★★New★★ Add a guided Nishijin art walk from Imadegawa Station before your tea ceremony. Look for “Kyoto Nishijin Art Walk & Tea Ceremony in a Machiya” on our profile.

Beyond the usual sightseeing! Step inside JURAKU, a beautifully preserved 150-year-old machiya in the heart of Kyoto, for an intimate encounter with Japanese tea culture.

【Discover the Art of Tea Ceremony】
Watch a tea instructor perform a traditional tea ceremony while learning about the history, etiquette, and philosophy behind this treasured Japanese tradition. Our instructors bring up to 40 years of experience, including a certified Urasenke tea master. Whether it's your first tea ceremony or you're simply curious about Japanese culture, your instructor will guide you through each step in an easy and welcoming way.

【Prepare Your Own Matcha】
Enjoy delicious seasonal, plant-based Japanese sweets before trying your hand at preparing your own bowl of matcha. Using authentic tea utensils and premium matcha reserved for trained practitioners, you'll learn how to whisk and enjoy matcha for yourself, guided by your instructor.

【Traditional, Yet Comfortable】
JURAKU offers a comfortable table-and-chair setting, making the experience accessible and enjoyable for guests of all ages. The space is also fully air-conditioned, so you can relax and enjoy the experience year-round.

【A Machiya with a Philosopher's Legacy】
JURAKU is the birthplace of Taichiro Kobayashi (1901–1963), a philosopher and art historian born into a Nishijin weaving family. A student of the Kyoto School of philosophy under Kitaro Nishida, Kobayashi later studied in Paris and became renowned for his work across Japanese, Chinese, and Western art history — earning him the name “the Burckhardt of the East.”
Today, you can explore the machiya where his thinking took root, and learn about traditional architecture and the character of Nishijin, a quiet historic neighborhood away from Kyoto's busiest tourist areas.

【Create a Personalized Journey】
Want to discover more of Japanese culture? Add an optional cultural experience to your visit.
The optional cultural experiences vary by season. Please check our website for the latest updates.