Advantages of Inviting a Business Tea Ceremony to a Private Residence: Providing a Unique Cultural Experience

Introduction

With the growing popularity of homestay accommodations, tea ceremony services are attracting attention as a way to provide guests with a more in-depth Japanese cultural experience.

This article details the benefits of incorporating business tea ceremonies into private accommodations.

In particular, we will focus on the added value of the cultural experience and delve into its importance.

1. added value of cultural experience

The greatest benefit of introducing business tea ceremonies to private accommodations is the opportunity to provide guests with an unparalleled cultural experience. This added value is an extremely important differentiator in the overnight stay business.

Providing the opportunity to experience Japanese culture firsthand

An encounter with authentic traditional culture: The tea ceremony is the essence of traditional Japanese culture. The traveling tea ceremony provides guests with an opportunity to experience authentic Japanese culture. This is an irreplaceable experience, especially for international visitors.
A sensory experience: The tea ceremony is a comprehensive cultural experience that uses all of the senses: sight (the setting of the tea room), hearing (the sound of the hot water), touch (the feel of the tea bowl), smell (the aroma of the tea), and taste (the flavor of the tea). This experience that stimulates all five senses is deeply etched in the memories of guests.
Insight into the depths of culture: Through the tea ceremony, guests can experience the underlying philosophy and aesthetics of Japanese culture, such as “harmony, respect, purity, and solitude” and “one life, one meeting. This leads to a deeper cultural understanding that cannot be gained through superficial sightseeing.

Creating Memories Beyond the Ordinary Lodging Experience

Creating a special feeling: Business trip tea ceremonies add a special element to the experience that is not part of a regular overnight stay. This extraordinary experience will greatly enrich guests’ travel memories.
An Instagram-worthy experience: The gestures of the tea ceremony and the beauty of the tea room are visually appealing. Guests will want to share this experience on social networking sites, and as a result, the guest experience can be promoted on social networking sites.
Skill acquisition: Guests can learn traditional Japanese manners and etiquette through the tea ceremony experience. This goes beyond mere memories and leads to the acquisition of practical skills.
Storytelling material: Guests can tell their friends and family about this unique experience after they return home. This has the effect of increasing the long-term value of the trip.

Promoting cultural exchange

Deepening understanding of the local culture: Business tea ceremonies provide an opportunity to deepen understanding of the local culture through tea utensils and manners unique to the area.
Rediscovery for Japanese guests: For Japanese guests, it is an opportunity to rediscover the depth of their own culture once again, making it a fresh experience.

2. effective use of space

Introducing business trip tea ceremonies to private accommodations can maximize the use of the accommodation’s space and make it more attractive.

Utilization of distinctive spaces such as Japanese-style rooms and gardens

Creation of new value in Japanese-style rooms:
- A Japanese-style room normally used simply as a bedroom can function as a tea room, greatly enhancing the value of the space.
- Elements of the Japanese-style room, such as tatami mats, fusuma sliding doors, and tokonoma (alcove), are perfectly suited to creating an atmosphere for the tea ceremony.
Utilization of the garden:
- Utilizing the garden as an open space (garden path leading to the tea room) enriches the experience before and after the tea ceremony.
- A garden where one can experience the changing seasons is an important element in enhancing the emotion of a tea ceremony.
Utilization of the veranda and courtyard:
- Enjoying thin tea at the veranda or tasting Japanese sweets while gazing out at the courtyard can be an experience that makes the most of the building’s features.

Flexibility of tea ceremony that can be implemented even in small spaces

Choose a tea ceremony style that fits your space:
- Even if you do not have a formal tea room, you can easily hold a tea ceremony in a ryurei style.
- A small table and chairs are sufficient to hold a tea ceremony in a variety of spaces.
Use of portable tea sets:
- By using a portable tea set, a tea ceremony can be held in any space.
- This allows for effective use of spaces that are not often used, such as rooftops and balconies.
The space changes with the time of day:
- Different spaces can be used at different times of the day: morning tea in the living room in the morning, evening tea in the garden in the evening, etc.

