Fantasy Basel 2026 “Matcha Experience Workshop” – Event Recap

Matcha Workshop at Fantasy Basel in Basel

 

Matcha Workshop at Fantasy Basel in Basel

 

 

Matcha stand at Fantasy Basel in Basel

 

Matcha stand at Fantasy Basel in Basel

 

Matcha Team at Fantasy Basel

 

 

Fantasy Basel 2026 “Matcha Experience Workshop” – Event Recap

In May 2026, we successfully held our “Matcha Experience Workshop” at Fantasy Basel 2026.

A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth again this year!

In the middle of such a lively Comic Con, far more visitors than we expected showed interest in Japanese matcha culture — from “This is my first time whisking matcha” to “I’ve loved Japanese culture for years.” It was wonderful to share such special moments with such a diverse crowd.

In the workshop, participants whisked their own matcha using a real chasen (bamboo whisk), enjoying matcha and wagashi from a tea house in Uji, Kyoto with over 450 years of history — a truly Japanese moment of calm and reflection.

Amid all the excitement of cosplay, games, and movies filling the venue, these quiet 15 minutes with matcha seemed to be a fresh and memorable experience for many guests.

The photo opportunity with a traditional Japanese Wagasa umbrella was also extremely popular, giving everyone a special memory of Japanese culture to take home.

We’re delighted that nearly all of our matcha and chasen sets sold out, meaning so many people got to bring a piece of Japanese culture home with them.

Once again, we received so many warm smiles and kind words like “I want to come back next year” and “Next time I’d love to join the sushi class too” — it means a great deal to us.

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited our booth, joined the workshop, and to the whole Fantasy Basel team for making it possible.

We’ll keep sharing the beauty of Japanese matcha culture and tea ceremony with the world from Switzerland, one cup at a time.

Thank you so much!


See You Next at “Chibi-Con 2026” in Winterthur!

To everyone we met at Fantasy Basel, and to those who couldn’t join us this time —

We’ll be back with a booth at “Chibi-Con,” Japan pop culture event in Winterthur, on Saturday, August 15 & Sunday, August 16, 2026.

This year we’ll once again be hosting a Matcha Workshop and a Yukata Workshop.

In the Matcha Workshop, you can casually experience how to whisk authentic matcha and learn about Japanese tea culture. In the Yukata Workshop, you’ll have fun learning the tips for putting on a yukata by yourself.

Whether you’re already a fan of Japanese culture or trying it for the first time, everyone is very welcome.

We’re truly looking forward to seeing you all again in Winterthur.

▶ Details & registration here

Matcha Workshop Matcha Workshop: Tea, Culture & Mindfulness – at Chibi-Con 2026
 ・Registration (Aug 15): https://kimono-club.ch/en/events/matcha-workshop-day1-2026/
 ・Registration (Aug 16): https://kimono-club.ch/en/events/matcha-workshop-day2-2026/

Yukata Workshop Yukata Workshop: Learn How to Wear a Yukata – at Chibi-Con 2026
 ・Registration (Aug 15): https://kimono-club.ch/en/events/yukata-workshop-day1-2026/
 ・Registration (Aug 16): https://kimono-club.ch/en/events/yukata-workshop-day2-2026/

テーブル茶道にご興味のある方へ。

公式LINEご登録で、3か国語(日本語・英語・ドイツ語)対応の「お点前の頂き方PDF」をプレゼント中🍵

👉 https://line.me/R/ti/p/@001ydprv

登録後、「PDF」とメッセージをお送りください。

茶道経験なしでも茶道の先生に!認定講師育成講座はこちら!

貴方のクリックで10ポイントが入ります。 応援のクリックをどうぞよろしくお願いします~。 にほんブログ村 海外生活ブログ スイス情報へにほんブログ村 ファッションブログ 着物・和装へ

Matcha Workshop: Tea, Culture & Mindfulness – at Chibi-Con 2026!

🍵 Experience Matcha at Chibi-Con – Tea, Culture & Mindfulness

🗓 Date: Saturday, August 15 & Sunday, August 16, 2026
⏰ Time: 14:00–14:45 (approx. 45 minutes each day)
📍 Location: Chibi-Con, MZA Teuchelweiher, Winterthur
👘 Instructor: Workshop led by Sushi Yoko
Instagram:
👉 @sushi_yoko_com
👉 @sushi_yoko_kimono


💰 Participation Fee:

  • CHF 20.– (includes Japanese sweet)
    Advance payment by credit card
    On-site payment (cash or TWINT): CHF 25.–

🉐 Special Offer:
👉 Get CHF 5.– OFF if you also join the Yukata Workshop!
(Only CHF 15.– when attending both workshops)


🍵 Workshop Highlights

Discover the beauty of Matcha and tea culture through a fun and mindful session:

