Amulet Making Experience
(Since I booked both the amulet making and kimono changing experiences, the opening text is common to both.)
Recently, I also wanted to make an amulet as a souvenir. A friend happened to recommend it, so I booked a trip to "Shiomi Ryugu Shrine."
Since I don't usually come to the Shiomi area, when I first arrived, it was indeed a bit unique, just like the Google Map reviews said. The building is a small apartment-office complex, with many restaurants on the first floor. Although I had already read the reviews, I couldn't help but wonder if it was a bit too unusual. As soon as we got downstairs, a Taiwanese staff member heard us speaking and immediately came to confirm our reservation and explain things, which instantly put us at ease.
For the DIY amulet making experience, you can choose between styles with or without a photo frame. Once you've chosen your style, you can start making it. That day, besides us, there were many other groups of guests, including many Japanese people and families with children, just like an art class experience. So, it's not purely an attraction for overseas tourists.
I originally thought making an amulet would just involve drawing and sticking things, but I didn't expect there to be so many materials to choose from. (This place uses stamps for designs.) Plus, you can choose beads to weave, etc. We spent almost two hours and still hadn't finished. We only rushed to finish when we felt we really couldn't continue.🤣
However, throughout the process, both the Taiwanese and Japanese staff were very meticulous and friendly. They were almost always responsive and thoughtful with tutorials and various other requests (and they were the same with other guests). Their explanations of the amulets and the shrine itself were also very detailed. I am very grateful to all the staff that day.
Overall, I highly recommend this experience to those who have already done many things in Tokyo and don't want to go shopping. I personally had a lot of fun and felt very fulfilled. Of course, this may not be an experience that everyone will enjoy, but if you come, you can generally have a good harvest, at least getting your own unique amulet.