Chanoyu: Experience the Way of the Tea

Chanoyu comes to the Japanese Friendship Garden on Saturday, October 17, for a morning of tea and a walk through the grounds. It's a session that pairs the ceremony itself with a docent-led tour of the garden, and you're welcome to stay and wander the grounds afterward.

Chanoyu, also known as chado, is the Japanese tea ceremony—a contemplative and communal art form cultivated over centuries that refines both the physical movements and the mental discipline of each gathering. The word literally means 'hot water for tea,' but it stands for more than that. As the Urasenke school describes it, the Way of Tea is about creating the right setting for the moment one enjoys a perfect bowl of tea, where everything that goes into the serving—even the quality of the air and the space—becomes part of its flavor.

The session is open to everyone, regardless of whether you've ever seen a tea ceremony before. It runs from 8:40 AM to 10:40 AM, and there are three other sessions that day at 9:40 AM, 10:40 AM, and 12:10 PM, so you can pick the one that fits your morning. The garden is at 1125 N 3rd Ave in downtown Phoenix, and they ask that you check in at the Garden entrance at least 15 minutes before your session starts.

Tickets are $110 plus a $3.85 service fee. Between the ceremony and the tour, it's a good way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday morning.