Heian Shrine Hall: A rare afternoon tea experience where a priest will guide you through the sacred grounds that are usually closed to the public.

#Emotional Cafe

I visited Kyoto's Five-Story Pagoda (五重塔) afternoon tea last September. There, I learned about Heian-jingu Afternoon Tea through the general manager's introduction. I made a reservation for November and will participate in the second of the four-session afternoon tea per day this time.

Due to the Hankyu Line's human-incident, I arrived at Kawaramachi Station about 20 minutes late and took a taxi to Heian-jingu Kaikan, but I was about 15 minutes late. After many twists and turns, I was able to join at the midpoint and enter safely.

The reserved plan includes a special visit to the non-public area of Heian-jingu, so it includes a guided tour for about an hour and free viewing of Shin-en. I also received an ema, a certificate of attendance, and a wood bookmark as a souvenir.

Only 20 or so chosen people are given a 30-minute private special tour by the priests who guard the shrine, and Shin-en-do is freely toured, and around 2 p.m., we move to Heian-jingu Kaikan to enjoy a full-fledged afternoon tea.

I would like to express my gratitude to the manager of Salon de Kanbayashi who introduced me to this place and helped me make a reservation for this afternoon tea with a different kind of fun. The afternoon tea seats are on the corner side, so you can enjoy a panoramic view.

Just sitting there makes you feel like a king. The afternoon tea consists of seasonal desserts as appetizers, chiffon cakes that give off an autumnal vibe. A special welcome drink is served.

Afternoon tea is then served on a dumpling table, again in an autumnal style. It feels like receiving a Surat table. It is a beautiful and gorgeous Japanese-style table setting. The scenery of Shin-en that unfolds before your eyes is a work of art.

It was delicious from Nipponia Yame, and the quality here is the same. The price range is also around 4,000 yen, and the tea is the same as the organic brand Mighty Leaf. However, there was something disappointing behind the picturesque scenery.

Right after the service to the tray, the next time customers kept rushing in, filling the table, and the second tea order was missed, and it took 20 minutes for the reorder to be received, and it took 10 minutes after that.

It was the same for me, and the table next to me. It was my first experience hearing Suimasen in salt tone in Japan. I think it was because there were 5~6 employees, but there were more than 20 tables.

However, as a foreigner, I experienced a private viewing that only a few hundred people can see a year, and I enjoyed afternoon tea while looking at the garden view that was like a watercolor painting, so it was a beauty that brought me joy rather than regret. Thank you

#JapanTravel #KyotoCafe #KyotoTravel #Kyoto #KyotoRestaurant #HeianShrine