pROGRAMME

Explore the traditional cultures of tea and dyeing in this hands-on workshop that reuses spent tea leaves to discover new creative possibilities with tea leaves and circulation.

Led by textile artist Yurika Saito, participants will dye fabric Linen-Chabu or Cotton-Froshiki scarf using a Japanese tea-dyeing technique that is rarely encountered in Berlin. Yurika has led numerous natural-dye workshops across Germany.

The finished tea-dyed textiles can be used in everyday life, as tea cloths, decorative pieces or small works of art.

Throughout the workshop, participants are invited to engage all five senses and enjoy a slow, mindful creative process.

This hands-on workshop invites participants to taste and blend different matcha and tea powders, mulberry leaf powder and spices.

Participants can choose from a selection of base teas and refine their blend with different add-ons to create their own individual matcha latte experience, served with oat milk.

Originating in the Chaoshan region during the Qing dynasty, Chaozhou Gongfu Cha began as a regional practice and went on to profoundly influence contemporary Chinese tea culture.

Here, gongfu refers not simply to technique, but to the knowledge, skill, attention and time brought to the making and enjoyment of tea.

In this intimate morning session, Lin invites 12 guests to experience its precise brewing sequence, with close attention to water, teaware, fire and the leaves themselves. Two beautiful teas — a Phoenix Dancong and a Wuyi Rock Tea — will accompany the session.

An hour to sit together, drink, and experience the essence and beauty of Chaozhou tea through the cup.

Wie passen sich Teeproduzenten und Teehändler in China an das Zeitalter des Livestreamings und einen zunehmend wettbewerbsintensiven Teemarkt an?

Die Veranstaltung beginnt mit einer kurzen Einführung in diese Entwicklungen, gefolgt von der Vorführung des Dokumentarfilms. Im Anschluss gibt es ein Gespräch zwischen dem Publikum und den Filmemachern, begleitet von einer Verkostung verschiedener chinesischer Tees.

Come discover the story behind tea in the Andes — one of the world’s great mountain ranges and one of the New World’s most unexpected tea-producing regions.

Join Chilean-born tea sommelier and Eduard/ founder Eduardo Molina Anfossi for a journey through the emerging tea landscapes of South America. Drawing on his firsthand experience and sourcing trips in the Andes, Eduardo will introduce the people, places and ideas shaping a new chapter in tea production.

From Colombia, north of the Equator, to Peru in the south, discover what is happening in a region that remains largely unexplored by the wider tea world. We will look at how tea is being grown and crafted in the Andes, what makes these origins unique, and what the future of tea in South America might look like.

There will also be plenty of time for questions and conversation, giving participants the opportunity to explore this fascinating and still largely undiscovered tea-producing region directly with Eduardo.

An immersive salon with no musical background required and open to all ages. Surrounded by the aroma of tea, participants will learn and play 2–3 traditional Chinese songs together.

How does a small island produce teas admired worldwide from the very first sip? Join an immersive journey through Taiwan’s mountains, lakes, history and flavours, guided by all five senses.

Twelve participants will observe infused leaves, discover notes of honey, fruit and white flowers, compare textures and flavours, listen to the sounds of preparation, and experience the teaware firsthand. Each tea offers a window into a particular landscape, cultivar and craft tradition.

Participants will leave with a sensory map of Taiwan’s emblematic teas, along with practical guidance for tasting and brewing them.

Wie schmeckt eigentlich koreanischer Tee – und was macht ihn so besonders?

In diesem Tasting nehmen wir euch mit auf eine Entdeckungsreise durch die Welt des südkoreanischen Tees. Unser Fokus liegt dabei auf der traditionsreichen Teeregion Hadong im Süden Koreas.

Gemeinsam entdeckt und verkostet ihr verschiedene Tees aus dieser besonderen Region und erlebt, wie unterschiedlich sich Erntezeitpunkt, Verarbeitung und Machart geschmacklich bemerkbar machen können.

Dabei lernt ihr verschiedene Stilrichtungen koreanischer Tees kennen und probiert ausgewählte Spezialitäten – darunter auch Magnolienblütenblätter.

Neben der Verkostung erhaltet ihr einen kleinen Einblick in die koreanische Teekultur.

