Craft Experiences

Key Features

• Learn the traditional Japanese art of kintsugi and take home your finished piece the same day. You can also bring broken ceramics for consultation
• Explore the history, philosophy, and wabi-sabi aesthetics behind kintsugi, while reflecting on your own life and memories
• Enjoy Japanese sweets and tea after completing your work and spend a relaxing moment with your instructor, Aya Oguma

Key Features

• Learn chopstick making from traditional Edo sashimono craftsman Yutaka Mogami, the third-generation master of Mogami Kogei, or his son and future successor, Ryo Mogami.
• Enjoy a talk on the history and craft of Edo sashimono woodworking in the Mokumasa-an showroom, where Mogami’s works are displayed.
• Exclusively on the Wabunka plan, take your finished work home in a handmade artisanal chopstick box of the highest quality Aizu paulownia wood in Japan. (Engraving available as an option.)

Key Features

• Discover the art of gift wrapping with modern mizuhiki and Japanese paper with Anna Tanaka, an accomplished mizuhiki artist
• Learn basic knot-tying techniques and gain insight into Japanese paper with monthly color themes inspired by the seasons
• Experience the art of wrapping with handmade washi paper, meticulously crafted by skilled artisans

Key Features

• Immerse yourself in the charm of beautiful traditional crafts at a lacquerware specialty shop with over a century in the business
• Choose your piece to decorate from professionally hand-lacquered confectionery bowls, handheld mirrors, round trays, or rectangular boxes
• Create a unique personalized item using refined maki-e powder

Key Features

• A Wabunka-exclusive experience in which you'll create your own traditional hand-painted Edo paper lantern or a modern version called Oto Chochin
• Using traditional tools, learn the art of creating Edo paper lanterns directly from an expert artisan who’s the current head of a historical lantern shop
• Recommended for those who want to make a traditional Japanese handicraft a part of their home

Key Features

• Private traditional Edo Glass cutting experience, featuring a Wabunka exclusive pattern
• Craft an 8-ounce glass cup made of “Edo color overlay blow glass,” showcasing a stunning gradation of two glass colors
• Rare chance to learn from a seasoned craftsman and immerse yourself in the skill and spirit of this art

Key Features

• Visit a kumihimo silk braiding workshop which has operated for 360 years
• Watch master artisans at work in a space normally closed to the public
• Create your own Maruyatsu-gumi woven accessory

Key Features

• Experience making authentic washi in a Kyoto paper workshop.
• Using the washi you made, craft a journal with a pressed flower design.
• Recommended – since you can take your journal with you after the experience, use it immediately as a travel journal or temple stamp book!

Key Features

• Learn two major kintsugi techniques: ware — connecting broken pieces — and hibi, tracing over minimal cracks with Japanese-urushi
• Personalize your piece with optional upgrades like Kyoto's elegant Kiyomizu ware and various metal powders—gold, silver, tin, or brass—to create a finish that suits your style
• Discover how urushi transforms from tree sap to a prized finish, then unwind with coffee served in traditional lacquerware, a simple moment to experience living tradition

Key Features

• Craft bamboo chopsticks at Chikubuen, a shop and gallery ensconced in a fairytale bamboo grove, and take them home with you alongside a souvenir chopstick rest.
• Learn all about bamboo, which has seen a huge resurgence in popularity due to its sustainability.
• Delight in traditional Japanese confectionery and matcha tea freshly whisked before you, served in Takano Chikko’s own bamboo artisanal bamboo dishware.

Key Features

• An experience that involves creating your own ceramic, discovering the history of Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki ware, and touring a reputed, long-running kiln
• Learn pottery directly from Shoukoku Kanoh, a Kiyomizu-yaki ware expert who’s one of Kyoto’s top artisans and has won numerous accolades, including the Prime Minister’s Award
• Enjoy wagashi sweets and matcha green tea served in a bowl created by Shoukoku Kiln