Shusui-tei, Tea ceremony venue in Kamigyō-ku, Japan
Shusui-tei is a tea ceremony venue situated beside a pond with carp and turtles, surrounded by maple and crape myrtle trees on its main terrace. The building provides space for traditional tea rituals in a historic setting.
This tea house was built around 200 years ago and belonged to the former Kujo family estate near the Imperial Palace grounds. The family presided over significant cultural and political institutions during that period.
The tea house displays traditional sukiya architecture with paper partitions, connecting the main ground-floor room to a wide veranda where visitors encounter a tsukubai basin for ritual hand washing.
The venue welcomes visitors on Fridays and Saturdays year-round, offering the chance to experience traditional tea ceremonies. It is wise to check in advance whether special conditions or particular access rules apply.
The second floor contains a single room providing views over the pond, an uncommon feature among Kyoto tea houses where upper-floor access is typically restricted. This exception offers visitors an unexpected perspective on the surrounding nature and garden.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