Am Ende des Tastings habt ihr einen tieferen Einblick in die Vielfalt koreanischer Tees gewonnen und könnt besser nachvollziehen, wie Herkunft, Ernte und Verarbeitung ihren Charakter bestimmen.

Ob Teekenner oder neugierige Tee-Liebhaber – wir freuen uns darauf, euch bei diesem Tasting begrüßen zu dürfen und gemeinsam die Vielfalt des koreanischen Tees zu entdecken.

What happens when tea moves beyond the cup and becomes an incense material?

In this seminar, incense maker Faye from Senlë Studio explores how tea can be used in natural incense, how different teas respond to heat, and how other botanicals can help reconstruct aromatic qualities that may be lost during burning.

Using three Senlë compositions — Moonlit Infusion, Cold Bloom and an unreleased black-tea incense — the session offers a behind-the-scenes look at how tea-based incense develops from raw material to finished composition.

The talk then considers the relationship in reverse: how incense can support a tea experience without overpowering it. Participants will be introduced to practical principles such as continuity, contrast, intensity, timing and the purpose of the tea session, alongside a brief historical perspective on the relationship between tea, incense and cultivated attention in Chinese cultural life.

Participants will gain insight into tea as an aromatic material, Senlë’s composition process, and practical ways of using incense around tea.

Nehmen Sie sich bewusst Zeit, Gyokuro in ruhiger Atmosphäre und nach der traditionellen Kunst des Senchadō zu erleben.

Entdecken Sie die achtsame Zubereitung und die feinen Aromen dieses besonderen japanischen Grüntees und tauchen Sie dabei in die Ästhetik und Kultur der japanischen Teetradition ein..

Through Jianzhan ceramics and the precise simplicity of gestures, we will discover the art of Diancha 点茶, the Chinese preparation of whisked powdered tea.

The workshop includes a tasting of different Chinese powdered white teas and a preview of Jianzhan ceramics that will be available for sale during the festival.

With Diancha, the preparation of tea becomes an aesthetic pursuit that begins with the choice of tools and bowls best suited to highlight tea in its integrity. Attention to the elegance of each gesture and the refinement of the objects used in whisking tea complete an artistic picture that places the Song dynasty at the cultural apex of tea history.

Each participant will practice Diancha with the finest tea powder and join a lively Diancha competition: an authentic taste of the “tea fighting” (Dòuchá 斗茶) invented during the Song dynasty.

Rooted in MINALS’ claimed 870-year Chinese aromatic heritage, this workshop explores the traditional relationship between Chinese aromatics, incense, tea and medicine.

The session traces the history of Chinese incense and aromatic tea, exploring how scent has been understood within Chinese cultural and historical traditions not only as fragrance, but also in relation to mood, attention and ideas of inner balance.

Through references to Traditional Chinese Medicine and historical aromatic practices, participants will learn how natural aromatics have been interpreted and used within different cultural contexts.

At the heart of MINALS’ practice is a distinctive system of aromatic blending — a method of harmonising different natural scents so that they work together as a balanced composition.

Through incense, aromatic tea, cultural storytelling and a live improvisational blending demonstration, the workshop invites participants to explore Chinese approaches to scent, harmony and aromatic composition.

Tea is a beverage that has connected cultures, inspired individuals and shaped history across centuries.

Through a tasting of selected Taiwanese teas, this session takes participants on a journey through time, exploring how one simple leaf has influenced trade, society and everyday life around the world.

Through history, poetry and literature, the session brings together voices from different generations who found inspiration, reflection and tranquillity in tea, while considering how tea continues to create moments of connection today.

Participants will also explore tea’s enduring role as a source of comfort, reflection and human connection — an invitation to pause and appreciate how one humble leaf has become part of so many cultures and everyday rituals.

Chinese tea is a vast universe, and people are drawn to it through different paths: flavor, aesthetics, philosophy, spirituality, or simply the quiet companionship of tea in everyday life.

Drawing on more than ten years of studying and practicing tea, Lin Wang will share a systematic framework grounded in fundamental principles: an interdisciplinary approach that brings together science, craft, geography, history and culture, while connecting what we know with what we actually perceive in the cup, so that we can better understand, appreciate and express the beauty of tea.

