New Year’s Day Tea Gathering at Tokyo Tower — 250 Metres Above Tokyo

As this would be a consecutive post following my previous one, I had hesitated to share it. However, on New Year’s Day this year, I had the opportunity to hold a tea gathering at the Top Deck, the highest observation level of Tokyo Tower, 250 metres above the ground, for only the second time since the tower first opened.

It was held in an unusual setting, with a rather unconventional concept, and I would like to share the experience here.

Last year was an unprecedented one for Tokyo Tower. With international visitors literally disappearing and domestic visitors also declining dramatically, the company launched an exceptional crowdfunding campaign to help cover the costs of maintaining the tower itself.

One of the rewards offered to supporters was an exclusive New Year’s Day tea gathering on the Top Deck, limited to eleven guests. The price was ¥11,111 per person. The event was designed with strict measures in place: temperature checks, individually packaged food, a small number of participants, and careful attention to social distancing.

Even though this was an official assignment, I honestly thought that such a high-priced experience would be difficult to fill. Friends and fellow tea teachers even offered to purchase any remaining places as a safety net, which encouraged me to include it in the program.

Fortunately, the event was fully booked through the public offering.

Even though the money was intended as support for Tokyo Tower, I felt deeply responsible for providing an experience worthy of a seat costing more than ¥10,000. If the weather were cloudy and the view disappointing, and guests were then simply asked to leave after one bowl of usucha… I felt that would be far too much to ask.

Right up until the last moment, I hoped somehow to create a koicha setting as well. After the observation deck had closed for the day, I would go upstairs, measure the dimensions of the space, and consider whether I could bring in tatami and a tea table.

However, because of the unusual shape of the Top Deck, the Misonodana was ultimately about the most that the space would accommodate.

Fortunately, the day itself could not have been better. Under a perfectly clear sky, we enjoyed magnificent views of Mount Fuji, Mount Tsukuba, and the Bōsō Peninsula.

With the help of the power of the tea utensils, together with members of our tea group selected from Tokyo Tower’s own tea club, we somehow managed to make the gathering a success. Most importantly, our guests were kind enough to tell us how much they had enjoyed the experience, which was a great relief.

Because of the physical limitations of the Top Deck, it is difficult to hold tea gatherings there regularly, as I cannot guarantee a level of hospitality that I consider satisfactory.

However, tea gatherings can be held on the Main Deck, 150 metres above the ground, where there are facilities for the mizuya and where tatami and other equipment can be installed.

These gatherings are held every other Saturday, at ¥3,330 per person, including the observation deck admission.

The January sessions are already fully booked, so reservations are now being taken for February.

If you are interested, please visit the Tokyo Tower official website for further details.