Tokyo: Full-Day Zen, Tea Ceremony & Calligraphy Retreat (8h)

Begin your wellness journey at a quiet neighborhood temple, where a resident monk introduces correct posture and breathing before guiding you through an authentic zazen meditation. A short trial sit helps you settle in, and for those who wish, the keisaku encouragement stick may be offered to gently restore focus. This peaceful start creates a calm, centered state of mind before continuing to a dedicated tearoom for a refined tea experience paired with shojin cuisine. You will learn proper tearoom etiquette, including how to enter, bow, and handle the chawan, while observing selected temae movements that reveal the grace and intention behind the tea ceremony.

After watching the demonstration, you will whisk your own usucha and enjoy seasonal wagashi alongside carefully prepared plant-based dishes. The experience highlights how seasonality, utensils, and thoughtful hospitality come together in harmony, reflecting the philosophy of the Way of Tea. The day concludes with a hands-on calligraphy workshop, where you practice brush grip, ink control, and basic strokes before creating a final piece on a shikishi board, featuring your name in kanji or a meaningful character. Throughout the experience, your guide provides cultural insight and a gentle pace, leaving you feeling relaxed, nourished, and inspired.