All Reviews for Cultural Experiences

It had been since my school trip since I last visited Nara, so I wasn't familiar with the area. I could easily explore around Nara Park on my own, but since I was unsure about Ikaruga, I joined a bus tour. Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy it efficiently without getting tired at all.

奈良は、修学旅行以来でしたので、土地勘なし。奈良公園付近は自分で簡単に回れますが、斑鳩の里は、未知数でしたのでバスツアーに参加しました。お陰様で効率よく、全く疲れることもなく、楽しめました

We reserved with veltra for the Geisha dance show "Gion Odori". The booking was very simple, and the price was the same as if we booked directly. We were surprise because we really had a great place, from where we had a perfect view on the Geishas.

The show was amazing, we couldn't have come in Japan and not see a Geisha dance show. It was even better than we expected and if we come back, we won't hesitate to book one more time with veltra.

You bought tickets for Gion Odori in November. The exchange of the voucher was very easy and hassle free. The seats allocated were not the best however, in the balcony. I guess i is done randomly, so we had no good luck :)But for a decent price we do not complain. Performance was very good, 6 Geiko and Maiko dances with grand finale when there were around 15 dancers on the stage. Highly recommended!

My girlfriend and I very much enjoyed this Geisha dance and it was one of our highlights in Kyoto. The process of buying the tickets through Veltra was easy as we only had to print off our ticket receipt and show this at the door. By booking our tickets a few days in advance we ended up with great seats near the front of the theatre.

We spent a week in Tokyo and this ended up being one of our favorite things about the trip. Amazing service, great food and all you can drink. Tokyo bay is very beautiful at night and this cruise lasted over 2 hours taking us to several nice view points where we could snap photos from the upper deck. Our main host for the evening was Kaoruko, she was so nice and friendly making sure the food was to our liking and made sure we always had a drink in our hand. She would explain the different areas of the bay we were exploring in both Japanese and English so that we could understand. Anyone visiting Tokyo should fit this cruise into their itinerary.

An amazing and memorable show. Extremely well worth the time and money if you're in Kyoto at the time, or even altering your trip time to include it if it's not too much of a hassle. If you've seen any of the other seasonal dances it's still worth seeing because of the differences in theatricality, dance and performance style. Excellent.

As for the Tea Ceremony plan, go in with tempered expectations. Chances are you won't be able to see the maiko making/serving the tea and, even if you can, it's even less likely you'll be the one being served. But that's fine as you still get a very nice snack, tea, commemorative plate and kerchief for a very low price. Consider actually seeing the maiko as a bonus and not the main course.

Also, picking up the Program option is well worth it. You can get it at the show as well but it's the same price as just buying online and when you buy online you'll get it right at the door with no extra fuss or muss.

For some reason they do not allow photos. This is 2017, every smart phone has a camera and especially coming from a foreign country you want to capture the experience. Next time just watch online the dozens of postings.

We arrived and were given some tickets in exchange for our online voucher. Then we were taken to some folding chairs in a passageway. I dont understand why we didnt get a normal seat in the theatre.

If you gave the chance to see this performance, don't miss it!

We had a really great time making the ramen - the guy who helped was very friendly and spoke good English, giving us a bit of fake food history and then patiently guiding us through the steps of preparing our own.

Thank you for teaching us patiently, we all had a lovely time! The teacher was patient and friendly, he explained each step of the making process clearly and even helped us when we were unsure of what to do. It was our first time making food samples but it was one of the best experiences!

This year is one of my mom’s most memorable visits in japan because of my surprise gift to her. I asked her to go with me in Nagoya to have a special lunch and after that we went straight to the kimono studio where all the friendly staff were waiting to do her hair and make-up for the kimono photoshoot. All the employees were so nice they tried to find the right kimono and shoe size for my mom. My mom enjoyed dressing in kimono. I can’t wait to share her beautiful photos. It was an amazing birthday experience for my mom.

The Gion Odori was an emotional, moving performance. You could never have the same authentic experience anywhere but Japan. There were maiko and prominent Kyoto residents in the audience, too, so you know it’s for real! The Veltra booking service made it super easy to get a ticket as a foreigner. I picked up my ticket at the theater about 30 minutes before the performance.

The show was very nice with magnificent colors. The location of our seats (view of the scene) was very good but the quality of the seat was poor, we were on add-on type hard seats instead of the normal softer seats. The show lasts one hour and tends to be boring with the same music and voice all along. In any case, a must-see show to get acquainted with Japanese culture.

It was 34 people in our group. The waiter and waitress were so busy catering to two groups of Japanese customers (about 20 people), they did not offer for us to order any drink. Our group was trying to get their attention to order some beverages but they did not walk over to us. The show itself is ok but I would not recommend this event.

If you're fortunate enough to be in Kyoto for this, I recommend you absolutely do it!

