Who Was Oda Urakusai? The Tea Master Who Was Oda Nobunaga’s Brother You may have heard of Yurakucho — one of Tokyo’s most familiar neighborhoods. But do you know where the name comes from? Yurakucho takes its name from Oda Urakusai, a feudal lord who once had his Edo residence on that very land. A […]
What is a Shodo (Japanese Calligraphy) Experience? Shodo — Japanese calligraphy — is the art of writing characters with ink and brush. More than simply writing, it is a practice of focusing the breath and following the flow of the brush, offering a sense of calm and deep satisfaction that is rare in everyday life. […]
“How long has tea ceremony been around?” One of our guests asked me this during a recent experience session. I told her it goes back over a thousand years — which is true — but I thought it deserved a more complete answer. So here’s a brief walkthrough of how the Japanese tea ceremony came […]
Children’s Day 2026 Hotel Activities | Matcha, Calligraphy & Origami Experience May 5th is Children’s Day — one of Japan’s most beloved national holidays. During Golden Week, hotels welcome many families with children. Why not offer something truly special this year? GreenTeaTokyo brings matcha, calligraphy, and origami workshops directly to your hotel. Our instructors arrive […]
Chimaki for Tango no Sekku: The Story Behind Japan’s Traditional Rice Dumpling May 5th is Children’s Day in Japan — a holiday marked by samurai helmets, carp streamers, and a special sweet: chimaki, the traditional Japanese rice dumpling. We recently received some beautiful chimaki from a wagashi (Japanese confectionery) artisan we work with. Wrapped in […]
How to Host a Matcha Tea Gathering at Home | A Step-by-Step Guide Using Tea Ceremony Tool Rental “I’d love to invite friends over and host a little tea gathering at home.” If that sounds like you, but you don’t own any tea ceremony tools and aren’t sure where to start — you’re not alone. […]
Ohigan & Matcha | The Meaning of Botamochi, Ohagi, and Tea Ceremony Culture Ohigan is almost here. This season — centered around the spring equinox — is a time to visit family graves, tend to home altars, and quietly honor those who came before us. When botamochi appears in sweet shops and supermarkets, you know […]
In October 2022, something significant happened for Japanese food culture. Namagashi with a kamei (nerikiri/konashi) — fresh Japanese sweets bearing poetic seasonal names — were officially registered as Japan’s Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Following washoku (Japanese cuisine) being inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, wagashi has now received formal […]
March 5, 2026: Japan’s Luckiest Day of the Year — The Deep Connection Between Tea Ceremony and Good Fortune Today, March 5, 2026, is an extraordinarily rare day in the Japanese calendar — four auspicious days overlap at once: Tenshanihi, Ichiryū Manbaibi, Tora no Hi, and Taian. Rather than just buying a lottery ticket, why […]
A new celebration gesture is taking the 2026 World Baseball Classic by storm: the “tea whisking pose” performed by Japan’s national baseball team, Samurai Japan. But where did it come from — and what does it have to do with traditional Japanese tea ceremony? Read on to find out. What Is the “Tea Whisking Pose”? […]
