Questions & Answers
What guests ask before their first ceremony or tin.
The Tea House
Yes. Each session seats only a few guests so the host can pour for everyone; book on the Book A Ceremony page and pay at the tea house.
Of course. The tea room serves pots of any tea on the menu from opening to an hour before closing, no booking needed.
Try the Tea Finder: choose the notes you like and it ranks our teas by how closely they match. Our sommelier is also happy to suggest one.
Every tea we pour is in the shop as loose leaf in 25, 50 and 100 g tins, with its own brewing guide.
Ceremonies
A matcha ceremony takes an hour, a gongfu ceremony seventy-five minutes and afternoon tea ninety. Please arrive ten minutes before your session.
Whatever is comfortable. The tatami room asks for socks and no shoes; we keep slippers by the door.
Children over eight are welcome at afternoon tea and the tasting; the ceremonies suit guests who can sit quietly for an hour.
Up to the seats left in a session. For a private ceremony for your group, write to us and we will open a session for you.
Loose Leaf & Shipping
We buy each garden's harvest once or twice a year and seal it in tins of 25, 50 and 100 g; each tin carries its harvest date.
Orders over $50 ship free. Under that, standard shipping is $6 and express next-day shipping $14. Collection from the tea house is always free.
Cool, dry and dark, away from strong smells. Kept closed, green and white teas stay bright for six months, oolong and black for a year or more.
Brewing
The leaf gives most at first. Adding a few seconds each time draws an even cup from every infusion until the leaf is spent.
Yes: boil the water, then let it stand. Two minutes brings it near 80 °C for green tea, four minutes near 70 °C for gyokuro.
Each tea's guide gives grams per 100 ml; move the vessel slider and the guide weighs the leaf for your pot or gaiwan.
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