Through a talk and live tea demonstration, Lin will explore how we learn tea and where that practice can lead us. Ultimately, tea can become a living art — cultivating sensitivity, curiosity and creativity, while genuinely nourishing our lives and our inner world.

This workshop explores an often-overlooked part of tea preparation: heating water.

Participants will discover different ways of heating and keeping water warm for tea, from modern electric solutions to traditional Fenglu (风炉), while looking at the tools and methods behind each approach.

Water is only the beginning.

In this 90-minute sensory workshop, participants explore how different methods and mediums can reveal, transform and reshape the flavour of tea. Beginning with the familiar process of brewing, the workshop moves beyond water to explore alternative approaches to extraction, transformation and flavour development.

Through a series of guided tastings and sensory experiments, participants will examine how temperature, time, medium, fermentation, texture and carbonation can influence what we perceive as aroma, flavour and mouthfeel.

Rather than simply tasting different teas, participants will look at tea as an ingredient—and question how much of its character comes from the leaf itself, and how much from the way it is extracted and experienced.

Limited to 12 participants to allow for a focused and immersive sensory experience.

This hands-on workshop invites participants to taste and blend different matcha and tea powders, mulberry leaf powder and spices.

Participants can choose from a selection of base teas and refine their blend with different add-ons to create their own individual matcha latte experience, served with oat milk.

Aus dem Schatten des berühmten Darjeelings treten überraschende Tees heraus. Wo liegen die Unterschiede? In den Stories der Menschen. Warum das alte Klischee von „Entwicklungshilfe“ überhaupt nicht passt, zeigen nepalesische Teebauern mit Leidenschaft und richtig leckeren Blättern.

This workshop offers a quiet moment of tea and presence, where sipping in silence reveals not only the taste of tea, but also a gentle sense of calm and connection.

Participants are invited to intentionally slow down while drinking tea in silence. By bringing attention to subtle sensations such as warmth and texture, the session encourages a deeper appreciation of the tea and creates space for reflection and mindful awareness.

Wie passen sich Teeproduzenten und Teehändler in China an das Zeitalter des Livestreamings und einen zunehmend wettbewerbsintensiven Teemarkt an?

Die Veranstaltung beginnt mit einer kurzen Einführung in diese Entwicklungen, gefolgt von der Vorführung des Dokumentarfilms. Im Anschluss gibt es ein Gespräch zwischen dem Publikum und den Filmemachern, begleitet von einer Verkostung verschiedener chinesischer Tees.

In this guided workshop, Senlë founder and incense artist Faye explores how tea and scent can shape one another. Participants experience three teas from her personal collection alongside three incense compositions from Senlë’s collection.

Through three guided pairings, participants explore how tea and incense interact through shared qualities, contrast and timing. Guided reflection invites them to notice changes in aroma, atmosphere and personal perception.

The workshop is an experiential extension of the festival talk When Tea Becomes Incense: Scent, Heat & the Art of Pairing, but it can also be attended independently. Rather than presenting fixed pairing rules, it offers an accessible framework for understanding how scent can support a tea ritual without overwhelming the tea itself.

Wie schmeckt eigentlich koreanischer Tee – und was macht ihn so besonders?

In diesem Tasting nehmen wir euch mit auf eine Entdeckungsreise durch die Welt des südkoreanischen Tees. Unser Fokus liegt dabei auf der traditionsreichen Teeregion Hadong im Süden Koreas.

Gemeinsam entdeckt und verkostet ihr verschiedene Tees aus dieser besonderen Region und erlebt, wie unterschiedlich sich Erntezeitpunkt, Verarbeitung und Machart geschmacklich bemerkbar machen können.

Dabei lernt ihr verschiedene Stilrichtungen koreanischer Tees kennen und probiert ausgewählte Spezialitäten – darunter auch Magnolienblütenblätter.

Neben der Verkostung erhaltet ihr einen kleinen Einblick in die koreanische Teekultur.

Am Ende des Tastings habt ihr einen tieferen Einblick in die Vielfalt koreanischer Tees gewonnen und könnt besser nachvollziehen, wie Herkunft, Ernte und Verarbeitung ihren Charakter bestimmen.

Ob Teekenner oder neugierige Tee-Liebhaber – wir freuen uns darauf, euch bei diesem Tasting begrüßen zu dürfen und gemeinsam die Vielfalt des koreanischen Tees zu entdecken.

