Learn to Paint with the Spirit of Zen in Sumi-e Ink Art

It was so relaxing and fun to Learn to Paint with the Spirit of Zen in Sumi-e Ink Art

S.A. United Arab Emirates

One of the best things about my stay in Japan, it was wonderful, fascinating and fun!

C.B. United Kingdom

I really enjoyed this experience lesson. The explanation and the way she taught were easy to understand. Even grinding the charcoal ink taught me to be calm and encourage concentration.

R.M. Malaysia

It was fun and we learned a lot. Tomoko was really an amazing teacher. She is very professional and obviously has a lot of knowledge. We loved the experience and appreciate the work and insight Tomoko had to offer. Thank you for a wonderful time!

N.M Israel

The teacher is amazing. Learn a lot from her and made my own picture. It was not only painting class, but also meditation with all that movement we need to do during ink paint technique learning. Totally loved it!

M.L. Ukraine

The teacher is a master of sumi-e. She shows techniques that are both simple and extraordinary. If you're interested, she explains the philosophical meaning of each gesture, it's fascinating. Thank you for this magical moment!

C.V. France

Very professionally done and ease of instructions to the class and class content. It was such a great experience also very personal.

S.D. United States

It was great. The service was nice and the artist was very friendly. We learned a lot.

M.R. Netherlands

I was surprised what I have learned from the class. It was a very good experience for me.

E.M. Hong Kong

The overall experience was wonderful and Loved the teacher and the way she explained everything. It was an amazing session. we loved it.

A.A. India

The instructor was wonderful, kind, great to talk to, and a good teacher. The place itself was pleasant, and we appreciated the complimentary cake and tea. We loved that we could take home our creations in a frame afterwards. Despite having no prior experience in Japanese brush techniques, we felt like we learned a lot in a short time.

M.F. Israel

Everything was amazing!

J.F. United States

Great instructor, skilled, patient and informative. W learned about the process and how it fits in Japan's culture.

N.P. United States

Everything was flawless, we had some scheduling issues and the service provided and the people at Wabunka were super helpful and understanding. When I come to Japan again, I'll definitely book with this service again. The entire ink painting class was incredible. Learning ink painting helped me understand more about Japanese culture and history. The teacher was incredible, and I love that we got to take our pieces with us.

A.F. Spain

Very calm, meditative experience. For a private instruction of such attention and detail, the duration was just right and the price was reasonable.

G.D. Canada

Amazing one of a kind experience. Price is worth it because it was only 2 of us in the class room. The teacher is really patience, amazing and filled with experience.

H.H. New Zealand

Greatly increased understanding & appreciation for sumi-e black ink painting. The class exceeded my expectations with the information provided and time spent practicing painting. Teacher Tomoko’s personal attention to describing the rimpa style sumi-e philosophy & techniques were very interesting. I learned many new things. I really liked her explanations of how and why for each step of the painting exercises. She gave highly individual & informative instruction due to limited class size. Her fluent English is excellent in teaching students fundamental concepts. She took the time to answer all questions. I especially enjoyed discussing her paintings on the wall & her stories about them. Viewing paintings in museums after the class allowed me to see details I would not have noticed before and how the artist may have drawn the objects. One example is color gradations in bamboo stalks sections. I learned in class how that was done in one brush stroke. Another example is the zen circle exercise & philosophy. I did not appreciate such a simple shape before class. After class, at the Pola Museum near Hakone, on display was a 5 foot zen circle which I now appreciated. Also, teacher Tomoko’s rimpa style made me curious enough to make an unplanned visit to the Okada Museum near the Pola because they described having some rimpa art. One of Tomoko’s art pieces contained a folk story about a moon goddess giving an emperor immortality. At the Pola Museum, a film was telling this story. I was pleased to recognize it. Tomoko explained rimpa art is mostly in the Kyoto region. Next time I visit Kyoto I will plan to see more of that art style. I highly recommend her class to gain core knowledge about sumi-e painting & history.

J.Y. United States

I loved everything :) I had a lovely time during the painting session. I learned a lot and was able to relax at the same time. The instructor is super kind and attentive. It definitely made me feel like I got to experience the Japanese culture a bit more closely than through any other typical tourist activity.

L.S. Hungary

It was appropriate and as advertised. The experience of this introductory class - Tomoko-sensei's deep understanding of sumi-e philosophy and painting techniques, and her willingness and generosity in sharing them - has given me the confidence to explore this painting style further when I return to Australia. It reassured me that traditional culture is still vital and relevant to contemporary Japan. This is a wonderful experience if you are interested in traditional Japanese painting and Zen Buddhist thought, provided by a highly qualified and experienced specialist art teacher who is fluent in English.

L.P. Australia