【Sunday Slow Time】Savor a Pot of Tea Amid Kyoto Melodies — Wei Wu Tea Ceremony

Written by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal　

 

Turn into a lane off Fubei Street, and your gaze will unfold to reveal a row of Japanese-style row houses with black tiles and gray walls. On the wall of the middle bungalow hangs a square-base, round-character seal engraved with a large “Wei” character — this is Wei Wu Tea Ceremony.

 

Carefully slide open the wooden door, remove your shoes at the entrance, then slide open another wooden door to find the interior covered in tatami mats woven from igusa grass. This is Wei Wu Tea Ceremony, which can accommodate up to 10 seating areas. Guests casually sit on cushions adorned with karesansui (dry landscape) patterns, enjoying tea treats served on black low tables.

When we arrived, it was before the shop’s opening time. The owner, Liu Shangming, was kneeling on the tatami mat, carefully adjusting the placement of the cushions and tea tables, making sure the distance between them was just right. Even from a distance, I could sense his focused concentration on every little detail — an intensity that only someone truly passionate could muster.

 

This dedication to beauty is reflected in every corner of the space’s arrangement. Fascinated by Kyoto’s leisurely atmosphere and the locals’ wisdom in respecting nature and traditional craftsmanship, Liu Shangming has incorporated numerous Kyoto elements into the shop, making it feel as though you’ve stepped into a traditional Kyoto home.

Natural materials embodying traditional wisdom

 

Having long admired architectural features around the world, Liu Shangming observed how Kyoto excels in using natural materials and traditional wisdom to coexist with nature. For instance, as Kyoto has a basin climate that’s hot in summer and cold in winter, locals switch out the sliding doors for reed-made yarido (reed doors) in summer to allow ventilation and keep cool, and replace them with glass or paper doors in winter. These items rely on the craftsmanship of master artisans, helping preserve and invigorate Kyoto’s traditional crafts.

 

This quality is similar to that of Tainan, an ancient city. “In Tainan, you can easily touch the traces of past lifestyles,” Liu Shangming said. Tainan has its own unique pace of life. Walking here, you don’t have to try too hard to blend in — you’ll naturally immerse yourself in the surroundings. Moreover, many old houses and historic districts are preserved, allowing visitors to feel the local respect for tradition.

Liu Shangming holds the same philosophy. The beams and pillars of the entire row of old houses are connected using traditional mortise-and-tenon joints. Over time, some wood may peel, but the overall structure remains sound. Liu explained that since Wei Wu Tea Room is the middle unit of three connected houses, the spans are longer, so the beams and pillars are made thicker, making them even more sturdy. When he first took over, he went up to the ceiling to inspect and found the structure intact — the previous owner had just extensively renovated, replacing the original doors and windows. Liu then specifically sought out doors and windows from the same period as the main building to maintain a cohesive aesthetic.

 

Besides that, as this row of three connected houses is about 80 to 90 years old, bricks and cement were not yet in use at the time. Thus, the internal framework was made from one of Japan’s most traditional materials: bamboo. When Liu installed the air conditioning vents, he deliberately chose a corner spot, peeled away the outer layer of clay, and exposed the original bamboo lattice frame, adding a hint of vintage charm and enriching the diversity of materials in the shop.