Tea Ceremony, Dance and Game with Japanese Maiko

We arrived and were told the Maiko was running late, (they were very stressed over this so sounded like a once off) and we were asked if we could wait 2 hours. Those who couldn’t were refunded. We went and had dinner, then came back. We were treated to some snacks and a choice of an alcoholic (or non) drink due to the wait. It was an amazing experience. She was gorgeous, we loved watching how delicately she moved, and how lovely her voice was. She showed us how to make tea which I was terrible at so she helped me. We got to ask her questions and take pictures of and with her. We loved the experience and were so glad we waited! I would recommend it to anyone

Experiencing a tea ceremony led by a Maiko and making my own matcha for the first time was such a beautiful way to learn not only the ritual itself, but also about the traditions and responsibilities of both Maiko and Geiko in Japanese culture.

What an experience! We booked the tea ceremony very last minute, and as we were on a time restraint we went for the tea ceremony. Weren’t sure what to expect but we were totally blown away! An excellent experience and would highly recommend! Both the host and Maiko were brilliant and took the time to show us how to make the matcha and answer our questions. We received a small gift from the Maiko and were able to take a photo with her at the end. A beautiful experience, one of the highlights of our trip!

it was an amazing experience to meet with a Maiko and just gain a small understanding to her life and why she decided to train to be a Geiko one day.

The whole thing seemed very rushed and the seating layout is horrible. Guests are seated according to the $$ paid. Those who paid more are seated in front and everyone else behind. So if you only paid for the Tea Ceremony, you will be seated right at the back of the room. Unable to see much of the Maiko or her instructional demonstrations. After introducing the Maiko, they will quickly go through how to make your own matcha tea followed by questions for the Maiko & a photo session with guests. Those who take photos with the Maiko will be given a “gift” which is a Hanameishi (the Maikos business card) and is considered to be a lucky charm especially if kept in your wallet as it’s believed to bring good fortune. The people who only paid for Tea Ceremony will then be asked to leave and those who paid for a dance, game or dinner will remain. It is advertised as a 45 min experience but for Tea Ceremony only, it is more like 30 mins. Otherwise, the Maiko is beautiful and the sweets were delicious.

Get close to Maiko-san, take photos with everyone, have some snacks, good atmosphere, easy to travel, use 2 languages to communicate, good management system.

Had a good time. We learned a lot from the Maikos as we got to ask them questions and interact with them. Maybe they can explore a diff venue that can fit a diff table set up (maybe crescent moon set up for tables) so the view is not obstructed

Highly recommended, very fun. Provides a deeper understanding of Kyoto culture.

Very beautiful experience, we were treated to two maikos instead of one, they were very beautiful and explained everything we wanted to know.

we learned how to make matcha, my kids loved it.