Kikuketsutei Tea Ceremony: Ritsurin Garden Guide 2026

The Football-Loving Traveler

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:: Cafe ::

🍵 Ritsurin Garden Kikukakutei 🍵​

📑 Table of Contents
01	Kikukakutei Operating Hours
02	Tea Ceremony Experience
03	Healing Time

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Walking through Takamatsu's Ritsurin Garden,

you might find your legs getting tired, as it's surprisingly large.

Even though it was our first day in Takamatsu,

we really needed a lot of breaks in between, lol.

The beautiful scenery played a part too 💚

While riding a rowboat, I saw people relaxing in a scenic spot,

and thought, 'I have to check that place out!'

It turned out to be a place I wished we had stayed at even longer.

😍

Kikukakutei Info at a Glance 🤓
Meaning	掬(kiku)月(ketsu)亭(tei): To Scoop / Moon / Pavilion A pavilion whose name means you can hold the moon in your hands if you scoop up water.
Operating Days	Daily
Hours	Daily 9:00 AM ~ 4:30 PM (Last entry 4:00 PM)
Admission Fee (includes tea)	Matcha: Adults 800 JPY, Children 500 JPY Sencha: Adults 600 JPY, Children 400 JPY
Location	Inside Takamatsu Ritsurin Garden

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01 Kikukakutei Operating Hours

Honestly, I'm a spontaneous person through and through...

I didn't even know there was a cafe like this

inside Ritsurin Garden, hehe.

While enjoying the rowboat experience,

I saw people resting in a large pavilion in the middle of the lake,

and we decided, 'Let's go there too!'

We almost missed it!

That's because Kikukakutei

closes its admission at 4 PM!!

We were just able to get in,

and right after us, admission closed 🍀 Lucky us!

You pay an admission fee to enter Kikukakutei,

but this price includes tea and a sweet snack.

You can choose between Matcha or Sencha,

so we each picked one!

Types of Green Tea 🍵
Green Tea	Tea leaves exposed to sunlight are picked, dried as-is, and then brewed.
Matcha	Leaves are shaded from sunlight for 20 days before harvest, then dried and ground into powder.
Sencha	Harvested tea leaves are steamed, then dried, and finally brewed.

They gave us these non-woven fabric bags,

so you put your shoes inside and carry them with you.

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02 Tea Ceremony Experience

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With the number they gave us,

we found our seats on the tatami mats.

Besides Koreans,

there were quite a few Japanese visitors too.

After a short wait, a staff member in a kimono

brought us our ordered tea and snack.

It felt like we should bow back, didn't it??_??

But no worries, just receive them comfortably, haha!

Matcha looks somewhat like a matcha latte,

while Sencha has the appearance of the green tea

we commonly know, right?

They gave us different types of sweets.

But if you're thinking of a matcha latte, you'd be mistaken 🙅‍♀️

Oh! It's bitter!! 🙊

For someone who can't even drink bitter Americano,

what was I thinking, being so brave?

The matcha was definitely more bitter than the sencha, though lol

But you know what?

Savor... the moment.

👇 These are famous even in Japan: Kyoto Uji Matcha and Shizuoka Sencha!

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03 Healing Time

After enjoying some tea,

you can freely relax at the Ritsurin Garden cafe, Kikuketutei.

Once you've finished your tea,

you'll be guided to a completely different area to relax.

We went almost at closing time,

so there weren't many people there...

But there were actually quite large spaces

available inside.

Doesn't it just look absolutely wonderful? 🥹

Looking out from the pavilion

we saw earlier from the boat,

such a spacious and beautiful landscape unfolded before us!

It looks like the autumn leaves will be at their peak soon in November,

and just sitting at Kikuketutei in Ritsurin Garden

and taking in this view

would be incredibly healing, wouldn't it? ㅠㅠ🍃

The cafe is so spacious that besides the lake view,

there were other beautiful sights to behold in every direction too! 💚

👇 Take a quick break and power-charge your phone battery – remember to bring a portable charger!

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Due to closing hours,

we couldn't stay for long,

but it was a truly memorable moment during our relaxed Takamatsu trip!

Walking through Ritsurin Garden,

riding a boat, and drinking tea 🍵 – what a perfect day!

Actually, we even had some beer inside the park, too!

If you're curious about where that was, leave a comment!

hahahaha

You can also sign up for a Ritsurin Garden Kikuketutei Tour,

which has an English-speaking guide.

If you're interested, please check the link below for more details!

Q. What kind of place is Kikugetsu-tei?

Kikugetsu-tei is a traditional tea house

located inside Ritsurin Garden.

It was a cherished spot for successive lords of the Takamatsu Domain,

where they would sit on tatami mats and admire the view

of the southern lake and garden scenery.

Q. Does the Kikugetsu-tei usage fee

include the Ritsurin Garden admission fee?

No, the Kikugetsu-tei usage fee

and Ritsurin Garden admission fee are separate.

If you plan to visit the tea house after entering the garden,

you'll need to pay both fees separately.

Q. What are Kikugetsu-tei's

operating hours?

Kikugetsu-tei operates from 9 AM

to 4:30 PM,

with the last entry at 4 PM.

Please note that these hours differ from the garden's overall operating hours,

so if you plan to visit later in the day,

it's a good idea to check the last entry time beforehand.