Kobe beef lunch with calligraphy and tea ceremony in Kobe

Write your name in calligraphy, brew tea by hand, and taste Kobe beef in one restored house

A four-hour class at Kotonoha, a traditional Japanese house café in Kobe, where you learn calligraphy from a professional, perform a tea ceremony making your own tea, stroll the countryside neighborhood, and finish with Kobe beef yakiniku, oden and matcha jelly. A professional calligraphy teacher guides the writing lesson. Pickup is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Calligraphy, tea ceremony, and lunch

• Visit Kotonoha traditional café
• Learn Japanese calligraphy
• Participate in tea ceremony
• Stroll through countryside neighborhood
• Enjoy Kobe beef yakiniku lunch
• Have herbal tea and matcha jelly

The experience

The day starts with calligraphy. A professional teacher shows you how to hold the brush and form characters in Japanese, then writes your name in elegant script that you take home. The lesson happens inside Kotonoha, an old Japanese house restored as a café, so the setting itself teaches you something about how the space shapes the practice.

After calligraphy comes the tea ceremony. You make your own tea in the peaceful interior of the house, learning the deliberate movements and the quiet attention the ritual asks for. Between the two lessons, you can walk through the surrounding countryside neighborhood: the kind of quiet, tree-lined streets where the pace drops and the detail of ordinary things becomes visible.

Lunch is Kobe beef cooked yakiniku style, grilled at the table, along with oden (a simmered broth with vegetables and tofu), rice, and small dishes. The beef is tender enough to cut with chopsticks. The meal ends with herbal medicine tea and matcha jelly. Pickup is included, and the venue is wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• Professional Japanese calligraphy instruction with a teacher who writes your name in script.
• tea ceremony where you prepare your own tea.
• a walk through the countryside neighborhood.
• Kobe beef yakiniku, oden, rice and appetizers.
• herbal medicine tea and matcha jelly for dessert.
• pickup and air-conditioned transport.
• wheelchair-accessible venue and all areas of the house.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:30 and 09:00

AgesAdult (20 to 80 years) · Senior (81 and older) · Youth (13 to 19 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 9 pickup points.Operator's directions: “After you book the tour, we’ll send you a photo of your guide so you’ll know exactly what to look for. On the day of the tour, your guide will be waiting right in front of the meeting point, ready to welcome you.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by REAL GOOD JAPAN TOUR

Is this one for you?You do the calligraphy and tea ceremony yourself (the teacher guides you through each step), so this suits anyone curious about how these practices actually work, not just watching them happen. The four-hour format keeps everything in one visit, which works well if you want to sample three sides of Japanese culture without splitting the day across different locations.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 19 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4).

What exactly do I learn in the calligraphy lesson at Kotonoha?

A professional calligraphy teacher shows you how to write in Japanese characters and creates your name in elegant calligraphy, which you receive to keep. The lesson covers brush technique and the basic forms you need to write your own characters.

Do I need any experience with tea ceremony before I arrive?

No. The tea ceremony at Kotonoha is designed for first-timers. You make your own tea and learn the movements and mindfulness the ritual involves, guided through each step in the peaceful setting of the traditional house.

What kind of Kobe beef is served, and how is it cooked?

The beef is served yakiniku style, which means you grill it yourself at the table. It comes with oden, rice, appetizers, herbal tea and matcha jelly for dessert. The Kobe beef is known for its tenderness and marbling.

Is transportation to Kotonoha included in the price?

Yes, pickup is included. The venue is also accessible by public transportation if you prefer to make your own way there.

How long does the whole experience take?

The class runs four hours from start to finish, covering the calligraphy lesson, tea ceremony, neighborhood walk and lunch.