While in Korea, we encourage you to participate in a traditional tea ceremony or even a visit to a Tea Museum or Tea House…

Tea is said to enrich pleasure to the five senses… the stirred subtle sound of a boiling teapot, the light sap-green color oozed from tea leaves in hot water, the rich fragrance, the warm touch of a gently curved teacup, and the tasted that lingers in the mouth.

Samcheonggak
A great place to immerse yourself in the traditional culture of Korea, Samcheonggak is set amidst a serene and beautifully landscaped forest near the skyscrapers of downtown Seoul. It offers six facilities all housed in beautiful Hanok (traditional Korean architecture): the Ilhwadang features the performance hall and a Korean restaurant, Yi-Gung; the Cheongcheondang is for various functions and events; the Yuhajeong accommodates traditional music and painting experiences, receptions and meetings; the Cheonchudang is the site for tea ceremonies; the Chwihandang is for arts and crafts; and the Dongbaekeon is for other traditional culture experiences.

Two tea ceremony programs are available: regular (50,000 won) and deluxe (70,000 won), the difference being that participants wear the traditional Korean dress hanbok during the deluxe program. If you really want to learn about Korean culture, we highly recommend the deluxe course since experiencing the tea ceremony in style and authenticity makes a huge difference. For 90 minutes, you will practice the tea ceremony in the Korean way. The instructor performs the ritual and explains in Korean, while another instructor explains in English. An assistant instructor and one or two additional assistants, depending on the size of the group, will help you during the course.

Samcheonggak operates its own shuttle bus free of charge, as there is no public transportation. The most convenient place to take the shuttle bus is in front of the Seoul Plaza Hotel main entrance (Subway line 1, Seoul City Hall station, exit 6) or next to the bus station near Kyobo bookstore (Subway line 5, Gwanghwamun, exit 3). By taxi, it takes about 10 minutes from subway line 5 Gwanghwamun station and the fare is 3,500 won. (The time and fare may differ depending on the traffic conditions and change in taxi fare.)
* Starting from 10 am from Samcheonggak, the free shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes until 19:55 pm. The bus runs 20 times a day. There is no shuttle bus at 2 pm and 8 pm.

Tea Ceremony Museum
This museum, near Seoul, features an education center, a scenic garden graced by 100 outdoor sculptures, and a big central lawn area which will be used as an outdoor tea education center. Open hours 10:00-18:00, Fri-Sun. Admission 3,000W.
Inquiries (031)998-1000.

Busan Tea Museum
This museum in Busan, exhibits tea-related remains of the ancient Three Kingdoms Period and the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. Guests are invited to participate in a traditional tea ceremony at Dadogwan Hall. Hours are 09:00-17:00, Sundays and public holidays are closed. Admission is 5,000W – for groups, a tour and tea ceremony are offered at 15,000W.
For inquiries, please call (051)850-3112.

Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)
4801 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 103
Los Angeles, CA 90010 USA
1-800-TOUR-KOR(EA)
www.tour2korea.com