Exquisite Hospitality: 450 years of Sowaryu-style tea ceremony and Sowaryu Honzen Kuzushi kaiseki
Rediscover fine dining done the way of the samurai with Sowaryu Honzen Kuzushi and the Sowaryu-style tea ceremony in Hida Takayama, a town famous for its well-established traditional crafts and historical districts. The Sowa style of tea ceremony, which left an indelible mark on the culture of Kyoto as a warrior-style tea ceremony practiced in various places from the gardens of Ohara Town's Sanzenin Temple to the tea rooms of Kinkakuji, was founded about 400 years ago by Shigechika “Sowa” of the Kanamori family that ruled the Hida-Takayama domain. It is said to be have been passed down mainly among Buddhist temples in Takayama. Prepared in the refined spirit of the tea ceremony is the Sowaryu Honzen, a kaiseki course said to date back from the late Edo-period, popular with the samurai class, and a rare luxury that very few restaurants continue to offer nationwide. While it originally features a staggering array of 30 dishes, the Sowaryu Honzen Kuzushi (simplified) course lunch instead showcases a selection of 11 dishes expertly put together from an abundance of fresh, local ingredients. After your sumptuous meal at the two Michelin stars' Ryoutei Susaki, you will then be transported to the long-established Nobato Chaho where you will learn about the differences between the tea ceremonies held by the merchant class and that of the samurai class, and enjoy Japanese sweets with Usucha ("thin tea" - usually used for tea ceremony).
Overview
- Season
- 2025/4/1~2026/3/31
- Activity Time
- 3 hours 30 min
- Place
-
Ryoutei Susaki（example）
〒506-0821 4-14 Shinmeicho, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture
- Detail
-
[Departure point] Ryoutei Susaki
[Arrival point] Nobata Chaho
[Meeting time] 11:30 Ryoutei Susaki
[Number of participants] 2 to 5 people
[Detailed Schedule]
・11:30 - Meetup at Ryoutei Susaki
・11:45 - Introduction to the restaurant architecture eg. entrance, rooms, followed by Sowaryu Honzen Kuzushi course lunch
・14:00 - Departure for Nobata Chaho by taxi after lunch
・14:15 - The warrior's way "Sowaryu Tea Ceremony" with Usucha (thin tea - usually used for tea ceremony)
・14:45 - End of course
* This itinerary is an example
[Reference price] From 41,400yen per person
[Recommended points]
● Experience both the tea ceremony and kaiseki, in the Sowa style, founded about 400 years ago by the Kanamori family that governed the Hida-Takayama domain.
● This is Gifu's oldest ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant), and an Important Cultural Property of Japan, giving you a taste of the classically refined, passed down throughout the generations. It is also a 2 Michelin star establishment.
● The Sowaryu Honzen Kaiseki Cuisine has been carefully preserved in Takayama for centuries, from the variety of its ingredients, to its elegant presentation, to the manner in which it was made.
● The traditional tea ceremony, a cultural practice that's uniquely Japanese, featured in this course is the "warrior's style" popular among the samurai class 400 years ago.
[Contact Information]
Discover GIFU
Phone number: +81-(0)58-265-4831 (weekdays 9:30-17:30)
Email address: customer@gifu-tj.jp
- Precautions
-
Please inform us of any food you cannot eat beforehand.
.jpeg)
