Tea Tasting

The Japanese Friendship Garden is hosting its Tea Tasting this Thursday, October 15, as part of its Chanoyu — 'Experience the Way of Tea' program. It's one of the garden's most established offerings, and it's pitched as a relaxed alternative to the formality of a traditional tea ceremony. Instead of strict ritual, the focus here is on connection, mindfulness, and the simple pleasure of a good cup of tea.

The session starts with a tour of the tea house Musoan, where you'll see Japanese seasonal art displays and hear about the building's history. From there, you move into a casual tasting of popular Japanese teas — sencha, genmaicha, and hojicha — each paired with a Japanese sweet. The experience closes with a docent-led tour of the Roji garden. Throughout, Japanese tea is presented as an inseparable part of the country's culture, with production and practices stretching back centuries, and the tasting is framed as a chance to step away from the outside world and focus on the simple, transitory moment of serving and drinking.

There are two sessions on Thursday: 9:30 AM to 11 AM and 11 AM to 12:30 PM, each running 60 minutes. You'll need to check in 15 minutes before your session starts. The program runs through May, so if you can't make this one, there are more to come. Space is limited and reservations are required in advance. Tickets are $50 for general admission and $45 for members, with garden admission included in both. The garden is at 1125 N 3rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003.