Kyoto Workshops

The matcha tea ceremony was so fun and informative! Our instructor was kind, knowledgeable, and open to any questions, which made the experience engaging. I love matcha and decided to learn how to make it properly, so I bought their kit with a bowl, whisk, scoop, and more. We explored the art and mindfulness of matcha, and I loved hearing all the fascinating facts. Every step felt intentional and calming, giving me a deeper appreciation for this traditional practice. If you’re a matcha lover, I highly recommend this experience to fully enjoy and appreciate matcha!

No Sticks, no food! ⸻ An absolutely wonderful chopstick-making workshop in Kyoto! From the moment we arrived, everything was calm, welcoming, and beautifully well-explained. Ryu Kai Soku are outstanding instructors: patient, attentive, and genuinely passionate about their craft. Their guidance is clear and precise, yet always delivered with warmth and good humor. They manage the rare balance of sharing deep traditional know-how while making the experience accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Working with the wood, learning the gestures, and understanding the philosophy behind such a simple yet meaningful object was a real privilege. You don’t just leave with chopsticks — you leave with a story, a skill, and a deep respect for Japanese craftsmanship. Thank you for this memorable experience. Wishing Ryu Kai Soku all the very best for the future — may your workshop continue to inspire many hands and many hearts. Elaine and Arnaud

We enjoyed learning the respectful culture around a traditional tea ceremony. Her ability to teach us in Japanese and English was great for our group. We even got to experience whisking matcha ourselves. Highly recommend.

Everyone was very kind. I didn't do a reservation, so I had to wait a little bit necause they had already started with a different group, which was fine. It was really fun and easy. I could show them the motiv of what I wanted engraved in it. Especially the little Bunny. I got wooden dust all over my clothes and they gave me a wet-towel to get rid of it, it worked quite well. Which means they are well prepared. I recommend anyone try it.

It has been a wonderful experience. The staff has been super friendly and attentive. They explained the step-by-step process and stayed with us. Very approachable and pleasant. We enjoyed it a lot. The result is very beautiful, and the process was fantastic. It was my first time, I have no prior experience, and it was very entertaining. We enjoyed it! ARIGATO!

Had no expectations for this other than we were going to make some cool keepsakes. Was blown away by the knowledge of the staff and their willingness to teach us something new, guide us through the process and refine any mistakes or blemishes we may have made. Atsushi and Dotski were especially helpful and skillful. There was no rush to get us out of the facility and food and beer were available afterwards where we were able to sit and talk with fellow patrons and the staff. 100% recommend.

Surely a great day to remember and a highlight to our trip 教練：learned a lot about the history and culture of Japan 體驗：a good taste of Kando experience

this was a phenomenal experience. expect a lot of sweat and sore muscles after this, but it is so worth it. You start by choosing what kind of knife you want to make, then head own to the forge where the guides show you how to beat the heated metal to expand it into your knife. They help you through the process (my partner was fine, but I needed a bit more help as I don’t really have any wrist or arm muscle and got tired pretty quick) and help shape it into your desired knife. You’re there for an hour to an hour and a half, then sand your knife down to the perfect shape and sharpen the blade (which I loved). The guides tell you how traditional knives used to be made before the sanding belts they have now, and you get the full experience. The guides were amazing, gave the perfect amount of guidance, and helped with the final steps to make sure your knife was the best it could be. Shout out to Mits and Deiki! I would absolutely do it again, and highly recommend the experience!

We had an awesome experience learning the art of Kintsugi in Kyoto. I attended with my adult daughter and we both had a wonderful time. The booking says the class is one hour, which is not enough time to actually complete the class. You’d be better allocating 1 1/2 to 2 hours for the experience. We really only had an hour and were rushed getting it finished in 1 hour 20 minutes. That was the only downside to the class. Our instructor JoJo did a marvelous job of explaining some of the history and uses of Kintsugi. It really was fascinating to experience the philosophy of rebirth and reuse. Like so many of the temples use the Phoenix as a symbol for rebirth, this class taught the practical side of the concept. From reassembling the broken dish to applying the gold, JoJo made it fun and informative. Highly recommend it to anyone - all ages!! instructor: Fun and interesting. experience: Very happy we made time for this!!