The Asahi Shimbun

A Cup of Tea in the Sky

Just after 8 a.m. The fragrance of matcha drifts through the observation deck of Tokyo Tower before it opens to the public.

The “Asa Chanoyu” (Morning Tea Ceremony) is held twice a month.

Its appeal lies in the special experience of spending a peaceful and leisurely moment while looking out over the cityscape of Tokyo.

A woman who came from Chiba Prefecture to participate said:

“It was refreshing to drink tea while looking out over the city of Tokyo. If you get up early, you can also make better use of the entire day.”

The rapid increase in inbound tourism—visitors from overseas—has led to “overtourism” becoming a problem throughout Japan. As one response, a growing number of local governments are encouraging tourism in the morning and evening, avoiding the peak hours during the daytime.

On some days, foreign visitors account for half of the participants in the “Asa Chanoyu”.

Yuki Mori, an associate instructor of the Urasenke school of tea and a teacher of the tea ceremony, explains:

“Originally, I started this because I wanted people to enjoy the unique atmosphere of an unusual sightseeing destination—one where there is no one else around. It seems to fit well with the current trend toward spreading tourism across different times of the day.”

By Akira Nishihata