This program offers a chance to experience the spirit of Cha no Yu (the Way of Tea) and bring home the essence of mindfulness that you can apply in everyday life.
Through preparing and drinking tea, you learn to appreciate each moment with gratitude and presence — a reflection of the Japanese way of harmony with nature.
Your facilitator, Miki, gently guides you through each step of the tea ceremony — creating a mindful escape in Kamakura, just a short trip from Tokyo and a meaningful way to connect with Japanese culture.
Contents(2 hours)
This program consists of three parts:
1. Tea ceremony as a guest
Feel the tea ceremony as a guest at a tea gathering(seasonal fresh wagashi and matcha).
2. A practice session
Learn and practice how to perform a tea ceremony at the table, so that you can actually recreate at home.
3. Tea ceremony as a host
Perform tea ceremony as a host (another seasonal wagashi and matcha).
Orientation
The session begins with an orientation. Miki explains the flow of the ceremony, shares a little history about tea, and adds a few stories that make the learning experience even richer.
Learn As a Guest
Sitting on a chair, guests first experienced the role of a guest — receiving a traditional higashi (干菓子:dried sweet) and prepared matcha from Miki.
This is the moment to observe, appreciate, and taste the tea with mindfulness for the next practice session.
Practice Learning How to Use Fukusa
Next came the fukusa, a silk cloth used to purify the tea utensils.
Miki demonstrated how to handle it properly, a simple but essential movement that reflects respect and purity in every gesture.Remembering all the steps can be tricky, but that’s part of its charm.
Meditation and Breathing
One special feature of this program is Miki’s guidance on breathing and posture.
By focusing on the breath and aligning the body, guests find inner calm and prepare their minds for the act of tea-making.
Enjoying the Main Sweet
Before making tea, guests enjoy a beautiful omogashi (主菓子:fresh Japanese sweet), appreciating its delicate design and seasonal flavor.
Making Tea Yourself
Then, it’s time to make tea.
Following Miki’s step-by-step guidance, guests carefully whisked the matcha — not for others this time, but for oneself.
It was a quiet, mindful moment to connect inwardly through tea.
In this program, guests practice the tea ceremony while sitting on chairs at a table. You can also choose to sit on a small raised seating area, as shown in the photo.
Commemorative Photo and Closing
The mindful experience ends with a commemorative photo.
Kamakura is just a short trip from Tokyo — a perfect destination for a one-day escape where you can experience the essence of Japanese culture.
No Kneeling (Seiza) Required
Perfect for anyone who would like a genuine tea ceremony experience in a relaxed, chair-style setting — without worry about sitting on tatami mats.
Solo Participants Welcome
Solo bookings are accepted for sessions that include other participants.
Japanese Tea Ceremony (sadō)
The Japanese tea ceremony is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea, the procedure of which is called temae.
It is rooted in the principles of Zen Buddhism and founded upon the reverence of the beautiful in the daily routine of life.
It is an aesthetic way of welcoming guests, in which everything is done according to an established order.
For travelers looking for a matcha experience near Tokyo, Kamakura offers the perfect setting—a peaceful town where tradition meets nature.
Article: Welcoming a Guest from France
Link: https://kamakura-experience.jp/2025/10/30/mindfulness_tea_ceremony_france_guest/
Facilitator
Miki Fujisaki
Miki Fujisaki explores a world without boundaries—where everyone can feel at home and experience a deep sense of harmony and flow.
She spent eight years working as a flight attendant in Japan and the UK, where she also began her journey into the practice of tea ceremony.
Inspired by the café cultures she encountered around the world, Miki pursued her dream of opening a Japanese-style café in London. In 2010, her café was recognized by a global magazine as the world’s best cozy café.
After returning to Japan, she discovered mindfulness NLP®, coaching, and facilitation. This led her to begin offering personal sessions and workshops.
Today, Miki offers life and business coaching, tea sessions inspired by the concept of interbeing, as well as workshops, concept planning, and cross-cultural project launches between Japan and abroad.
Her original tea sessions—rooted in the philosophy of the Way of Tea and the interconnectedness of all things—have become a meaningful way for people to bring calm, awareness, and presence into everyday life.
Qualifications
- Mindfulness NLP® Coaching Master Practitioner
- Certified Master Practitioner by the American NLP Association
- Chado(way of tea) Certified Instructor (Urasenke school)
- Food Hygiene Supervisor
