Whisking your own bowl of matcha in a tatami room, five minutes from Senso-ji, is one of the most-booked cultural experiences in Tokyo — and one of the most confusing to shop for. Prices range from ¥3,500 to well over ¥10,000, some venues run in English and some don’t, and the booking platforms all show slightly different numbers.
This guide compares the main tea ceremony and matcha-making experiences in Asakusa as of 2026: what each one costs, how long it takes, whether English is genuinely supported, and what to do if everything is booked out.
Quick comparison
| Venue | Price (per person) | Duration | English | Kimono option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chazen (茶禅) | ¥3,500 shared / ¥5,000 private | ~45 min | Yes | — |
| Jidaiya (時代屋) | ¥5,500 (min. 2; solo ¥11,000) | 30–50 min | Yes | +¥6,600 (kimono) / +¥5,500 (yukata) |
| Shizu-Kokoro | ¥5,500 (incl. tax) | ~90 min | Yes (taught in English) | No |
| Minamikaze (南風) | from ¥5,000 | 60–90 min | Yes (EN/JA; ZH by advance request) | Free rental |
| MAIKOYA | see booking page (OTA listings from ~$54 with kimono) | ~90 min (with kimono) / under 1 hr (ceremony only) | Yes | Included in kimono plan |
All prices are from each venue’s official page as of August 2026 — always confirm on the booking page, as prices and schedules change.
Chazen — the budget-friendly classic by Kaminarimon
Chazen (茶禅) sits two minutes from Kaminarimon gate and runs the most accessible format on this list: a ~45-minute session starting every hour between 10:00 and 17:00, covering a short lecture, grinding tea leaves, a whisking demonstration, a seasonal Japanese sweet, and finally whisking your own bowl.
- Price: ¥3,500 per person (shared session) / ¥5,000 per person (private, from 2 people)
- Booking: official site, prepaid. Note the cancellation policy — for shared sessions, 50% from 7 days before and 100% on the day before or day of
- Good to know: no dress code, but bare feet aren’t allowed on the tatami — wear socks
Jidaiya — the flexible one (chairs and wheelchairs welcome)
Asakusa Jidaiya (時代屋) is a long-running cultural experience house. The tea ceremony runs 30–50 minutes depending on group size, with English-speaking instructors, and — rare for a tatami-centric activity — chair seating and wheelchair access.
- Price: ¥5,500 per person (from 2 people; solo participation ¥11,000)
- Add-ons: kimono +¥6,600, yukata +¥5,500 (plan on 90–120 minutes with dressing)
- Good to know: recommended for ages 8+; photos allowed, video and audio recording are not
Shizu-Kokoro — the serious one (Urasenke school)
If you want the closest thing to a real chado lesson rather than a tourist demo, Shizu-Kokoro is a small Urasenke-school studio in Kotobuki, just south of Asakusa (nearest station: Tawaramachi, about 3 minutes’ walk, one stop from Asakusa). The 90-minute workshop is taught in English, runs Tuesday–Saturday in four daily slots, and is usually capped at ten guests.
- Price: ¥5,500 per person (tax included); private sessions ¥44,000 for up to 8
- Good to know: recommended for ages 10+; you’ll sit on tatami, so skip the miniskirt or tight trousers; no kimono rental — this one is about the tea
Minamikaze — table-style, no kneeling, three languages
Minamikaze (南風) is a six-minute walk from Asakusa Station, across the Sumida River in the Azumabashi area. Its “table tea ceremony” format means chairs instead of seiza kneeling, sessions run 60–90 minutes in Japanese or English (Chinese available by advance request), and kimono rental is free. Groups of 6–30 can book, which makes it the go-to for larger parties.
- Price: from ¥5,000 per person
MAIKOYA — the kimono-photo package
MAIKOYA Asakusa is the biggest name on the booking platforms, pairing the tea ceremony with full kimono dressing — the plan most people book for photos. The kimono plan runs about 90 minutes; a ceremony-only “casual clothes” session finishes inside an hour. Yen prices aren’t published on the site, so compare the official booking widget against Viator or Expedia listings (from around $54 for the kimono plan) before you commit.
- Good to know: children under 7 can’t enter the tea room; under-12s are steered to the family plan
How to choose
- Shortest on time or budget: Chazen — ¥3,500 and 45 minutes, hourly starts
- Want the kimono photos: MAIKOYA or Jidaiya’s kimono add-on
- Want to actually learn: Shizu-Kokoro’s Urasenke workshop
- Group, chairs, or Chinese-language support: Minamikaze
- Traveling solo: Chazen’s shared sessions (Jidaiya charges double for solo guests)
Booking-platform note: GetYourGuide lists Asakusa tea ceremonies from about $28 for one-hour sessions to around $45–55 with kimono. The platforms are convenient, but for the smaller venues the official sites show the definitive schedule and price.
Couldn’t get a booking? Drink your matcha anyway
Tea ceremony slots in Asakusa sell out days ahead in high season, and the whole exercise takes an hour or two out of your itinerary. If the timing doesn’t work — or you just want the matcha without the ceremony — WOW!CHA is our matcha stand by the Rokku Broadway entertainment street, about five minutes west of Senso-ji.
No tatami, no reservation, no line worth mentioning: matcha whisked into 16 oz iced lattes, strawberry and mango fruit matcha, and a sugar-free matcha green tea for anyone who wants the straight, ceremony-grade taste in a cup. Order, watch it made, and be back under the temple gate in ten minutes.
- Where: 2-5-5 Asakusa, Taito-ku (Rokku Broadway area)
- Hours: Mon–Thu 11:00–17:00, Fri–Sun & holidays 11:00–21:00 (may close in bad weather)
Either way — bowl and whisk in a tatami room, or a cold cup on the walk to the temple — don’t leave Asakusa without tasting real matcha.