[Kyoto Imperial Palace West Chotokuji Temple] Experience Muromachi culture through tea tasting, horse racing, and incense tasting – an aristocratic pastime where people compete to taste different teas and incense.

Chotoku-ji Temple is the birthplace of Yamada Sohen, the founder of the Sohen School of Tea Ceremony in the early Edo period. Located west of the Imperial Palace in a quiet residential area, Chotoku-ji Temple, a Shinshu Otani school temple, is a place where you can experience tranquil moments experienced with all five senses. As a monk, Yamada Sohen cultivated Buddhist spirituality and aesthetic sensibilities early on at his birthplace, Chotoku-ji Temple. He later entered the world of tea ceremony, embracing the spirit of Rikyu while pursuing a more introspective and spiritual style of "wabicha." This unconventional approach, which emphasizes the ambiance of the venue and the feelings of the guests, remains a hallmark of the Sohen School and continues to this day. Experience Muromachi tea and incense at Chotoku-ji Temple. Participate in tea contests, where participants listen to (taste) and distinguish the names of famous teas from the past, and horse-racing incense races, where participants listen to (smell) and compare aromas. If they match, they'll move their horses forward like in a game of backgammon. Experience a digest of old games using tea and incense used by the nobility, along with the spirit and etiquette that resides in them, and after a 150-minute experience of diving into Muromachi culture, you will experience an extraordinary experience in a tranquil space, where you will be able to harmonize both your body and mind with a short time of copying sutras or Zen meditation and a sermon by the head priest.

You will be guided around Jogan-an, a small tea room associated with Sohen.

You will experience the art of incense, a tradition enjoyed by cultural figures of the same era as Sohen. Kurabe Umako is an incense board game based on the horse race ritual held at Kamigamo Shrine in May. Players who distinguish and match the scent of the incense move their pieces forward, and the first player to reach the goal, a green maple tree, wins. The experience begins with an explanation of the rules. First, players listen to four scents (trial scents), then a randomly played incense scent must be guessed to match which of the four scents they first heard. If they guess correctly, they move their piece on the board. This incense game, like a board game using incense, is a fun experience.

The culture of distinguishing aromas in the art of incense has been incorporated into the tea ceremony. In the "Tea Battle," participants will distinguish the aroma (and flavor) of tea. First, participants will each take a small portion of two different types of tea (thick tea). (Tea Trial) This is similar to wine tasting or sake tasting. Next, a new type of tea will be added, bringing the total to three types (thick tea), which will be served randomly, and participants will have to guess which tea is which. The subtle aroma of matcha, like that of fragrant wood, will calm the mind, allowing you to experience Japanese spirituality through its savory aroma. After the entire experience, participants will return to the main hall for a short meditation session or sutra copying, followed by a talk by the head priest, before returning home refreshed in mind and body.