The Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2016 is your chance to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony!

Many people coming to Japan look forward to experiencing sado, a traditional Japanese tea ceremony—for some it’s even at the top of their to-do list! The large-scale Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2016 is a great opportunity for those interested in sado to experience and learn more about it. The event will be divided over two weekends: The first half will be held on September, 24 (Sat.) and 25 (Sun.) at the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum in Koganei City, Tokyo, and the second half will be held on October 15 (Sat.) and 16 (Sun.) in the Hama-rikyu Gardens located near Ginza.

The event was first hosted in 2008 as a way to casually introduce foreigners and those unfamiliar with tea ceremonies to the world of sado culture. This year will be the event's 9th year, and many already look forward to it as a sign of the coming fall season. Last year the event gathered approximately 19,000 participants, and this year will surely be no different. Taking place outdoors and surrounded by nature, the open-air tea ceremonies are extremely popular.

Don't speak Japanese? No problem! There are Tea Ceremonies in English and a Tea Ceremony for Beginners with English interpretation available. If you live in, or are planning to be in Japan during the event dates, why not check it out?