All Reviews for Cultural Experiences

The overall experience was great. Highlight of our journey. The location was gorgeous, food wonderful and the maiko really nice and friendly. We felt transported into the past. Will definetly do it again!

The performance is good, dinner too. Garden is pretty to see. Night view is beautiful. Value for money.

We booked the private Maiko dinner to end our day long tour of beautiful Kyoto. What a wonderful experience. We were escorted to a private tea house where we were warmly met and welcomed. We were placed in a beautiful room with tatami seating and lovely Japanese screens. This was booked as a completely private experience which made this all the more special. We were soon met by a lovely Maiko who entertained us with three lovely dances. Just gorgeous. Following her performance, she joined us in conversation while we enjoyed a most delicious authentic kaiseki dinner and sake! The two hours went by all too fast! Via our private guide who served as our interpreter, we all enjoyed the company of this poised young lady. She embodied Japanese culture at its best! This was truly a one-of-a-kind experience; definitely the highlight of our trip to Japan. This opportunity should not be missed!

Fun-filled two hours learning how to assemble a bowl of Japanese raman noodles food sample. The instructor Mr Saito is very friendly and helpful. We talked half in English and Japanese (my broken Japanese simply makes the class even more funnier.)

Really realistic food sample. All semi-finished parts and tools are well-prepared waiting for me when I arrived at the workshop.

Good for children to adults, in particular for those who would like to have some interactive hands-on experience.

I thought it was great that you could have a drink before the performance and that there was an easy-to-understand explanation before the kyogen, making it enjoyable and accessible for beginners. However, while I found the explanation part interesting, it seemed a bit noisy for my companion, who isn't familiar with contemporary theater. It's a matter of personal preference, I suppose.

開演前に一杯呑むことができたり、狂言の前にわかりやすい説明があったり、初心者にとって楽しみやすい、親しみやすい志向がよかったと思います。
ただ、わたしにとっては説明のくだりがおもしろかったのですが、現代劇に親しみがない同行者にとっては少々騒がしかったようで。そこは好き好きですね。

The guide's relaxed tone was pleasant, and the content was rich and enjoyable. If I have a friend going to Nara, I plan to recommend this. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Nara since my school trip. Thank you very much.

ガイドさんの、ゆったりとした口調が心地良く
内容も、盛り沢山で楽しませて頂きました。
奈良へ行く友人がいたら、勧めるつもりです。
修学旅行以来の奈良を、満喫いたしました。
有難う御座いました。

We weren't sure what to expect with this dinner as it's a very reasonable cost we had low expectations, however were very pleasantly suprised. The hosts at Shozan were very friendly and accomodating and the food was lovely and traditional.
The arrival of our Maiko was announced and she danced so beautifully allowing the the rare opportunity for a photo with her even a few questions, followed by a walk in the gardens.
The bus tour allowed us an insight into places for us to visit in the following days.
Thanks for a great evening!

A fantastic workshop locationed in a serene area of Tokyo. Staff are extremely nice and helpful, and they speak English perfectly. Unforgettable experience, worth visiting twice.

The kimono dressing experience was truly amazing and definitely something that will be worthwhile doing again. The whole process was well thought out and really added to the fun experience. This is a once in a lifetime event so we really hoped for it to be good. We weren't too sure about it at first because it was our first time going there, but from the beginning, the lady who dressed us politely directed us through the whole process. We had seen some people dressed in kimonos when walking around different areas, but some were messy and looked rush. This is why we were anxious to find out how we would be dressed. Although it was a lengthy process to finally get us fully dressed in the kimono, much time and effort was put into dressing us neatly and beautiful by the lady who dressed us. She was also very conscious if we were comfortable in our kimono also which made the dressing process much easier and better for us. After getting dressed and ready to go, we realised the weather wasn't good for a kimono photo shoot as it was raining heavily. Luckily there was a cherry blossom tree inside the building just three floors down from where we were getting dressed. The lady who dressed us also then educated us into how to climb stairs and sit in a kimono, which really helped people who were new to wearing a kimono like us. Overall the experience was very enjoyable and we would definitely recommend it. It is a once in a lifetime experience for us, and we were lucky to get it done by great experienced professional people and a place which catered for everything! What a great kimono experience! Would definitely recommend this place.

Out of my expectation for that value of money. for the price you are unable to find the service in Gion and i was surprised by all the events organised by them.

The Instructors were such lovely folks--they really made the experience fun. Good activity for adults or children. The workshop is a bit out of the way, but located in a very pleasant residential neighborhood--nice for a stroll away from the busy Tokyo tourist sites. Very good price, since you'd easily pay more just to buy a "sampuru" much less make your own.

