Tea houses are quite simply, houses or parlors centered around drinking tea, though their function varies widely depending on the culture, and some cultures have a variety of distinct tea-centered houses or parlors that all qualify under the English term "tea house."

Japan

---

In Japanese tradition a tea house (茶室, chashitsu lit. "tea room") is a structure designed for holding Japanese tea ceremonies. Tea rooms for tea ceremony are also called cha-shitsu, but they are located within a dwelling.

China

---

In China, a tea house (茶馆, "cha2guan3" or 茶屋, "cha2wu1") is traditionally quite similar to the European "cafe", albeit centered around tea rather than coffee. People gather at tea houses to socialize, drink tea, and often gamble. Today, young people often meet at tea houses for dates. The function and popularity of tea houses, however, varies throughout China.

see also:

• Hong Kong tea culture
• Influence of tea on Chinese culture
• Chinese tea culture
• Taiwanese Tea Culture

Elsewhere

---

Around the world, the term "tea house" or "tea rooms" may be used to refer to a restaurant or Salon de Thé. A notable institution bearing such a moniker was New York's venerable Russian Tea Room.

See also

---

• Cha can ting
• Coffee house
• Japanese tea house
• Tea
• Tea ceremony
• Tea culture
• Tea room
• Yum cha

Tea | Tea ceremony | Tea houses

Teehaus | 茶室 | 茶馆