A few things to note:
-Booking online through Veltra guarantees you a seat; we were originally going to wait for tickets at the theatre itself, but they had long lines on the day of and it was SUPER cramped.
-We arrived an hour early to check in; just showed a print out of the Veltra voucher and got some souvenir stickers, and the lady at check-in said "Your seats are not very nice, so please accept this as an apology" -she gave us a free souvenir cloth - the same ones the Geiko & Maiko throw at the crowd during the show!
-We opted for the Tea Ceremony - After getting into a bit of a tight line on the upper level for 20 minutes, we got a piece of mochi and a bowl of green tea - just enough for a few sips, nothing too crazy/big. The room it is held in is quite small; it felt like a classroom with desks very close to each other. You are squeezed into a spot as soon as the previous people have vacated their seats; No photos but there is a Maiko and a Geiko at the front of the room looking quite solemn/stern so you might be lucky to be seated directly in front of them while you're enjoying your snack but you're equally likely to be put in the far corner. Again, a tight squeeze.
-The seats were really not that bad, we were on the highest level and it seems like other Veltra buyers were too (other Westerners). The view for us was great but it seems you don't have a choice in selection.
-It's not in the same spot as Gion Corner; the theatre for this is actually across the street from the Yasaka Shrine.
-Everything's in Japanese, heads up - even the program you receive. Again, we're a couple of fairly smaller people under 5'8" and it was a bit cramped - so take note if you're on the larger side. We noticed a heftier American couple with mobility issues having a slightly tougher time... but they also talked through the entire show. Avoid coming with bags!

One of the most beautiful dances I have ever seen and one of the highlights of my trip in Japan.

Nothing short of spectacular! These public dances emit a magical atomsphere that is sure to spell-bound everyone. There is nothing else like it in the world !

Good show with a quick cup of tea at first in a separate room. Easy to change the voucher into ticket (one hour before the show). Very pleased.

Very nice and impressive performance. The tee ceremony not really worth it, but the performance was excellent

Having the ticket beforehand has been great. I think there were still available tickets onsite when we got there but the place was pretty packed by showtime so still good to plan beforehand.

If you plan to do the tea ceremony, there will be several batches as the room is small. Try to sit in the first row to experience the Maiko serving you your tea.

I was given a foldable chair to sit in while other had regular seats in the theatre. I understand that I was not the only one given such a seat but it indicated that the theatre oversold their tickets? And given that I purchased my ticket one month in advance, I don't see how it should come to that. Veltra, as the go between, you should really look into the matter, or at least drop the booking from your site – as it reflects badly on you to be listing activities that don't meet a certain standard for paying customers. The show was great though.

Performance was excellent but was treated like maximazing turnover - tea ceremony too fast and on a personal level having book most expensive options well in advance was disappointed to be on an end row -on an additional hard chair unlike the the more comfortable seats in the auditorium - so my 3 reflects the efforts of the artists not the management

Have been to Kyoto before but never saw a dance performance. It was fantastic and the seats were very good too. I really appreciated being able to get them from the US before the trip -- I expect they would have been sold out by the time we were in Kyoto, especially as we had 7 people attending. Thanks, Veltra!

I have enjoyed cruising several times abroad. My daughter said, "You really like this, don't you, Mom?" and I participated again domestically without hesitation. The staff was very kind, and the food was delicious. We didn't go far, just cruising around the bay, but I was able to enjoy the meal while watching the sunset and planes taking off. At a nearby table, a couple from the U.S. military was celebrating a surprise anniversary, which was quite touching and added to the exotic atmosphere.

海外では何度かクルージングを楽しんできました。一緒に行った娘から「お母さんも好きだね～」と言われつつ、国内でも懲りずに参加しました。スタッフがとても親切で、お料理もおいしくいただくことができました。湾の中をグルグル回り遠出はしなかったのですが、食事を楽しみながらもサンセットや飛びだつ飛行機をみることができました。近くの席で米軍のカップルが、サプライズアニバーサリーをしていたので、ちょっと感激＆異国気分も味合うことができました。

Wearing kimono is a must do in Otaru. Everyone looks and treats you like you’’re a celebrity. It was loads of fun and Mina the shop owner was fantastic. She speaks some English and is very engaging. Email her your questions and she’ll get right back with you.

My two girls and I had an amazing time making ice cream sundaes!! Our host was so kind and ever so patient with my kids. Although, we do not speak Japanese, he was so gracious to speak to us in English and was easy to understand, so funny and engaging! I would recommend this workshop to anyone, it was definitely a highlight in our trip to Japan!

This is a great way to see Tokyo at night. The staff were extremely helpful and attentive. Even though their English was limited they made sure the evening was great for us. The food was delicious and gave us a chance to sample different types of food. Definitely recommend

They kindly taught how to cut and draw Edokiriko glass. We could communicate with the instructor in English as well as Japanese. The glasses we made were kind of not perfect one, but really adorable and handmade.

The yakatabune (houseboat) is used for various purposes, and this is my first time here. It's stylish in many ways. There was a sunken kotatsu, but we had chair seating during our visit. My foreign friend was delighted! However, the sunken kotatsu allows you to feel the movement of the waves more directly. Compared to others, it feels more elegant and doesn't have a rustic vibe. The all-you-can-drink system is well-organized; they bring drinks when you order instead of self-service. It's a nice cruise dinner experience. Oh, and there was a smoking area too!

屋形船はいろいろ利用していて、こちらは初めてです。
いろいろな意味でおしゃれ。掘りごたつとありましたが、我々のときは椅子席。
外国人の友人と一緒だったので喜ばれました！
しかーし、掘りごたつのほうがダイレクトに波の動きを感じられる。
他と比べるとおしゃれです。泥臭い感じがありません。
飲み放題も自分ではなく、ちゃんとオーダーすれば持ってきてくれるシステム。
おしゃれなクルーズディナーと思えばよし。
あ、喫煙所もあったし！