In 2023, after decades of preservation efforts, Jingmai Mountain in Yunnan, China, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its tea-related cultural landscape. Rather than representing a tradition of the past, Jingmai remains a living tea landscape, where tea continues to be cultivated, harvested and integrated into the everyday life of local communities.

This one-hour session explores the ancient tea forests of Jingmai Mountain and the cultural and ecological knowledge associated with the Blang and Dai communities. Zhong Mei introduces the relationship between tea cultivation, landscape, local traditions and community life that has shaped Jingmai over generations.

The session also looks at Jingmai as an example of a long-established relationship between people, tea and the natural environment. Participants will gain insight into the craftsmanship behind Jingmai teas, as well as the community traditions and cultural practices that continue to shape the region today.

For tea professionals, cultural enthusiasts and those curious about tea landscapes, the session offers an introduction to Jingmai Mountain and explores how long-standing tea traditions continue to find relevance in a changing and increasingly interconnected tea world.

Come discover the story behind tea in the Andes — one of the world’s great mountain ranges and one of the New World’s most unexpected tea-producing regions.

Join Chilean-born tea sommelier and Eduard/ founder Eduardo Molina Anfossi for a journey through the emerging tea landscapes of South America. Drawing on his firsthand experience and sourcing trips in the Andes, Eduardo will introduce the people, places and ideas shaping a new chapter in tea production.

From Colombia, north of the Equator, to Peru in the south, discover what is happening in a region that remains largely unexplored by the wider tea world. We will look at how tea is being grown and crafted in the Andes, what makes these origins unique, and what the future of tea in South America might look like.

There will also be plenty of time for questions and conversation, giving participants the opportunity to explore this fascinating and still largely undiscovered tea-producing region directly with Eduardo.

Chen Huai Yuan, founder of Chen Yuan Hao and known as the “Father of the Revival of Traditional Pu-erh Tea Craftsmanship,” has dedicated himself to exploring the tea mountains of Yunnan since the early 1990s, documenting traditional tea-making knowledge and preserving historical Pu-erh production techniques that were gradually disappearing.

This lecture presents Chen Huai Yuan’s life’s work and the founding philosophy of Chen Yuan Hao. Participants will learn how traditional craftsmanship, regional tea culture and long-term field research have contributed to the preservation and revival of Pu-erh tea-making traditions.

The session also offers insight into the cultural heritage of Yunnan’s tea mountains and the values that continue to guide Chen Yuan Hao today.

This tasting explores how different tea-growing regions in China and their production methods shape distinct Oolong styles, with a comparative tasting focused on southeastern China.

A carefully selected range of high-quality teas from Fujian and Guangdong showcases the distinctive profiles of these regions.

This session introduces Senchadō, the Japanese leaf tea ceremony, through an Obon ceremony performed with a round tray — one of several forms within the Senchadō tradition.

Unlike the better-known matcha ceremonies of Chadō, which use powdered green tea, Senchadō is based on whole, unground tea leaves. The session offers an introduction to this lesser-known tea tradition and its historical development in Japan.

Leaf tea was introduced from China to Japan in the 17th century by the monk Ingen. Senchadō later became increasingly popular in the 18th century, with figures such as the monk Baisao, who served tea prepared from loose leaves on the streets of Kyoto.

The ceremony will be performed in a quiet atmosphere, featuring high-quality Gyokuro served with a sweet. A short introduction will be followed by the Senchadō ceremony, with time for questions and discussion afterwards.

While tea is traditionally experienced through sight, scent and taste, its “voice” often remains an overlooked dimension. The Echo of the Leaf approaches the tea environment as a live sound installation, inviting participants to listen closely to the acoustic world surrounding tea.

Drawing on contemporary sound art practices and Pauline Oliveros’ concept of Deep Listening, the session explores the lifecycle of tea through sound — from the rhythmic snapping of leaves during harvest in the highlands to the high-frequency singing of a boiling iron kettle.

At the heart of the session is an extended field recording created during a journey through the Chinese countryside in September and October. It brings together environmental sounds, spoken words, poetry and rhythms collected from tea fields, tea-processing spaces and porcelain workshops.

Through attentive listening, the session opens another perspective on tea — not only as something to taste, but as a landscape of sound, rhythm and human activity.