This matcha tea bowl workshop is one of the most relaxing team building activities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Slow down and get your hands in some clay, because your morning matcha deserves a handmade bowl: your group pinches, shapes and decorates its own chawan with complimentary tea to sip along the way.
The workshop runs 2 hours and is priced at $69 per guest for private groups of 6 to 20 guests. The project is beginner-friendly and full of creative possibilities, and the instructor guides everyone step by step in a fun, welcoming setting, with no pressure and no experience required.
What's Included
- Two hours of guided handbuilding instruction
- All materials: clay, tools and underglazes
- Aprons for every
This matcha tea bowl workshop is one of the most relaxing team building activities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Slow down and get your hands in some clay, because your morning matcha deserves a handmade bowl: your group pinches, shapes and decorates its own chawan with complimentary tea to sip along the way.
The workshop runs 2 hours and is priced at $69 per guest for private groups of 6 to 20 guests. The project is beginner-friendly and full of creative possibilities, and the instructor guides everyone step by step in a fun, welcoming setting, with no pressure and no experience required.
What's Included
- Two hours of guided handbuilding instruction
- All materials: clay, tools and underglazes
- Aprons for every guest, so there is no need to bring anything
- Complimentary tea to sip while you sculpt
- Firing and a clear glaze finish by the studio
- A finished matcha bowl that is food safe, microwave safe and dishwasher safe
What You Will Make
Each guest creates a chawan, or matcha bowl, using simple pinching techniques. The class starts with pre-prepared clay balls so you can dive right in, then you learn how to shape and refine the bowl by hand. Once it takes shape there is time to decorate the inside and outside: add texture, sculpt small attachments, carve patterns and play with colorful underglazes to give the bowl color and personality.
When you are done, the studio takes care of the firing, glazing and pickup notifications. The professional glaze firing leaves a finished piece that is food safe, microwave safe and dishwasher safe, ready for your daily matcha or any warm drink.
Why Handbuilding Works for Groups
Handbuilding is one of the most approachable and grounding ways to work with clay. It slows you down, invites you to connect with the material and leaves room for imperfection. Unlike wheel-throwing, it is less about precision and more about play, which is exactly why it suits indoor team building activities for adults with mixed confidence levels.
Reviewers describe a lot of fun with good people, a helpful teacher and just enough guidance to dive in and start creating. With 6 to 20 guests in a private session, it stands out among team building workshops as a calm alternative to loud outings, and it is one of the gentler creative team bonding activities for tea lovers and beginners alike. For anyone looking for unique team building ideas, it is a thoughtful pick among team building activities for small groups and larger teams too.
About the Studio
This bright, welcoming pottery space in the Inner Richmond is women-owned and was opened in 2023 by a ceramic artist and educator who grew up in her mom's pottery studio. A former elementary school teacher, she built the studio so that people could experience clay in a more approachable way, make something with their hands and step away from the noise for an evening.
Alongside public workshops the studio offers memberships, kids pottery parties and private group events. Private events have a 6-guest minimum, and the studio can host groups of up to about 22 guests with the right staffing, so it suits everything from a small team to a full department.
How the Session Runs
- Arrive, tie on an apron and pour a cup of complimentary tea
- Pinch and shape your bowl from a pre-prepared clay ball
- Refine the form, then add texture, attachments or carved patterns
- Decorate the inside and outside with colorful underglazes
- Leave the firing and clear glaze to the studio and wait for your pickup email
Good to Know
- Beginner-friendly; no need to bring anything, as tools, materials and aprons are provided
- Finished bowls are picked up at the studio once the studio sends a pickup notification
- Your group may bring food and drinks, including alcohol for guests 21 and up; the studio adds a $50 food fee for cleanup, and plates, cups and utensils are not provided
- Private groups of 6 to 20 guests at $69 per guest
Plan Your Matcha Bowl Workshop
Share your preferred date and group size to check availability. With per-guest pricing, tea, materials, glazing and firing included, every guest leaves with the calm that comes from making something by hand and a bowl to enjoy every morning.
