Last summer, I had the chance to try one of the things I had wanted to do in Japan. It turned out to be one of the most memorable cultural experiences of my trip.
Together with my sister-in-law, I visited Asakusa to experience grinding matcha with a traditional stone mill.
My sister-in-law stayed with us in Japan for two months, and I traveled with her to Tokyo before she returned home. That became the perfect opportunity for this experience.
A Rare Tea Ceremony Experience in Asakusa
There are many places where you can try a tea ceremony in Japan.
However, it is quite rare to find one that includes a stone mill grinding experience.
The place I was able to book was Chazen, a tea ceremony experience in Asakusa that offers hands-on activities such as grinding matcha with a traditional stone mill along with a full tea ceremony experience.
It follows the Urasenke style of tea ceremony, which I have been studying for many years. It felt like a meaningful connection for me to experience the same school of tea in a different setting.
The Experience Begins in English
We joined the session together with a family visiting from Luxembourg, so the entire experience was conducted in English.
It started with a video lecture introducing tea ceremony, giving us an overview of the basics.
Grinding Matcha with a Stone Mill
As I slowly turned the handle of the stone mill, the matcha gradually came out as a fine powder.
It was fascinating to watch, and I found myself thinking how amazing it was to see the process firsthand.
Although most matcha today is produced using machines or electric stone mills, experiencing it by hand gave me a much deeper appreciation.
Entering the Tea Room
There was also a traditional stone basin for cleansing hands, which added to the authenticity of the experience.
After purifying our hands, we entered the tatami tea room through a small entrance called a nijiriguchi.
This was my first time experiencing it, even though I have practiced tea ceremony in Japan.
The nijiriguchi is designed so that everyone must bow and enter in the same way, symbolizing equality and humility. Even samurai had to leave their swords behind before entering.
Inside the Tea Room
The tea room itself was beautifully arranged, including the tokonoma alcove.
A tokonoma is a decorative space in a traditional Japanese room where items such as a hanging scroll and seasonal flowers are displayed. It reflects the season and the host’s intention, and guests quietly appreciate it before the tea begins.
While explaining each step in English, the host performed the tea ceremony in front of us.
Enjoying Sweets and Matcha
We were served seasonal Japanese sweets, nerikiri, followed by freshly prepared matcha.
Nerikiri is a traditional Japanese sweet made mainly from white bean paste.
It is known for its delicate texture and beautiful seasonal designs, often shaped like flowers or inspired by nature.
In tea ceremony, nerikiri is served and eaten before matcha, pairing well with its slight bitterness.
After watching the demonstration, we also had the chance to prepare matcha ourselves.
A Meaningful and Memorable Experience
The session lasted about 45 minutes, but it was full of rich content.
Even as someone who studies tea ceremony, I discovered new perspectives and truly enjoyed it.
Seeing and experiencing something in person is so different from simply hearing about it.
This reminded me once again how important it is to try things firsthand.
If you are visiting Japan, I highly recommend trying a tea ceremony experience in Asakusa.
If you are interested, I also share a modern and approachable way to enjoy tea ceremony in everyday life on this blog. You can learn more here.
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