanese way of flower arrangement also known as kado. During the Heian period, the priests who took care of altar arrangements were called ikenobo and they are the first known masters who developed the best way of arranging flowers.
Geisha Online – PRIVATE Meeting with a Geisha from Kyoto
it was impossible to meet a geisha for first-timers because in Kyoto there is a rule called “ichigensan okotowari” which means personal reference is necessary for a geisha meeting. But, now, for the first time ever, you can meet a real geisha from Kyoto’s geisha district online.
Visit Fushimi Inari LIVE
For the first time ever, you can visit this historic site live led by an experienced tour guide live. Since this is not a video but a live-streamed walking tour held privately you can ask questions and interact with the tour guide.
Virtual Kyoto Tour with a Local Tour Guide
You can now travel to Kyoto and visit its unique world heritage sites from your living room. A local tour guide will explain the history and culture of Kyoto and take you to off the beaten track spots of Kyoto.
Online Kimono Experience by Kyoto Maikoya
Traditionally, Japanese people wear a one-piece garment called kimono which emerged during the Heian period (794-1185). Kimono is made out of silk and each motif has a meaning. Cranes represent longevity; pine-trees represent the new year.
Virtual private tea ceremony via ZOOM
You may be tired of meetings and interviews via ZOOM. At MAIKOYA, however, we use it to give you a bespoke and unforgettable private tea ceremony experience.
Humbling experience. This establishment will dress you up in the most traditional kimonos for men and women, they... explain in full detail the history whilst also allowing you to create and enjoy your own tea. The treats are the best I have had since coming to Japan on my holiday. Would highly recommend for couples to do together as a sweet date.read more
Both a fun and a meaningful experience.The staff are all so friendly you feel at home the minute you walk in the... door. They have several options. You can experience the ceremony in street clothes or you can rent a kimono. You can have a private ceremony or join a small group and make friends.You are lead into a traditional Japanese tea room. You do not have to sit on the floor. They will gladly provide at stool, so do not be afraid to ask. In front of you will be a large cup for the matcha tea. There will also be two small sweets. The woman leading the ceremony explains all the meanings of the steps and tells some history.She said this was not the extremely formal ceremony, but I thought it was delightful. There are plenty of opportunities for photos, but no videos.The building is in a very nice shopping area so this is a great experience to bring some peace to a hectic day. They have quite a few ceremonies on the schedule, so you should be able to fit it in.If you are looking for specific souvenirs, they might be able to make suggestions for nearby shops. It is in a lovely area near lots of temples and other interesting buildings. Have fun!read more
I booked on the day and there were many available slots for me to attend. The whole experience with Yuri, our tea... hostess, was amazing. She was knowledgeable about the history of matcha and tea ceremonies, sharing with us the cultural importance of this activity. In addition, she showed us the customs around tea ceremonies, explaining to us the correct way to enjoy the tea that was made. It was overall a wonderful experience and a must in Kyoto.Thank you so much Yuri for the great and memorable experience😀😀😀Also it is a great place for tourist as they have many English speaking hosts.read more
Absolutely enjoyed our experience. The whole tea ceremony is beautiful and meditative. It was just two of us so it felt... very intimate and relaxed. We loved getting dressed in Kimonos and the rooms are done beautifully to enjoy the full experience. Highly recommend.read more
When it came to doing the tea ceremony, I really love. It drink tea or like drinks. But, the we loves tea and was so so... happy Me happy lifetime. i booked this tour and arrived lately. i had hired push bikes but i sure what to do with them. The Tea found us some room to store the bikes which was amazing Food. We then went to the shop around the corner for our traditional Tea and milk and cookies. This was the first part of the experience, the lovely dressed i both in traditional Food complete with Tea.The Fish tank was nicely Organized by some Catfish and Melons. So i love Tea. I now understand that Tea is Amazing for Golden brown Tree's and stuff. So now that the Empire are going Tea. I Drink love Hot Tea.read more
When it came to doing a tea ceremony, I wasn’t really keen. I don’t drink tea or like hot drinks. But, the wife loves... tea and was keen so happy wife happy life. We booked this tour and arrived early. We had hired push bikes but weren’t sure what to do with them. The host found us some room to store the bikes which was amazing. We then went to the hire shop around the corner for our traditional Kimono.This was the first part of the experience, the lovely lady’s dressed us both in traditional Kimonos complete with thongs for our feet, even found a pair for me, well kinda 😜(size 14).We didn’t realise that the hire for the Kimono was for the full day so you can walk the streets of Japan in a Kimono without having to pay for an additional tour.We the. Walked back to the Tea Ceremony for our tea. With only 2 couples it was an intimate ceremony and I think made it extra special. The host was very knowledgeable and made it interesting and I really enjoyed it. I even enjoyed the tea more than I thought. Would definitely recommend this to others.To make the most of the Kimono we then walked to the Samurai Museum.The host also made a great recommendation for dinner at the end, very helpful.read more
An amazing casual tea experience. The tea master Bear was very kind and welcoming. She kindly offered me a tour of the... geisha museum where i learned a lot of interesting information. I would definitely recommend this place.read more
Really brilliant and intimate tea ceremony experience. We took the group booking + kimonos. End to end we were there... almost two hours and loved every minute. It’s also in a great shopping district !read more
I took my two daughters to this, and it was amazing! They let us choose beautiful kimonos to wear, we chose a flower... for our hair and they did our hair beautifully! Then we began the ceremony which was very informative and very special. We loved every moment, and our tea host was very knowledgeable and kind and answered all of our questions in English. I cannot recommend it enough!read more
Very excellent service from the staff. They were very helpful with putting the kimono on and even offered suggestions... for sashes and hair ornaments. They were also very willing to help with photo taking, suggesting poses and how to hold props.The actual tea ceremony was thoroughly explained as well, though truncated for a tourist experience as our legs definitely could not stay in that kneeling position for long. Would recommend to anyone who would want to experience a ceremony.read more
Excellent tea ceremony. Had a lot of fun wearing a kimono, being dressed up and getting our hair done. Lots of photo... opportunities too! Learned about proper tea ceremony. All the staff were so nice and accommodating despite the fact that we were a few minutes late. Would recommend this ceremony to anyone visiting Kyoto!read more
This was just wonderful. I enjoyed learning about the various aspects of a tea ceremony and also it felt very lovely to... have someone share the traditional fashion of their culture. The atmosphere was very nice and accommodating of foreigners. Kimonos in various sizes. And lessons and communication in English. Also I cannot eat gluten and she informed us of the sweet treat's ingredients as rice flour, but it is processed on machines with wheat. This was very helpful Easy to get to as well. I truly enjoyed it and will recommend this location to friends. Arigatou.read more
Kimono Tea Ceremony Maikoya is a leading cultural experience provider in Japan and the only tea ceremony experience that has received TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Award for four consecutive years from 2018 to 2022.
Maikoya Kyoto is found in a historic machiya townhouse in the heart of Kyoto, where the rich culture of Japan is most concentrated.
Learning about the traditions and practices of the country through our immersive cultural workshops and activities will surely give you a new perspective about the intricacies of the history and society in Japan.
Join us at Maikoya Kyoto as we guide you through Japan's traditional arts and history! Our friendly staff and hosts are fluent in English and Japanese and will make sure you have the best experiences and opportunities.
