Keiko is the word for practice or lessons, used across the Japanese traditional arts. In tea it refers to the regular sessions, usually weekly or twice monthly, in which students prepare tea under a teacher's correction and also sit as guests for one another.
What a session looks like
Students typically arrive, change into appropriate clothing, and take turns: one prepares while the others receive the tea and observe. Because the guest's role is also prescribed, sitting as a guest is itself practice rather than waiting. A teacher corrects placement and timing during the sequence, often without stopping it. Sessions ordinarily last one to three hours, and several students share the time.
What it costs and requires
Fees in Japan are commonly monthly (*gessha*) and often accompanied by a charge for tea and sweets consumed during practice; some classrooms bill per lesson instead. Beginners are not expected to own utensils. Practical requirements are usually limited to clean white socks and clothing that permits kneeling; kimono is worn in some classrooms and not required in many others.
Finding a class
Classes are held in teachers' homes, dedicated tea rooms, cultural centres, temples, universities, and online. Many teachers accept observation visits or a single trial lesson before enrolment, and beginner-oriented classrooms are common in urban areas. Seated (*ryurei*) practice is available where kneeling is difficult.
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
Term info
- Category
- Term
Related terms
- Warigeiko (part practice)warigeiko
Practising individual gestures in isolation, apart from any complete procedure; the foundation of everything else.
- Bonryaku-demae (tray procedure)bonryaku-demae
The simplest procedure, with a minimal set of utensils on a tray; usually the first thing a beginner learns.
- Nyumon (entering a school)nyumon
Becoming a student of a school and beginning study; the start of the certificate sequence.