3.Promoting interaction among guests

The tea ceremony onsite offers more than just a cultural experience. It promotes interaction among guests and creates opportunities to build memorable relationships.

Creating opportunities for communication among overnight guests through tea ceremonies

Fostering a sense of intimacy through common experiences:
- Sharing the extraordinary experience of a tea ceremony naturally brings overnight guests closer together.
- In the process of learning tea ceremony etiquette together, conversation naturally occurs and an atmosphere of openness is created.
Continued interaction after the tea ceremony:
- Guests who get to know each other through the tea ceremony are more likely to continue to interact with each other during their subsequent stays.
- This improves overall satisfaction with the lodging experience and leads to an increase in repeat guests.
Use as a group event:
- By inviting several individual travelers or small groups together to a single tea party, you can provide an opportunity for larger-scale interaction.

Function as a venue for cross-cultural exchange

Communication across language barriers:
- Communication without words is possible through the gestures and utensils of the tea ceremony.
- This especially facilitates interaction between foreign visitors who speak different languages.
Mutual understanding of cultures:
- By having Japanese and non-Japanese people participate in the same tea ceremony, they have the opportunity to discuss cultural differences and similarities.
- Foreigners who have learned about Japanese culture through the tea ceremony can introduce their own culture to each other.
Long-term international exchange:
- Encounters at tea ceremonies may lead to continued exchanges through SNS and other means even after returning home.
- This indicates that minpaku are more than just accommodations, but can also serve as a base for international exchange. 4.

4. social networking and word-of-mouth effect

Because traveling tea ceremonies offer a visually appealing and unique experience, they can be expected to generate publicity through SNS and word-of-mouth promotion.

SNS dissemination of visually appealing tea ceremony experience

Beautiful tea utensils and wagashi (Japanese confectionery) are photographically appealing:
- Tea bowls and wagashi that match the season are like works of art in themselves, and are photographically appealing.
- These images can be shared on SNS, spreading the appeal of the private stay far and wide.
Video sharing of tea ceremony etiquette and atmosphere:
- Short videos capturing the tea ceremony and the tranquil atmosphere of the tea room will attract viewers’ interest.
- They can be spread on short-form video platforms such as Instagram Reels and TikTok.
Utilize influencers:
- Inviting travel influencers and offering a tea ceremony experience can provide greater exposure.

Word-of-mouth effect and increased customer attraction through unique experiences

Power of real word of mouth:
- The special experience of a tea ceremony is a buzz-worthy topic that guests will want to tell their friends and family about directly.
- Word of mouth through personal connections is highly credible and has a powerful promotional effect.
High ratings in online reviews:
- Mentioning a tea ceremony experience in reviews on Airbnb and travel websites can improve a property’s reputation.
- It is a great way to catch the eye of travelers looking for a “unique experience” or “cultural experience.”
Gain repeat visitors and attract new customers:
- Guests who are satisfied with their tea ceremony experience are more likely to return for another season or occasion.
- New customers who hear about the tea ceremony experience through word of mouth are also likely to make reservations for the tea ceremony experience.
Value as a local tourism resource:
- If the tea ceremony experience at a private accommodation gains popularity, it may increase its value as a tourism resource for the region as a whole.
- This can be expected to lead to cooperation with local tourism associations, etc., and attract even more visitors. 5.

5. coordination with seasonal and special events

Traveling tea ceremonies can be linked to seasonal changes and special events to provide a more attractive and diverse experience. This increases guest satisfaction and attracts repeat guests.

