Learn to Brew Japanese Green Tea in Takayama: Expert from 100-year tea shop

Each tea needs its own pot, and the shop staff shows you why.

A hands-on tea class at a century-old tea shop in Takayama where you learn to brew Japanese green tea using a traditional kyusu teapot, choose three teas from fifteen varieties to prepare and taste, and compare their aromas and flavors. The experience includes seasonal Japanese sweets and a small souvenir. Instruction is in Japanese with basic English support and translation app assistance when needed.

The experience

How do you know which teapot to use for which tea? That's where the expert from this long-established Takayama tea shop comes in. You'll learn the principles of brewing Japanese green tea (sencha, hojicha, and blended varieties), and discover how the right vessel changes what you taste. The shop itself is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, and you can choose between sitting on tatami in the traditional back room or at tables with Hida furniture, depending on what suits you and your group.

You pick three teas from the fifteen available: five types of sencha, five roasted green teas, and five blended options. Then you brew each one yourself using the teapot the staff recommends for that particular tea, learning the temperature and timing that bring out its character. As you prepare and taste what you've made, you'll compare the aromas and flavors side by side. The differences become obvious once you're holding the cup. Seasonal Japanese sweets arrive alongside the teas, and you leave with a small souvenir.

The instruction happens mainly in Japanese, though the staff can offer basic explanations in simple English and will use a translation app if you need it. There's no professional interpreter included, so if you speak some Japanese or are comfortable with gestures and visual demonstration, you'll get more from the hour. Strollers are welcome in the shop itself, though if you're in the tatami room with a baby, you'll need to hold them rather than use the stroller during the session.

What’s included

• Three teas of your choice from fifteen varieties.
• instruction on brewing technique.
• seasonal Japanese sweets.
• a small souvenir.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Tuesday and SundayDepartures at 10:00, 13:30 and 15:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 4

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPets welcome

Operated by 松翁園なべしま銘茶

Is this one for you?The session runs about an hour and is conducted mainly in Japanese, so it works best if you speak some Japanese, are comfortable learning through demonstration and gesture, or travel with someone who can translate. The hands-on brewing and tasting are the core. You're not watching a demonstration, you're making the tea yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

What's the difference between sencha, hojicha, and blended tea?

Sencha is a fresh Japanese green tea with a bright, grassy character; hojicha is roasted green tea with a deeper, toasted flavor; blended tea combines green tea with other ingredients like flowers or herbs. The shop carries five varieties of each, and you'll taste three of your choosing to see how they differ.

Do I need to know anything about tea before I arrive?

No prior knowledge is required. The tea shop staff will teach you how to brew each type you choose, explaining which teapot suits which tea and why temperature and timing matter. You learn by doing.

Is the experience in English?

The instruction is conducted mainly in Japanese. Staff can provide basic explanations in simple English and will use a translation app to help bridge gaps, but a professional English interpreter is not included in the experience.

What happens if I'm visiting with young children?

Strollers are allowed inside the tea shop, but the tasting session takes place in a tatami room where you'll need to hold your baby rather than use the stroller. Infants and small children are welcome, and service animals are permitted throughout.

What's included in the hour?

The experience includes the tea leaves you brew and taste, seasonal Japanese sweets served alongside, a small souvenir to take home, and instruction from the tea shop staff on how to brew each tea properly.