You may think that in our modern world, the average person doesn’t actually stop and have lengthy tea ceremonies on a daily basis, and you would be absolutely correct. Modern tea consumption is a much more casual affair, somewhat removed from the tea ceremonies from days of old. It is often made more quickly and perhaps with less pomp and circumstance. Still, drinking tea is an opportunity to slow down and calm the mind for a moment. Here we’ll introduce to you some of the best places to enjoy casual Matcha in Nagano City.
Maccha House Zenkoji Nagamise
Located conveniently next to the temple, Maccha House is an excellent place to enjoy tea after touring Zenkoji Temple. Here you can order a traditional matcha set with a sweet or a more modern matcha latte, and everything in between. This modern take on a tea house / café is a great place to relax for a moment on your travels.
Open daily from 10:00AM to 7:00PM
Chokien
Chokien is located across from Nagano Omotesando Central Square. Of course they have traditional tea on the menu, but the real draw here is the ice cream. Their matcha soft-serve is a must-have in Nagano City. A cold treat to cool off on a hot summer day is just what’s needed on your journey.
Open weekdays from 9:00AM to 6:30PM, and weekends from 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Matcha, Home-Style
If you would like to truly experience how people actually enjoy tea without the ceremony, why not witness it first-hand? Samurai warriors have long valued tea for the brief moment of peace and reflection it offers, especially after a long day of training or fighting. This allowed the Samurai to refocus their minds and find peace and balance within themselves and their lives.
We recommend booking a Samurai Training and Home-Style Matcha Experience. In this experience, you will learn the ways of the samurai and how to use a katana, followed by the casual, unscripted enjoyment of tea in a traditional Japanese dojo.
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