Seasonal tea ceremonies and special events

Seasonal tea ceremonies:
- Spring: Nodate tea ceremony to admire cherry blossoms
- Summer: Tea ceremony in a mizuya (water house) to feel the cool air
- Autumn: Nodate tea ceremony to enjoy the autumn leaves
- Winter: Tea Ceremony at Ro-Okiraki (opening of the fireplace)
Cooperation with traditional events:
- New Year’s Day: Hatsugama tea ceremony
- Setsubun: Tea ceremony with Japanese sweets with beans
- Otsukimi (moon viewing): tea ceremony on the night of the fifteenth day of the fifth month
Linkage with local festivals and events:
- Special tea ceremonies in conjunction with local festivals
- Evening tea ceremony to enjoy the cool air before or after a fireworks display

Providing a variety of experiences to attract repeat customers

Series of projects to experience the depth of the tea ceremony:
- Holding tea ceremonies for different levels, such as for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students
- Providing different experiences each time, such as light tea, dark tea, dry confections, fresh confections, etc.
Integration with other Japanese cultures:
- Experiences combining calligraphy and tea ceremony
- Collaborative projects between flower arrangement and tea ceremony
- Collaboration tea ceremony with yokai and ghost stories
Special programs for foreigners:
- Tea ceremony in English
- Tea ceremony classes to learn about tea ceremony by comparing it with the beverage culture of your own country

By offering these diverse experiences, guests will discover something new no matter how many times they visit, and this will motivate them to return repeatedly as repeat customers. In addition, special experiences that coincide with seasons and events are also effective in attracting guests outside of periods when reservations are concentrated.

6. stress-relieving and healing effects

Tea ceremony is more than just a cultural experience; it greatly contributes to guests’ mental and physical relaxation and stress relief. This effect is an important factor that significantly improves the quality of a stay at a private residence.

The spiritual benefits of the tea ceremony improve the quality of the stay

Mindfulness practice:
- By concentrating on the gestures of preparing the tea and turning the tea bowl, one naturally attains a state of mindfulness (being aware of the present moment).
- This allows us to free ourselves from the distractions of daily life and regain our calmness of mind.
Enrichment of the mind through the spirit of “Ichiiki Ichigo-Ichiei:
- The spirit of “ichiki ichikkai” (cherish this moment) in the tea ceremony makes the journey more profound.
- It allows you to forget the busyness of daily life and reaffirm the importance of living in the present moment.
Self-enlightenment through learning manners:
- The process of learning tea ceremony etiquette provides an opportunity for self-reflection.
- Learning to be courteous and considerate of others will have a positive impact on your daily life.
Fostering a sense of beauty:
- Through exposure to the beauty of tea room settings and tea utensils, students develop an aesthetic sense.
- This enhances one’s ability to notice small beauties in daily life and improves the quality of one’s life.

Relaxation through quiet time

The “ma” experience:
- The quiet “ma” time at a tea ceremony is a precious opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and face oneself.
- This experience brings about a state of deep relaxation and refreshes the body and mind.
Relaxation through the five senses:
- Sight: The simplicity and sophistication of the teahouse space is calming.
- Hearing: Listening to the sounds of nature, such as the sound of hot water and the wind, enhances relaxation.
- Tactile: Feeling the warmth and texture of the tea bowl is calming.
- Sense of smell: The aroma of matcha tea is believed to have a relaxing effect.
- Taste: The balance between the bitter taste of matcha and the sweetness of Japanese sweets fills the mind through the sense of taste.
Breathing adjustment:
- Breathing is naturally regulated as you bow and turn the tea bowl, activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
- This calms the heart rate and leads to a state of deep relaxation.
Digital detox:
- During a tea ceremony, being away from smartphones and other digital devices provides an opportunity for digital detoxification.
- This frees the body from the stress caused by information overload and refreshes the mind and body.

These stress-relieving and healing effects greatly enhance the guest stay experience.

This will be especially attractive to guests from urban areas who want to free themselves from the stresses of work and daily life.

This effect can also be expected to persist after their stay and continue to have a positive impact even after they return to their daily lives.

Conclusion

Introducing traveling tea ceremonies is an effective way to add a unique attraction to private accommodations and provide guests with an unforgettable experience.

In particular, the added value of the cultural experience can greatly differentiate and improve the competitiveness of the minpaku business.

By responding to the needs of travelers seeking authentic Japanese cultural experiences, minshaku can go beyond mere lodging and create new value as a venue for cultural exchange.