Make Matcha,
Step Into Tokyo Life
– Beyond Tourism.
– A Day Immersed in Japanese Aesthetics and Way of Life.
Tea, Gardens, a Private Home, and Encounters with Local People.
Set in Ogikubo, Tokyo — a neighborhood where Japanese intellectual culture has thrived for generations — this program is created for international visitors who want to understand Japan more deeply. It goes beyond mere observation, inviting you to truly experience Japanese culture.

Making tea with your own hands.
Sitting in a Japanese garden and home, imagining the life lived there.
Conversing with local residents.
Come experience the living aesthetic sensibility of Japan today.
Program Content

Shakashaka Tea Ceremony venue. Learn how to prepare matcha in a seated style at the table.
1. Matcha Workshop: “Shaka Shaka Chakai”
(Whisk & Sip Tea Gathering)
- Venue: Otaguro Park Western-Style House
“Shaka Shaka Chakai” is a hands-on workshop where participants prepare their own matcha (powdered green tea).
Once you learn how to make matcha, you’ll be able to enjoy peaceful tea time by yourself or with someone.
We’ll guide each participant individually, so first-timers are welcome.


2. Authentic Tea Ceremony: “Gokan”
(Five Senses)
- Venue: Otaguro Park Tea House
An authentic tea ceremony held in a traditional tea house. Through silence, fragrance, space, movements, and taste, you will touch the very essence of Japanese aesthetics with all five senses.


3. Guided Tour of Tekigaiso
- Venue: Tekigaiso, the Former Konoe Residence
Visit Tekigaiso, designed by renowned architect Chuta Ito and once the residence of Fumimaro Konoe, who served three terms as Prime Minister in the early Showa era.
Learn about the lifestyle of Japan’s intellectual class of that time and the cultural role that Ogikubo has played.

4. Social Time & Free Exploration
- Venue: A Temporary Place to Interact in Otaguro Park
Time for free conversation with tea practitioners and local residents. Share questions and impressions, take photos, stroll through the gardens, or simply relax as you wish.
What Makes This Special from Other Typical Japanese Cultural Experiences?
- Not just watching—actually experiencing
- Authentic cultural understanding rooted in daily life, not staged for tourists
- Intimate and welcoming small-group setting
- Program that values dialogue and interaction with local people
- Ogikubo, the convenient venue, is accessible via the Chuo Line, just 10 minutes from Shinjuku Station.
Photo courtesy of Ogikubo San-Teien
Event Details
- Date: Friday, March 13, 2026
* Two identical sessions offered: morning and afternoon
- Morning Session:
11:30 AM (Meet at JR Ogikubo Station East Exit) – 1:50 PM (Place to Interact open until 4:30 PM) - Afternoon Session:
1:30 PM (Meet at JR Ogikubo Station East Exit) – 3:50 PM (Place to Interact open until 4:30 PM)
- Morning Session:
- Venue: Otaguro Park and Tekigaiso (Ogikubo, Suginami City, Tokyo)
- Language: English
- Capacity: 12 people per session
- Participation Fee: ¥3,000 (tax included)
*Includes matcha and sweets
Please Note:
- This event is presented by Executive Committee for the Chuo Line “Aru Aru (Local Vibes )” Project as an experiential Tourism Program, offering an authentic Japanese cultural experience at an accessible price.
- No seiza (formal kneeling) required.
- Casual attire welcome. No special items required.
- Please exchange contact information and communicate with other participants after the Event at your own responsibility.

Session Schedule
- Meeting in front of the JR Ogikubo Station East Exit ticket gates before heading to Otaguro Park
※ Interpreter-guide leading the group to the venue - Matcha Workshop “Shaka Shaka Chakai”
- Authentic Tea Ceremony “Gokan”
- Garden stroll and Tekigaiso tour
- Free time and social interaction
- Closing
- Duration: Approximately 140 minutes (excluding free time)
Facilitators

Tea Master:
Soto Takei
Former inner disciple of Enshu-ryu school.
Currently teaches tea ceremony independent of any particular school, with activities in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanazawa.
Extensive experience conducting tea ceremony training and lectures for corporations and research institutions.
Interpreter & Facilitator:
Frank la Rivière
Dutch architect with over 30 years in Japan, fluent in both Japanese and English.
With deep knowledge of Japanese culture, particularly tea ceremony, Frank serves not only as interpreter but as a cultural bridge, providing context and deeper understanding.

