Traditional Nihonbashi: Lunch, Tea Ceremony & Tatami Making

Before being renamed Tokyo, Japan's capital city, a castle town ruled by shogun military commanders for over 200 years, was known as Edo. While many years have passed since Edo became Tokyo, the city still holds many pockets of history, especially in the area of Nihonbashi, a central district near Ginza and the Imperial Palace. Home to the Nihonbashi Bridge that marked the starting point of the five main routes in and out of Tokyo, as well as cultural heritage buildings and statues amidst modern skyscrapers, this is the perfect place to travel back in time to a bygone time in Japanese history.

Drawing from Nihonbashi's rich Edo legacy, this experience is designed to showcase Japanese culture, traditions and food. You'll start at Namijiya, a traditional restaurant specializing in Edo cuisine. Here, you'll sit down to enjoy a special course meal created for this tour like those served several centuries ago, featuring grilled chicken and grilled tofu inspired by a best-selling recipe book first published during the Edo period called "Tofu Hyakuchin" (A hundred delicacies of tofu). An Edo-style panna cotta (mineoka dofu milk pudding) will be served for dessert.

After your meal, you'll craft a mini tatami mat you can use as a coaster. Used for flooring in Japanese-style rooms, tatami is a durable material made from natural fibers. You can learn more about it as you craft your own, an activity both creative and easy for beginners.

Lastly, you'll partake in a casual tea ceremony, where you'll learn the rituals and manners involved in preparing matcha to express hospitality and savor tea.

You'll receive a manekineko figure as a souvenir. After the experience, you may continue to explore Nihonbashi. If you'd like, you can visit a traditional tea and Japanese sweets shop within walking distance from Namijiya restaurant. Deepen your understanding of traditional Japanese culture in many different ways in this unique gourmet experience in Tokyo's Nihonbashi district.