As of November 21st, Tokyo Tower is offering visitors the chance to enjoy a traditional tea ceremony while enjoying the wonderful views to be had from the observation deck of Tokyo Tower. It is a great opportunity to enjoy a quiet time in the morning with some matcha tea and sweets.

The ceremony performed at Tokyo Tower is called Asacha no Yu and is presided over by Muneyuki Mori, a 16th generation tea ceremony teacher. The rules of Japan’s famous tea ceremony were established in the 16th century and Mr. Mori is descended from one of the families that followed the tradition of the Sengoku warlord, Tadamasa Mori. Mr. Mori studied the Urasenke tea ceremony under Seso Masa, received the sect name Souyu from the Urasenke and is now an Associate Professor of the Urasenke Tea Ceremony.

But you needn’t feel intimidated by all that history. The tea ceremony at Tokyo Tower is not performed in a formal tearoom and you don’t have to know anything about the tea ceremony to enjoy the experience. You don’t have to bring anything with you and chairs are available for those who struggle to sit on the floor for extended periods of time.

There are audio explanations available in English, French and Spanish and a team of attendants, who have all passed the Tea Ceremony Culture Test, are on hand so that visitors can enjoy themselves with complete peace of mind.

The observation deck is also playing host to a selection of works by traditional craft artists from all over the country. Foremost among them are precious tea utensils, which have been handed down from the Edo period.

Tokyo Tower receives a large number of visitors every day, but the Asacha no Yu morning tea ceremony is held before it opens to the general public, so you’ll have the place to yourself for the duration of the ceremony.

The ceremony is only open to 20 visitors at any one time, so you can enjoy a quiet cup of tea in the observatory in the morning while gazing over the city as it prepares for another working day.

The observation deck of Tokyo Tower is 150m above ground level and offers wonderful views over central Tokyo. The tower was built as a general radio tower in 1958 and the observation deck was refurbished in 2019 as part of ongoing efforts to rebrand the Tower as a cultural destination. Now it is making its debut as a place where you can enjoy the serene delights of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

The tea ceremony at Tokyo Tower takes place every other Saturday, starting from Saturday, November 21st, 2020. Visitors are asked to come to reception at 08:15. Doors open at 08:30.

Admission is ¥3330 per person, which covers entry to the main observation deck and the tea ceremony participation fee. Please be advised that visibility may be poor depending on the weather.

To reserve a place, please visit the following website.