Nara Spirit‐A Cultural Journey Through Tea Ceremony and Calligraphy at Waplus Nara
“Waplus Nara” offers a wonderful and memorable experience where you can touch the very foundation of Japanese culture while wearing a kimono and actually experiencing calligraphy and tea ceremonies. Today, we asked Manager Ikari about the secret behind the popularity of “Waplus Nara.” (Review Rating Lab Inc.: Tamura)
A memorable Japanese culture experience that you can understand by actually “doing”
Tamura：
Many people said that the tea ceremony and calligraphy were unforgettable experiences and that they would definitely like to experience them once.Manager Ikari：
Thank you very much.☑Active Participation:
By not only watching and listening to the tea ceremony, but also actively participating—such as mixing tea and practicing calligraphy—you can gain a deeper understanding of the meaning behind each movement and the culture itself.
☑Spirit of Etiquette:
There is a spirit of etiquette embedded in these practices, one that even many Japanese today may have forgotten.
☑Fresh Perspective for Foreigners:
For international visitors especially, each kata feels fresh and new, and learning the meaning behind each one helps deepen their appreciation of Japanese culture.
The spirit of hospitality that embraces the heart
Tamura：
Words such as “kind” and “attentive” also stood out in the word-of-mouth.Manager Ikari：
We place importance not only on the cultural experience, but also on making our guests feel safe and comfortable to enjoy the place.☑Nonverbal Warmth:
Even if they don't understand a word, their smiles and concern can be conveyed.
☑Comfortable Atmosphere:
We are conscious of creating a comfortable space and atmosphere with courteous service so that each guest can shine as the main character.
Cultural experience directly taught through English
Tamura：
Some customers said that the support in English was quite easy to understand.Manager Ikari：
☑Teachers must speak English:
At “Waplus Nara,” which mainly caters to foreign tourists, English speaking is a prerequisite for tea ceremony and calligraphy teachers.☑Professional Instructors in English:
During the total experience, which lasts about one hour, a professional in the field teaches directly in English, without the help of tour companies or other interpreters, so the charm of Japanese culture can be conveyed in great detail.
I think this is one of the great strengths of Waplus Nara, and it has been very well received by our customers.
Careful tailoring and a rich lineup of products for first-timers
Tamura：
Kimonos and hairstyles also seemed to receive high marks. In particular, many were impressed with the finished product, such as the “picture-perfect outfit.”Manager Ikari：
We try to create “Japanese culture × individuality” through kimonos.☑Wide Variety of Designs and Sizes:
We coordinate and dress our customers in a wide variety of designs and sizes, paying attention to every detail to maximize the charm of each individual customer.
☑Dressing for the first time:
For foreigners who are not used to wearing kimonos, it is important to have the skills to dress them so that they do not fall out of place or become too tight.
We believe that the dress will help them to feel comfortable and concentrate on the experience.
Reliable support and technical skills for groups of up to 100 people
Tamura：
According to word of mouth, it seems that you have many group bookings.Manager Ikari：
Yes, we do. Thankfully, group reservations are very popular.☑Accommodating Up to 100 Guests:
We can accommodate up to 100 people, so groups can enjoy everything from dressing up to experiencing Japanese culture without any inconvenience.
☑Flexible Reservations:
We may accept reservations for more than 50 people if you consult with us, and we will work with you to accommodate your needs.
Review
tea
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2025/06/29
My mom, my sister and me joined the tea ceremony with Instructor Ai and we enjoyed the tea making performance so much. I almost cried during the performance as it was very heartwarming and beautiful! Koto and Yuka (hopefully i got the names correctly) helped us getting dress and also did our hair beautifully! Their hospitality is awesome! They were very friendly, lovely and welcoming! Midori also helped us take these beautiful pictures!! I really recommend this place to anyone who wants to experience Japanese tea ceremony culture!!
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2025/06/26
Super helpful nice people, the tea master spoke good english.