  • Learn how to make and enjoy Matcha in the traditional way
  • Discover the history and cultural background of Japanese tea
  • Taste authentic Japanese Wagashi (tea sweets)
  • 📚 Matcha & Tea Ceremony Quiz – with a prize for the winner!
  • 🧘‍♀️ End the session with a mindful Matcha meditation for peace and calm

📸 Photo time with a Japanese Wagasa umbrella
👘 Matcha will be served by the instructor in a kimono

🉐 By the way:
The Matcha workshop usually costs CHF 100.– when combined with a mochi-making session:
👉 Matcha with Sweets Workshop
At Chibi-Con, you can join this unique experience for a special low price!

Matcha Workshop Registration

Advance payment by credit card: CHF 20.–
On-site payment (cash or TWINT): CHF 25.–

Apply here:
Day 1 (Aug 15)
https://kimono-club.ch/en/events/matcha-workshop-day1-2026/
Day 2 (Aug 16)
https://kimono-club.ch/en/events/matcha-workshop-day2-2026/

Yukata Workshop: Learn How to Wear a Yukata – at Chibi-Con 2026!

🇯🇵 Come to Chibi-Con in a Yukata! Yukata Workshop 2026

🎐 Enjoy Chibi-Con in a Yukata!

🗓 Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026 & Sunday, August 16, 2026
⏰ Time: 11:00–11:40 (approx. 40 minutes)
📍 Location: Chibi-Con (MZA Teuchelweiher / Winterthur)
👘 Instructor: Workshop led by Sushi Yoko
Instagram:
👉 @sushi_yoko_com
👉 @sushi_yoko_kimono


💰 Participation Fee:

  • CHF 30.– with prepayment (bank transfer)
  • CHF 35.– in cash or TWINT on-site
  • 💠 Free participation:
    ・With Yukata purchase at the booth
    ・Or when you buy a Yukata in advance via kimono-club.ch

💡 Special Offer:
This workshop is usually part of a beginner course worth CHF 100.– (see example) –
but at Chibi-Con, we offer it for only CHF 35.–!


👘 Yukata Sales from 10:30 AM

Visit our booth before the workshop!
From 10:30 AM, we’ll be selling a beautiful selection of Yukata for women and men.
Purchase a Yukata at the booth or online at kimono-club.ch and join the workshop for free!


📝 Workshop Content

Learn how to properly and beautifully wear a Yukata – Japan’s traditional summer garment.
Perfect for beginners interested in Japanese culture, cosplay, or summer festivals.
Step-by-step instructions and fun cultural insights included.
📸 At the end, take a lovely photo with a traditional Japanese Wagasa (paper umbrella)!


⏰ Schedule:

TimeActivity
11:00–11:10Introduction: What is a Yukata? What is an Obi?
11:10–11:30Practical: How to wear Yukata & tie the Obi
11:30–11:40Styling tips, Q&A & 📸 Photo time with Wagasa

※ Please allow 5 minutes before and after for setup and cleanup.


🧳 What to bring:

  • Your own Yukata (ironed if possible)
  • Hanhaba Obi (half-width sash)
  • Obi board (if available)
  • 2 Koshihimo (or scarves/belts as alternatives)
  • 1 small towel (for body shaping)
  • Leggings and a camisole (tank top) are required
  • Tabi socks (optional)
  • No mirror needed

※ A limited number of rental Yukata are available upon request.


 

Kimono Afternoon Tea Ceremony @ Royal Park Hotel ICONIC Osaka Midosuji | May 2026

Kimono tea party in Osaka
Kimono afternoon tea party in Osaka

 

Kimono tea party in Osaka

 

Kimono tea party in Osaka

 

 

Kimono tea party in Osaka

 

Matcha time – for a calmer, more confident you.

We hosted a Kimono Afternoon Tea Ceremony at a luxury hotel in Osaka.

Surrounded by a beautifully set table with golden and silver tea bowls, we enjoyed matcha together in the spirit of Wa · Kei · Sei · Jaku: Harmony, Respect, Purity and Tranquility – the four values at the heart of the Japanese tea ceremony.

We were also delighted to serve „Tama-Tsubaki“, a celebrated Japanese confection from Iseya Sōhonten in Himeji – a wagashi house with over 300 years of history.

When was the last time you truly slowed down in your daily life?

Preparing matcha gently brings your breathing into a quiet rhythm. Around the tea table, smiles and connections arise naturally – even among people meeting for the first time. And when you wear kimono, you notice how your posture and movements change all on their own.

An exciting life begins with finding inner calm.

