Step through the doors of one of Kyoto’s photogenic wooden houses – or machiya – and learn about the rich cultural heritage still found here.

Begin by getting changed into a kimono, the iconic garment of Japan, and learn more about the architecture of your surroundings.  Observe as a local tea master prepares, brews and serves green tea in a ceremony – sado – that is steeped in hundreds of years of history.  Gain a greater understanding of the rituals and reasons behind this age-old form of hospitality.  Next, learn to precisely fold and form a sheet of paper in an introduction to origami – and create your own beautiful decoration to take away with you.