Organizer & Management
- Organizer: Chuo Line “Aru Aru” Project Executive Committee (Suginami City)
- Management: Stardiver Co., Ltd. info@stardiver.co.jp
Registration
We encourage early registration and look forward to your participation.
Before registering, please review and agree to the event terms and conditions
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
DEFINITIONS
In these Terms and Conditions, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
- “Company” means Star Diver Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Japan, with its principal place of business at 3F Eiho Building, 6-19 Nishi-Gokenmachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.
- “Event” means any event conducted under the service name “Make Matcha. Experience Tokyo.”
- “Participant” or “Participants” means any individual(s) who register for and/or attend the Event.
- “Privacy Policy” means the Company’s privacy policy as set forth herein and as may be amended from time to time.
- “Terms” means these Terms and Conditions of Participation, as may be amended from time to time.
Registration
- When registering for the Event, you must provide valid contact information (mobile phone number and email address). If we are unable to contact you directly, we may be unable to reach you in case of emergency. Please ensure that your registration information is current and accurate. Any notice from us shall be deemed to have been duly given when an email is sent to the registered email address and would ordinarily be received in the normal course of transmission.
- Participants agree that the Company and third parties authorized by the Company may photograph, record audio, and record video at the Event, and that such photographs, videos, and images may be used and published on the Company’s website, in promotional and advertising materials, and in other communications materials in which the Company is involved. All copyrights, neighboring rights, and other intellectual property rights in photographs, videos, and articles relating to the Event shall belong to the Company or third parties licensed by the Company.
- Participants represent and warrant that they are not members of, affiliated with, or otherwise associated with organized crime groups, gangsters, organized crime affiliates, or any other antisocial forces.
- If any information provided during registration is false or fraudulent, or if a Participant violates these Terms and Conditions, the Company may immediately cancel such Participant’s participation. The Company shall not be liable for any damages incurred by the Participant as a result of such cancellation, except in cases of willful misconduct or negligence on the part of the Company.
- If any conduct at the Event venue interferes with the Event, causes inconvenience to other Participants, or is deemed illegal, participation in the Event may be denied.
Privacy
- The Company is committed to protecting customer personal information in accordance with the Privacy Policy.
Payment
- Payment for the Event must be made in advance via online credit card payment only.
Cancellation Policy
- Event fees paid are non-refundable in principle.
Participation Guidelines
- If a customer is absent from the Event for any reason, no refund of the Event fee will be provided under any circumstances.
- Participants shall not record audio or video of the Event without the Company’s prior consent. However, this restriction does not apply to photography.
- Please refrain from eating at the Event venue.
- Please refrain from using mobile phones at the Event venue.
- The Company shall not be liable for theft occurring at the Event venue, accidents caused by the Participant’s own negligence or physical or mental impairment, or other property damage.
- The sale of goods, solicitation, exchange or lending of money or goods by Participants at the Event venue is strictly prohibited. The Company shall not be liable for any disputes arising therefrom.
Event Tickets
- Seating at the Event is general admission (non-reserved seating).
- Depending on circumstances, you may be asked to change seats. We appreciate your cooperation with staff instructions.
- Please arrive by the designated assembly time. If you arrive after the designated time, we will be unable to wait due to scheduling constraints.
- In the event of a disaster during the Event, staff will provide guidance and direction.
- Event content is subject to change without prior notice.
Cancellation and Postponement
- The Event may be cancelled or postponed due to performer circumstances or other unavoidable reasons.
- The Event may be cancelled or postponed due to unavoidable circumstances such as transportation strikes or delays, natural disasters, or acts of God.
- In the event of cancellation or postponement, the Company will not compensate for transportation costs or other expenses.
- In the event of cancellation or postponement due to performer illness, transportation delays, or other unforeseen circumstances, the Company may contact you on an emergency basis. If there is any change to your registered contact information, please notify us through the inquiry form on this website.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
The Company operates with the utmost respect for customer privacy. For details, please refer to the Privacy Policy.
PRIVACY POLICY
Personal information provided by customers will be used to maintain favorable relationships with customers and will not be used for any other purpose. Personal information provided by customers will be appropriately managed and will not be disclosed or provided to third parties without customer consent. However, this limitation does not apply in the following cases:
- When the customer has given prior consent to the disclosure of privacy information
- When disclosure of information is required by law
- When necessary to protect significant interests such as the life, health, or property of the information subject and/or the public
The Company complies with applicable laws and regulations regarding personal information in its possession and periodically reviews and revises the initiatives described above.
For inquiries regarding the above, please contact the Company.
Disclosures under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions
- Seller: Star Diver Inc.
- Operating Manager: Kaori Yonezu
- Address: 3F Eiho Building, 6-19 Nishi-Gokenmachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Email Address:
For inquiries regarding this Event, please contact: [info@stardiver.co.jp] - Telephone Number: +81-80-5498-3713
*The phone line is always connected to voicemail.
Service Name: Make Matcha. Experience Tokyo. - Sales Price: Prices are displayed including tax on the sales page.
- Delivery Time: Completion is confirmed through Peatix payment processing.
- Ticket Sales and Payment Processing Agent: Please also refer to Peatix’s “Disclosures under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions” (https://about.peatix.com/ja/legal-company.html).
- Payment Methods: Credit card payment (VISA, MasterCard, JCB, AMEX, Discover, Diners Club, PayPal)
- Returns and Defective Products: Due to the nature of the product, returns and refunds will not be accepted; however, if a refund guarantee or similar provision is indicated on the sales page, such provision shall take precedence. Exceptions may apply in cases such as event cancellation due to organizer circumstances. For details, please refer to Peatix’s “Disclosures under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions” (https://about.peatix.com/ja/legal-company.html).
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