Yuuhisai Koudoukan
[TEA & ART]
The Kodokan was a place of learning established by the Confucian scholar Minagawa Kien (1734–1807), who taught his philosophy to some 3,000 followers from all over Japan in this very location. Minagawa was also skilled in the arts of poetry, calligraphy, and ink painting, and was held in high regard by many powerful samurai lords.
The Yuuhisai Koudoukan, established in 2009 on the site of the historical Kodokan, is a cultural center that offers an authentic setting for traditional tea ceremonies. Visitors can take part in a casual tea experience, which consists of a serving of whisked matcha tea and seasonal kyogashi (traditional Kyoto sweets), or reserve a private formal ceremony that can be customized to include a full kaiseki meal.
Surrounded by a garden, the nineteenth-century building is in the simple yet sophisticated sukiya-zukuri architectural style that was favored by the ruling warrior class during the Edo period (1603–1867). Its tatami-mat rooms are occasionally used for exhibitions and other events, including an annual kyogashi exhibition that is one of the most highly regarded of its kind in Kyoto.