 

Mochi & Matcha Workshop at the Japan Food Fest in Zurich [Report]

Mochi & Matcha Workshop in Zurich

The Tea Ceremony Quiz
Matcha Demonstration
Enjoy your own matcha
Traditional Mochi Making (No Microwave!)

A workshop for all senses – warm, interactive, and full of flavor.

At the Japan Food Festival in Zurich, we shared unforgettable moments together.
Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:

1. Handmade Mochi & Tea Ceremony Quiz
We begin by making fresh strawberry mochi from scratch.
After that, you’ll take part in our popular Tea Ceremony Quiz: 10 questions about matcha – and no one has scored 10/10 in the past 4 years 😏
In a fun and engaging way, you’ll learn how matcha is grown and how to truly enjoy its flavor.

2. 3 Minutes of Calm – in the Middle of the Buzz
After the high energy of the festival, we intentionally create a moment to pause.

Before drinking the matcha, we practice 3 minutes of meditation together.
A short reset for body and mind – and suddenly, the matcha tastes deeper, richer, and more mindful.

3. Connection Beyond Language
People from different countries come together to share a matcha experience.
Without needing many words, a special connection naturally emerges.

Matcha culture is quietly spreading across Europe – and you can be part of it.


📣 Next Event
Join us on May 14, 15, and 16 at
Fantasy Basel!
One of Europe’s largest pop culture events, welcoming around 100,000 visitors.
👉 More details: https://fantasybasel.ch


✨ Would you like to experience it yourself?

👉 Reserve your spot for the next workshop:
Book now

We look forward to welcoming you in person 🍵


📣 We are looking for helpers
We are looking for people to help us during the workshop at Fantasy Basel (May 14–16).

The helping time is approximately 2.5 hours (short shift).

As a thank you, you will receive a CHF 50 entrance ticket.

If you are interested, feel free to contact us by email:
info@sushi-yoko.ch

You can also apply for our instructor certification course starting with a trial lesson.
The trial lesson is available online from CHF 20 for 1 hour.

📩 You can also contact us via Instagram DM (this is even faster):
https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_com

Table Tea Ceremony – What You Need to Prepare

 

Utensils

UtensilNotes
Teapot or kettle
Teapot warmerTo keep the teapot warm
Tea bowl (Chawan)
Tea whisk (Chasen)Made of bamboo
Tea scoop (Chashaku)Made of bamboo
Tea caddy (Natsume)Black lacquer with crane maki-e design (as in photo)
TrayRound black tray (as in photo)
Waste water bowl (Kensui)Octagonal, metal (as in photo)
Silk cloth (Fukusa)For cleaning the utensils

Consumables & Other

ItemNotes
Matcha powderSift through a tea strainer beforehand
Hot waterApprox. 80°C
Tea cloth (Chakin)Dampen, wring out well and place in the tea bowl
Paper napkins (Kaishi)For placing sweets on
Japanese sweetsWagashi or Higashi
Tea strainerFor sifting the matcha powder

If you’d like to try it more casually — for a trial lesson or an event — please also see “Your Easy First Step into Table Tea Ceremony.” It shows how you can get started with everyday substitutes instead of buying a full set of utensils.

Table Tea Ceremony Utensils

For enquiries about lessons, please send us a direct message on Instagram 👘
@sushi_yoko_com

【Osaka】Afternoon Tea Buffet & Tea Ceremony Experience at a Luxury Hotel | May 4, 2026

🍵 Cultivating a calm, confident self through matcha time
✨ Afternoon Tea Buffet & Table Tea Ceremony Experience
🌿 A once-a-year special event in Osaka

In the midst of your busy daily life,
why not take a moment to calm your mind?

The time spent whisking matcha
helps you breathe deeply and find inner stillness.

Through the unhurried ritual of preparing tea,
you gradually nurture a self that remains composed and confident in any situation.

For this special event,
we invite you to a luxury hotel on Midosuji, Osaka —

The Royal Park Hotel ICONIC Osaka Midosuji

25th Floor Executive Lounge
Private Room

🍰 Afternoon Tea Buffet
🍵 Table Tea Ceremony Experience (Matcha)

Enjoy a luxurious and relaxing time in this exclusive urban setting.

