Kinokuniya’s Kyomachiya store in Kyoto is offering a ¥7,700 autumn gyokuro workshop on October 25, 2026. The session introduces senchado utensils, tea-making movements and the basics of brewing and enjoying gyokuro.
The workshop takes place in two sessions at the historic Kinokuniya Kyomachiya in Nakagyo Ward, with each session limited to four adults. Advance registration and payment are required, and cancellations are not accepted from seven days before the event.
Participants will learn about the Obaku Baisa school of senchado, practise the tea-making procedure themselves and taste tea prepared by instructor Taisen Karaki. The participation fee is ¥7,700 (tax included and materials included).
About the Autumn Gyokuro Workshop
Rather than focusing only on tasting, the class follows the process of learning, brewing and tasting gyokuro. Participants first study the tools and background of senchado, then repeat the procedure with a deeper understanding of its cultural setting. A question-and-answer session is included, followed by tea prepared by Karaki in his own formal style.
Highlights
- Participation costs ¥7,700 (tax included, with materials included).
- Each of the two sessions is limited to four adults aged 18 or over.
- The program covers senchado utensils, brewing movements and the Obaku Baisa school.
- Participants brew tea themselves and later enjoy tea prepared by instructor Taisen Karaki.
- The class is held inside a renovated 160-year-old Kyoto machiya used by Kinokuniya as a concept store.
Workshop & Venue Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Autumn Gyokuro Workshop at Kinokuniya Kyomachiya |
| Menu / items | Gyokuro tea, senchado utensils, tea brewing practice, tea prepared by the instructor |
| Period | October 25, 2026 (Sun), 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. or 2:00–4:00 p.m.; doors open at 10:20 a.m. and 1:50 p.m. |
| Location | Kinokuniya Kyomachiya, Kyoto |
| Stores | Kinokuniya Kyomachiya in Kyoto |
| Address | 129 Matsushita-cho, Tomikoji-dori, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto |
| Price | Workshop participation: ¥7,700 (tax included and materials included) |
| Official website | Official website; Workshop registration |
Before you buy
- When can I book the Autumn Gyokuro Workshop?
- Advance registration is required through the online form. The workshop takes place on October 25, 2026, in two sessions, and each session is limited to four adults.
- How much is the Autumn Gyokuro Workshop?
- The participation fee is ¥7,700 (tax included and materials included).
- Can I cancel my booking?
- Cancellations are not accepted from seven days before the workshop.
The class is led by Taisen Karaki, a senior instructor of the Obaku Baisa school of senchado. His work has included teaching senchado for the NHK drama Rising Wakao and appearing on the NHK program The Beauty of Pots for an episode about brewed Japanese tea.
The Obaku Baisa school developed from the tea culture of Manpukuji Temple on Mount Obaku in Uji, Kyoto. Its practice places emphasis on both the formal procedure of making tea and the awareness expressed through each movement.
Kinokuniya Kyomachiya opened in spring 2025 as a new concept store for the long-established food company. The shop occupies a renovated machiya built around 160 years ago near Tomikoji and Oike, creating a setting where visitors can explore Kinokuniya’s food culture in a traditional Kyoto environment.
For questions about the workshop, the venue lists the phone number 075-744-1219 and the email address choushinjo-cs@e-kinokuniya.co.jp. The store also provides an online booking site and official Instagram account for venue information.
