Recently, I went on a trip to Japan and decided to take sweets making class and tea ceremony in Kyoto. It was absolutely amazing and a must for anyone who is considering visiting Japan. One of the best parts about this class was that you also had a chance to wear a kimono to rent for photos and to wear for the ceremony. Also, they made up your hair in a Japanese style along with the sandals in the garden for photos.
After dressing in a kimono, the sweets making class began and we were instructed to make a flower using special tools. The paste was made from sweet white beans and filled the middle with anko (red bean paste). After following the first tutorial, we then proceeded to make our own design for our second sweet. I decided on making a monkey in honour of the cute monkeys I fed peanuts to in Arashiyama the previous day. We were then able to pack one for later who I then gave to a friend and one for the tea ceremony.
The tea ceremony involved an intricate process of making matcha tea, as well as eating the Japanese sweet (wagashi). In my class, there were also 3 other participants, and it was also run in English, so you don't have to worry about trying to communicate with the instructor. After the tea ceremony, we were able to take more photos in the garden. In total, the class was 2hrs long and they usually run around 12pm. Overall, I had a wonderful time and it was definitely a highlight for my trip. I hope you enjoyed this review and have a chance to visit!
Here is the link to where I took the sweets making class & tea ceremony in Kyoto: mai-ko.com
First Two Photos by: Mack Hori :)
Last few photos by: Lauren Tang and by one of the other students in the sweets making class. Shoutout to them for taking great photos!
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