Hi everyone! This post is the second in my Kanazawa series. The first was about gold-leaf ice cream; read about it here!
When my friends and I walked through the curtain and into the Kaikaro Teahouse, I immediately began getting excited. The stone genkan was, surprisingly, wet; I wondered if they’d just washed it.
In front of us was a small window where we paid our admission fee and ordered our tea sets to enjoy after we finished walking around the tea house, as well as a sliding door that separated the reception area from the tea house itself. After passing through the door, we removed our shoes and posed for a picture on the brilliantly red stairs that went to the second floor.
We continued up the stairs and found ourselves in a large, open room. This was the vermilion room, where geisha would entertain guests. They actually still entertain guests there in the evenings for private parties!
Close by were two other rooms that were designed for relaxation and privacy.
The most impressive part of this tea house is the golden tearoom. We were able to see it from a narrow hallway; it’s a small room where gold-covered tatami sparkle and glitter!
Before we left, we stopped by the cafe where we drank the tea we ordered in the beginning. It was such a beautiful, gentle green, sprinkled with a few delicate flakes of gold. I almost didn’t want to drink it, but I did; it was delicious!
Why should I visit the Kaikaro Teahouse?
I think the best part of the Kaikaro Teahouse is the general lack of crowds. Tourists packed the streets outside, but there were maybe five other people in the whole house when we were there. They also have tours (in Japanese) and English pamphlets so you can learn the history of each room.
Admission starts at ￥750, with the price increasing if you order something from the cafe. Here’s a link to their English website!
