Fascinating Garden
Culture Experience

Enjoy seasonal Japanese sweets and tea in the teahouse or the Shoin where tea ceremonies have been held since the Edo period.

The custom of tea culture originated in China and developed into the "tea ceremony" after its introduction to Japan.

The successive generations of Abbots of the Higashi Honganji have been deeply involved with tea ceremony ever since tea master Sen no Rikyu and Kyonyo Shonin established a close friendship. Due to their preference for the Matsuo-ry and Urasenke schools of tea ceremony, the teahouses such as the Shukuen-tei and the Ro-an with its elegant tea garden still remain. The teahouses were also used for sencha tea ceremonies using a kind of infused leaf tea favored by cultured people. Such was the design of the Shösei-en that it allowed its guests to make a tour of the three teahouses to enjoy drink, food, and sencha tea at each place respectively as part of tea ceremony.
In 1936 (Showa 11), recommendations of experts in the cultural arts led to the designation of the Buddhist temple garden Shösei-en as one of the National Scenic Spots of Japan.

Enjoy seasonal Japanese sweets and tea in a teahouse or shoin(drawing room) for private use, where tea ceremonies have been held since Edo period, while gazing at the elegant and literati style garden.

*Chanoyu or Sencha-do tea ceremony is available as an option (at an additional charge)