Kaji Aso Studio Institute For the Arts

The tea ceremony here is easily one of the most interesting cultural experiences I’ve had in Boston in a long time.
Since the maximum number of guests per ceremony is six people, you’ll have to make a reservation in advance. My boyfriend and I were a little worried when we arrived and realized that we’d be the only ceremony guests that day, but it ended up being a real treat. The hostess, Kate, and our tea apprentice, Samantha, soon put us to ease even though we had no prior knowledge of ceremony protocol.
The tea ceremony experience started in the gallery, which displays student work, and Kate filled us in on the background of the ceremony and the studio. We then went down a flight of stairs and got a glimpse of the ceramics studio, and got to walk through the small but charming Japanese garden. In the foyer of the tea house, we hung up our coats and took off our shoes before going into the tea room.
As the tea apprentice, Samantha acted as our guide for how to act during the ceremony, but she and Kate were always happy to give us additional guidance if we forgot a step or two. We enjoyed two servings of matcha tea and sweets, and also got to admire a few pieces of Japanese ceramics (some crafted in the studio we passed), some other art pieces, and a seasonal botanical arrangement. Even with the formalities we were just learning, we found ourselves feeling quite calm and relaxed.
This experience, carefully orchestrated by Kate with the assistance of her tea apprentices, is easily worth the $ 30 fee per person. I’d love to come back in another season and see the variations in the ceremony.

I have only gone here for their Japanese tea ceremonies and one time for a lecture on haiku. Based on those two things, it definitely gets a 5 star rating from me.
The tea ceremony is fantastic. The grounds are beautiful as it is inside where they perform the ceremony. The décor varies from season to season.
The tea ceremonies are only on Sundays and I believe you have to make a reservation since only a very small number of people can be accommodated in the room (trust me, this is a good thing. It would not be as great an experience if there were more than 5-​ish people). I’d definitely recommend checking it out.