Choose your own tea journey

Kissako is hosting a Japanese tea tasting at Starling Studio on Saturday 13 September, from 13:30 to 14:30. It's a small-group session, with three to eight guests, so it stays intimate rather than feeling like a lecture.

The tasting is built around three premium teas, each paired with a seasonal sweet treat and served in handcrafted teaware. You don't just get one set flight, though; you choose your own journey from three options: Shades of Green, One Leaf Many Styles, or Bespoke. If you're not sure where to start, the first two give you a clear path, and the bespoke one lets you steer it yourself. There's also a chance to buy the teas and the teaware afterwards if you want to take a bit of it home.

Behind it is Kissako, whose connection to Japanese tea goes back more than 25 years to her first taste. That interest grew after she travelled to Japan and spent time learning alongside tea farmers during the Global Japanese Tea Association Tea Marathon. She's a Tea Fellow of the Global Japanese Tea Association and a member of the UK Tea Academy, so the session comes from someone who's spent a good deal of time with the actual producers. She describes the tasting as a way to experience Japanese culture and the art of tea without leaving the UK.

It's £35 per guest, and the hour runs from 13:30 to 14:30 at Starling Studio, 107 Havelock Road, BN1 6GL. If you're organising something for a group, she can also travel up to 20 miles from Brighton and Hove to a venue of your choice for a private experience.