Take this special opportunity in the heart of the city
to reset and restore yourself.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

✨ This event is perfect for you if…

・You are interested in matcha or the tea ceremony
・You want to find moments of calm in your busy everyday life
・You love kimono and Japanese culture
・You are looking for an event you can attend comfortably on your own
・You want to enjoy a special time in a luxurious hotel setting

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📅 Date & Time

May 4, 2026

🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
🍰 Afternoon Tea Buffet
🍵 Table Tea Ceremony Experience

📷 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Photo Session

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

 

📍 Venue

🏨 The Royal Park Hotel ICONIC Osaka Midosuji

25th Floor Executive Lounge
Private Room

🚇 Access

🚉 Yodoyabashi Station, Exit 13 — approx. 3 min walk
🚉 Honmachi Station, Exit 2 — approx. 4 min walk

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LGMPpY9msNvNokgJ6

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🍰 What’s Included

🍰 Hotel Afternoon Tea Buffet
🍵 Table Tea Ceremony Experience (Matcha)
📷 Commemorative photo session in the hotel lobby area

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

💎 Participation Fee

🌟 Early Bird ¥5,500 (until early bird spots are gone)
Regular ¥6,300

All of the following are included:

🍰 Afternoon Tea Buffet
🍵 Table Tea Ceremony Experience (Matcha)
📷 Photo Session

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

⚠️ Capacity

Seats are very limited.

Once early bird spots are gone,
the regular price will apply.

Registration will close once the event is fully booked.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📩 How to Register

Instagram DM|@sushi_yoko_kimono

or

Feel free to reach out via Facebook Message|Facebook

📧 Email registrations are also welcome.
info[at]sushi-yoko.ch

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

👘 Organizer

Yoko Kinoshita

🍵 “Zen Chado” — Cultivating a calm, unshakeable self through the way of tea

Based in Switzerland for over 20 years.
Hosting matcha experiences, tea ceremony events, and Japanese culture workshops across Europe.

14,000 YouTube subscribers.
Spreading the joy of kimono friendship around the world 🌏

🍣 Sushi Yoko|@sushi_yoko_com

Tsubaki-no-kai Table Style Tea Ceremony
Senior Instructor

👘 Online Kimono Tea Gathering (held monthly)
Join for free via the profile link.

🇨🇭 Based in Switzerland for 20 years

Matcha Tea Ceremony and Afternoon Tea at The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo in Jan. 2026

January 16–17, 2026

These two days reminded me once again how joyful wearing kimono truly is.
Thank you so much to everyone who took part.

On the first day, I wore an antique purple houmongi.
As it was an antique piece, I paired it with a small hat.
That simple addition instantly gave the outfit a festive, party-like feel.

With each passing year, I find myself more and more drawn to antique kimono.
Their colors and patterns are ones we rarely see today and are truly special.
Perhaps I’m becoming a bit of an antique myself 🤣

On the second day, I chose a bright pink houmongi with vermilion tones.
An unusual color for a houmongi, making it perfect for a special event.
Once again, the hat added an extra touch of elegance.

I am truly happy that we were able to share a mindful moment together
through a single bowl of tea.

Through each and every encounter,
I hope the world of kimono and matcha continues to grow,
crossing borders, generations, and cultures.

#Meetup #Kimono #Antique #Matcha #JapaneseCulture

Matcha Serving Performance in Paris (DECORTÉ Cosmetic Campaign)

As part of a **DECORTÉ campaign**, I had the opportunity to present matcha at the historic department store **La Samaritaine** in Paris.

Over the course of four days, I prepared and served matcha on site, offering an authentic Japanese tea experience to an international audience.
With each bowl of matcha, natural conversations emerged, creating moments of connection and sparking curiosity about Japan and its culture.

Many guests expressed a strong interest in Japanese culture and shared their wish to visit Japan one day.
These encounters once again showed that matcha is more than a beverage — it is a cultural medium that connects people across borders.

My work focuses on presenting Japanese culture in a refined, approachable, and experiential way, tailored to international audiences and premium environments.

I welcome collaborations with companies and brands interested in **international cultural promotion**, **experiential marketing**, and **Japanese culture–driven concepts**.

I would be delighted to create meaningful cultural experiences together that resonate beyond borders.

 

Matcha-Zubereitung in Paris

 

 

Matcha serving in Paris

 

Matcha serving in Paris

 

Matcha serving in Paris

 

 

Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience – August 2026 at the Zurich Canton Japan Festival

**“Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience – August 2026 at the Zurich Canton Japan Festival”**

**Dates:** August 15 & 16
**Venue:** Teuchelweiherplatz, Winterthur
(Obermühlestrasse, 8400 Winterthur)

We are currently looking for **two volunteers (first come, first served)** to help with our **Table-Style Tea Ceremony workshops** at the festival.

A small amount of English will be required, such as
“Please enjoy the sweets.”

🎟 **Tickets for this year are already on sale!** Click here

As a thank-you, **those who help us will be shown around Switzerland afterwards!**

Even without prior tea ceremony experience, you can become a tea ceremony instructor!
For the **Certified Instructor Training Course**, click here!

By clicking the links below, you earn us **10 support points**.
Thank you very much for your kind support! Blogmura – Swiss Life AbroadBlogmura – Kimono & Japanese Fashion

Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience
Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience

Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience
Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience

Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience
Table-Style Tea Ceremony Experience