Experience a Tea Ceremony Gathering at the Bizen City Museum of Art ! Enjoy it with Bizen Pottery pottery and seasonal sweets.

• Table of Contents
• What is the Bizen City Museum of Art?
• The entrance hall is designed to evoke the Seto Inland Sea.
• A monthly Tea Ceremony Gathering called "Tsukigama Tea Gathering" is held.
• A tea room inside the art museum
• The theme for the day was "Sant Jordi Day".
• The Tea Ceremony Performance (Temae) begins.
• Bizen Bizen Pottery
• Also pay attention to the seasonal flowers and Hanging Scroll .
• The garden is inspired by the Seto Inland Sea.
• summary

Bizen City Museum of Art Night Museum

1659-6 Inbe, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, 705-0001

Grand opening on July 12, 2025! The Bizen City Bizen Pottery Museum will have its grand opening as the Bizen City Art Museum on July 12, 2025. As a new base for promoting the appeal of modern ceramics, including Bizen Pottery, both domestically and internationally, it will provide a wide range of artistic enjoyment. At the Bizen City Museum of Art Night Museum, you can enjoy the museum at night with live music. Event period: Friday, October 17th and Saturday, October 18th, 2025

What is the Bizen City Museum of Art?

Located directly in front of JR Ako's Imbe Station, the Bizen City Museum of Art reopened in July 2025 as a participatory and interactive museum where visitors can not only view exhibits but also experience the history and culture of Bizen Pottery. The building was designed by Kiyoshi Sakurai, who also designed the Prime Minister's Official Residence, and its theme is "the beauty of simplicity." There was a common thread between the spirit of Bizen Pottery, which expresses beauty through the power of earth and fire, and the unadorned beauty of the material itself.

The entrance hall is designed to evoke the Seto Inland Sea.

The entrance hall, with its monochrome color scheme and granite floor and walls, is dominated by the monument " Memory of Earth and Fire " by Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki , which exudes a powerful and imposing presence.

A monthly Tea Ceremony Gathering called "Tsukigama Tea Gathering" is held.

One of the new initiatives at the Bizen City Museum of Art is the monthly Tea Ceremony Gathering, "Tsukigama Tea Gathering ." This Tea Ceremony Gathering , where anyone can enjoy Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) served in Bizen Pottery and seasonal sweets, is open to everyone and is popular with international visitors who want to experience Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style).

A tea room inside the art museum

It might be unusual to find a tea room inside an art museum. We were warmly welcomed by Ms. Kimura of the Bizen City Tea Ceremony Association in a bright, inviting entrance hall.

Please remove your shoes at the entrance to the tea room and place them in the shoe rack. If you have difficulty sitting in the seiza position, you can borrow a cushion. Please refer to the third photo for instructions on how to sit.

The theme for the day was "Sant Jordi Day".

In Barcelona, ​​"Sant Jordi Day " is on April 23rd. It's a day to exchange books and roses with loved ones. The seasonal sweets for this day were rose-shaped sweets from Shogetsudo , a Japanese confectionery shop in Bizen City . One of the concepts of the Bizen City Museum of Art is "to introduce world cultures and serve as a bridge to the creation of the future," and it was apparently chosen as the theme for the April "Tsukigama Tea Gathering ). It was surprising that the sweets chosen to match this theme were roses. I felt a fusion of Japanese and Western styles in the sweets. They were so cute that it felt a shame to eat them. And what's more, the sweets plate was a work by Yu Fujiwara , a Living National Treasure .

The Tea Ceremony Performance (Temae) begins.

Professor Kimura spoke to us gently, and the Tea Ceremony Performance (Temae) began. Every movement was serene, and a pleasant atmosphere permeated the tea room. Steam rose slowly from the kettle.

I instinctively bowed when the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) was served, but I was able to enjoy the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) without worrying about strict etiquette. The moderate bitterness of the matcha paired well with the sweets I had earlier, making for a very pleasant experience.

Bizen Bizen Pottery

The teacups used were, of course, Bizen Pottery! Bizen Pottery makes the hot water smoother and the drink is more pleasant to drink from, so the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) tasted even better than usual. It was a luxurious moment.

After enjoying a delicious Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style), I was deeply impressed by the words spoken by Professor Kimura. It embodied the Japanese culture of communication through interaction within the Tea Room. It was a moment of profound peace and tranquility.

Also pay attention to the seasonal flowers and Hanging Scroll .

In the Tokonoma (Decorative Alcove in a Japanese-style Room) of the Tea Room , seasonal flowers, camellias, were displayed. The Hanging Scroll is said to be from the head priest of Jukoin Temple in Daitoku-ji, Kyoto.

The garden is inspired by the Seto Inland Sea.

From the Tea Room, you can see the rooftop garden. The Karesansui Dry Garden landscape garden was designed with careful consideration for how it looks from the Tea Room and lounge, and the landscape stones used are Aji Stone from the Setouchi region, which is said to evoke the image of the calm Seto Inland Sea.

summary

I thought it was a very special place to enjoy Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) casually in the tea room located inside the museum. I was able to experience the profound beauty and expression of Bizen Pottery, which is deeply rooted in the region, along with the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style), and I thought it was a great opportunity to appreciate the quality of Bizen Pottery by using it in everyday life. I highly recommend taking part in the " Tsukigama Tea Gathering ) at the Bizen City Museum of Art .

[ Bizen City Museum of Art ]

Location: 1659-6 Imbe, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0869-64-1400

Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM)

Closed on: Mondays (open on public holidays, closed the following day), New Year holidays.

Parking: 6 spaces

[ Tea Ceremony Gathering"Tsukigama Tea Gathering"]

Venue: Bizen City Museum of Art, 3rd floor Tea Room"Kokoko-an Tea Room"

Reception hours: 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Target audience: Open to everyone (English support available)

Capacity: Up to 7 people per seat (If the maximum number is not reached, participation is possible on the day) *Seven seats are held per day

Table charge: 1,000 yen

Host: Bizen City Tea Ceremony Association

How to apply: If you wish to participate, please apply by phone or at the museum's 1st floor, providing your name, the number of people attending, and your preferred seating time.

Note: No prior knowledge of necessary items or etiquette is required.

*Event dates until September 2026: May 3rd (Sun), June 14th (Sun), July 12th (Sun), August 16th (Sun), September 6th (Sun)

Tea Ceremony Gathering(Tsukigama Tea Gathering) | Bizen City Museum of Art| Okayama Tourism Website (Japanese)

Bizen City Museum of Art| Official Website (Language switching available on the site)

Bizen City Museum of Art Night Museum

1659-6 Inbe, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, 705-0001

Grand opening on July 12, 2025! The Bizen City Bizen Pottery Museum will have its grand opening as the Bizen City Art Museum on July 12, 2025. As a new base for promoting the appeal of modern ceramics, including Bizen Pottery, both domestically and internationally, it will provide a wide range of artistic enjoyment. At the Bizen City Museum of Art Night Museum, you can enjoy the museum at night with live music. Event period: Friday, October 17th and Saturday, October 18th, 2025