🌿 True Art Never Goes on Sale — The Story of the Natsume in Our Matcha Experience

Family photo time while enjoying the matcha they whisked themselves.

When guests visit our small tea room near Kyoto Station, they immediately notice a small, elegant lacquered container placed beside the matcha bowl.

That is the “Natsume” (棗) — a traditional tea caddy used to hold Uji matcha powder.

At first glance, it may seem modest, like a simple accessory.

However, the Natsume embodies the spirit that Japanese people have cherished for centuries — respect for history, mindfulness in every gesture, and beauty that lives quietly within simplicity.

🍵 More Than Just a Cup of Matcha — An Experience Beginning with the Natsume

In many matcha experiences throughout Kyoto, the amount of matcha is already measured and placed into the bowl before guests arrive.

Guests whisk, take photos, and then drink — that is the usual flow.

However, our experience goes one step further — it begins with the act of handling the Natsume.

Guests themselves open the Natsume, scoop the matcha with a bamboo spoon, and transfer it into their own tea bowl.

That single, small gesture transforms the entire experience.

You are no longer just an observer — you become part of a centuries-old ritual of Japanese hospitality.

A Natsume crafted with traditional Japanese lacquerware techniques.

✨ The Story of a Natsume on One Special Day

Recently, a female doctor from Brazil participated in our experience.

From the very beginning, she seemed deeply fascinated by the Natsume, holding it in her hands and admiring it while speaking softly.

I wondered for a moment what she might be saying — but later, I learned that she found it beautiful and loved its distinctly Japanese design, and I completely understood her feeling.

The Natsume was an antique piece.

When I told her the price was 5,000 yen, she smiled gently and asked,

“Could you give me a little discount?”

I quietly replied:

> “This is not second-hand. It is an antique piece, and inside it lives history.

That is its value — so I cannot discount it.”

She seemed to understand immediately, and with a bright smile she said, “I understand.”

It was a decision not based on price, but on meaning and empathy toward authenticity.

Afterward, she wondered how to take it home safely.

So I washed and dried it carefully, wrapped it in paper, and placed it in a small bag before handing it to her.

She received it with a big smile and said, “Perfect!”

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Among Brazilian travelers who come all the way to Japan, only about 1–3% are truly affluent individuals who choose experiences like this.

They are people who recognize genuine value instantly, not through brands or prices.

Because they themselves are true professionals who provide care and treatment to their own clients, they can instantly recognize the difference between real craftsmanship and imitation.

At that moment, I realized once again:

True beauty does not need persuasion. When understanding exists, it is naturally conveyed.

And by passing into the hands of such people,

this Natsume leaves Japan, travels through Korea, and finally reaches faraway Brazil.

When I imagine that the Natsume from our little studio in Kyoto has now become a cherished treasure of a beautiful woman in South America, I feel truly happy.

🪶 Why Culture and Art Should Never Be Discounted

In many countries, when someone asks, “Can you make it a little cheaper?”, the answer often comes back, “Of course.”

However, in Japan — especially in the world of traditional crafts — saying “No discount” is not coldness; it is a form of respect.

True artisans never take lightly the value of the time, history, and spirit contained within their work.

And cultural people — doctors, chefs, artists from all over the world — understand this the very moment they hold it in their hands.

🌸 From the Natsume to the Heart — A True Kyoto Experience

The bamboo whisk, the tea bowl, and the Natsume — each has its own story to tell.

When you open the Natsume and scoop the matcha with your own hands, you are touching something that cannot be mass-produced.

It is not a ritual — it is an experience felt from the heart.

That is why the memory of Kyoto remains quietly and deeply within you.

Kyoto Matcha Experience Blog – by Yuki