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2025/06/21
What an amzing experience i had today, it was very rich and i can't pass without tellimg how was the team great with explanation of everything. One otjer thing the location is very good it's 1 minute walk8n from Nara station.if you pass near don't hesitate to try the ceremony and calligraphy ceremony here.Thank you again for everything
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2025/06/04
Amazing experience! I absolutely recommend calligraphy and tea ceremony with kimono experience..everybody is welcoming and kind. Recommended to who wants to live an authentic Japan experience and who wants to discover japanese culture
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2025/06/02
We noticed this shop as we were walking from the station to see the deer last week and went in. Unfortunately we couldn’t do a tea ceremony, but we did do the calligraphy, suitably dressed in kimonos. The instructor was excellent, and we had great fun. The photos that were taken of us were excellent and the staff were very helpful and friendly. Would definitely recommend this shop to others visiting Nara.
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2025/05/19
Amazing service, very kind people. We did the tea and caligraphy in Kimono and I can highly reccommend it!
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2025/05/19
Had a wonderful experience. Everyone was so lovely and friendly! The tea ceremony was calming and informative!
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2025/05/18
First time visitors in Japan, we came to Nara to visit the park and ended up booking this experience on a whim. We purchased the Tea making in Kimono experience for $38. They were extremely welcoming towards us as a group of foreigners. The tea ceremony demonstrated the history and significance of Japanese tea. They did the whole ceremony in English for us and took lots of pictures for us afterwards
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2025/05/17
Had a really great time learning calligraphy. The teacher was really nice and professional, answered all my questions and helped me out.Really recommend to take an hour to learn and experience this course.
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2025/05/16
This place was recommended by the tourism info center at the train station. It sounded like it could be incredible touristy and not authentic at all. The tea and calligraphy spaces are in the back of kimono rental store but the ladies are so nice, helpful and professional. Our whole family, my wife, kids and I really had a wonderful time. We would highly recommend it. We also ended up renting kimonos and even went out to lunch eating them. This is a great experience. Don’t miss it!
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2025/05/09
Lovely tea ceremony. Great explanation in English. Thus was my first tea experience and I would absolutely recommend
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2025/05/06
Beautiful experience learning a bit of calligraphy. Thank you to the very patient teacher💕
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2025/05/01
Very interesting experience in tea cerimony, highly recommended!
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2025/04/28
We had a wonderful tea ceremony experience! First, we dressed in kimonos, then learned about the history and etiquette of the Japanese tea ceremony. After sampling Japanese sweets, we made and drank matcha tea. Our hosts were fantastic. We feel we made the right choice by choosing a ceremony in Nara rather than Kyoto — everything felt very peaceful, calm and unrushed.
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2025/04/26
Very kind and accommodating staff. Happy to experience tea ceremony and calligraphy.
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2025/04/25
Wonderful experience! Must try if you want to witness the traditional tea ceremony. The hosts are very helpful and wonderful people.
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2025/04/23
We purchased the tea ceremony and rented kimonos. All of it was excellent. The ladies dressing us both did a wonderful job with the kimonos as well as with our hair. The tea ceremony itself was educational and helped understand the cultural background of tea ceremonies
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2025/04/23
I had a wonderful time while learning calligraphy. My teacher was so good. I really enjoyed it!! Total recommandation!
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2025/04/23
This was the most wonderful tea ceremony! We had the most beautiful and kind women that helped us. They had an amazing array of kimonos and did our hair SO BEAUTIFUL! The building was very easy to find and it was a 10/10 overall!
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2025/04/20
Our visit to Waplus Nara Tea Ceremony and Calligraphy was a truly unforgettable cultural experience.My husband had the chance to dress as a samurai, while my daughter and I were dressed in beautiful kimonos – mine adorned with cherry blossoms, and hers a stunning turquoise floral pattern. We also had our hair styled beautifully, with delicate flowers carefully chosen by our daughter herself and tucked into our hairstyles, adding a magical touch to the entire look.We had the unique opportunity to prepare and enjoy matcha tea ourselves, after watching a graceful demonstration of the traditional tea ceremony. Following this, we practiced Japanese calligraphy, guided with patience and care, and were able to take home our written works as special souvenirs.The entire experience was thoughtfully curated and full of warmth. The team also helped us capture these precious moments in beautiful photos, making sure every detail was remembered.This was a wonderful and immersive encounter with Japanese culture, and we’re so grateful for the kindness, attention, and hospitality we received. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to connect with the elegance and beauty of Japanese tradition.
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2025/04/19
Amazing kimono and tea experience trying matcha. The staff were very kind and we took great photos!
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口コミタグ
tea