Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony (東京大茶会) has been held yearly since 2008. Its main objective is to introduce the Japanese tea ceremony, as well as the culture of Edo-Tokyo, to a broad audience. A tea ceremony is usually a formal event, but Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony aims to create a lively atmosphere so that everyone learns in a pleasant way. Since its beginning, the event has attracted almost 300,000 people.
The event takes place across two weekends, with differing venues. The 2026 dates are as follows:
- October 24 – 25 @ Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum (10:30am–4:00pm)
- Oct 31 – November 1 @ Hamarikyu Gardens (10:00am–5:30pm)
Access to the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum is free, while Hamarikyu Gardens is 300 JPY for adults.
This year, all tea ceremony tickets will be available for purchase on the day at the respective venues, with no advance sales, and sales will end once tickets are sold out. Tickets are also required for the outdoor nodate tea ceremonies. Tea ceremonies with English explanations will be held at both venues: at Hamarikyu Gardens, they will take place in the Azumaya pavilion, while at the Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum, they will be held in the tea house.
Unlike what is indicated by its name, Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony is not only about tea ceremonies. Various events are scheduled to suit all tastes: traditional dance performances, demonstrations of Japanese candy art, ikebana, and many others.
