Make Matcha,
Step Into Tokyo Life

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Only a few seats left. Please hurry!

March 13 (Fri)
Ogikubo, Tokyo – 10 min from Shinjuku
Only ¥3,000
Includes matcha and sweets
English speaking staff available

– Beyond Tourism.

– A Day Immersed in Japanese Aesthetics and Way of Life.

✓ Held in a hidden gem of Tokyo – a beautiful local spot most tourists never discover
✓ Learn how to prepare matcha from a tea practitioner trained in the samurai tea tradition
✓ Experience an authentic tea gathering rarely available even to Japanese people
✓ Enjoy a stroll through a Japanese garden, visit the former private residence of a Japanese prime minister, and meet local residents
✓ Affordable as the event is organized by the local municipality
✓ Conveniently located just 10 minutes from Shinjuku on the Chuo Line

Program Content

Photo courtesy of Ogikubo San-Teien
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.

Photo courtesy of Ogikubo San-Teien

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.

Reserve Your Seat

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. Come experience the living aesthetic sensibility of Japan.

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 Gate) – 1:50 PM (Place to Interact open until 4:30 PM)
    • Afternoon Session:
      1:30 PM (Meet at JR Ogikubo Station East Gate) – 3:50 PM (Place to Interact open until 4:30 PM)
  • 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

Reserve Your Seat

We encourage early registration and look forward to your participation.

Before registering, please review and agree to the event terms and conditions