The Maiko dinner and show was Exquisite.
If travelling to Kyoto it must not be missed as the meal was a reflection of perfect Kyoto cuisine and to meet and see a Maiko performance is a lifetime experience.

We really enjoyed making plastic sample Ramen. Our instructor had a lot of knowledge about the process and was a lot of fun. All of the employees were nice.

The location was easy to find. We were greeted at the door and began work on our ramen. The process was easy and and gave a great result. All three of our bowls of ramen looked different and reflected our ramen artistry. :-)

A family with younger children came in later to make colorful parfaits, they also had a great time.

I would highly recommend this for families, groups, couples and singles. The sample food makes a great souvenir from Japan. Be sure to pick up a few extra pieces for friends at home.

Dad: Awesome! Friendly!

Boy: Much wow! Very nice! Can we do it again?

We had a lot of fun taking this workshop. The instructor spoke English quite well so we didn't have any trouble communicating. We would recommend this to anyone!

I visited Tokyo with my two daughters. The kimono rental dress-up was the highlight of our trip. The ladies that dressed us and did our hair were so nice. It was such a fun experience that I would highly recommend.

We were very pleased with the wonderful dinner set out ready for our arrival. I am vegetarian but could not organise prior notice, so the hostess explained the food types and which were suitable for me. Three of our party are elderly and stools were quickly provided for them. The Maiko was exquisite and performed two dances with opportunity for photos at the end. The walk through the gardens was like a magical forest.
We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and highly recommend as an insight into Japanese culture

The food was delicious, and my parents, whom I brought along, were very pleased. However, during the reservation, it was mentioned that the course would include a tour towards Odaiba, so I was expecting that. In reality, it was a cherry blossom viewing course that did not go to Odaiba and stayed around Sumida Park the entire time. The cherry blossoms were hardly blooming, and since I had signed up to show my parents the view of Odaiba, I really wished they had at least informed us beforehand that we wouldn't be going to Odaiba. That was the only disappointment.

お料理がどれも美味しく、連れていった両親も大変喜んでいました。
ただ、予約時のコース説明に、お台場方向までの周遊とあったので、そのつもりでいたのですが、実際はお花見コースでお台場方面には行かず、隅田公園の方にずっと留まったままでした。
桜がほとんど咲いていない状態でしたし、両親にお台場の景色を見せてあげたく思って申し込んだので、せめて出向前に、一言、お台場にはいかないと、言ってほしかったなぁと、それだけが残念でした。

I was very satisfied with everything: the food, the cleanliness of the ship, the staff's service attitude, and the cruise course.
It was a course with ample time, so I was able to spend a very relaxing time.
The tempura was freshly fried and incredibly delicious.
It was great that it included all-you-can-drink, sakura mochi, and even fruits.
I would like to use this service again if I have the opportunity.

お料理、船内の清潔さ、スタッフの接客態度、周遊コース、全てにおいて大満足でした。
十分な時間のコースだったのでとてもゆったりした時間を過ごせました。
天ぷらが揚げたてですごくおいしかったです。
飲み放題、さくらもち、フルーツまでついていて、とてもよかったです。
また機会があれば利用したいと思っています。

We requested an outdoor photo shoot in Asakusa with a four-year-old girl in a furisode and Shichi-Go-San formal attire. Fortunately, the weather was great on the day of the shoot. Although the child's whims caused the session to run longer than expected, the shop was accommodating and stayed with us until the end of the shoot, which was a great help. There was also a discount for the rickshaw, which we used for the photo shoot. Everyone, from the hairstylist to the photographer and the rickshaw puller, was fluent in English, which was very helpful. The photos are not ready yet, but I am looking forward to them. I would definitely use their services again if the opportunity arises.

四歳の女の子と振袖、七五三正装に、浅草の外景撮影も依頼し、当日はお天気に恵まれ、子供の我がままもあり、思ったより時間がかなり長引きましたが、お店に対応頂き、撮影終了までお付き合いして貰えて、助かりました。人力車に割引もあり、写真撮影にも利用させてもらいました。美容師、撮影から人力車の方まで英語堪能の方ばかりで、とても助かりました。また写真は出来上がってないが、期待しています。また機会があれば利用させて頂きます。

Not so impressed. If you just want to meet a maiko, it is okay. Nothing special. Food is average too. Select a better package!

I scheduled our appointment for the very first of the day and was so glad that I did. We were the only ones there and had our pick of so many kimonos that I almost couldn't decide which one to wear. When we came back to return our kimonos, the studio was full with three or four people. The woman who runs the place speaks good english and was so sweet and delightful. She made the whole experience of picking out our kimonos and dressing so much fun. The best part was getting to walk around Tokyo in our kimonos. At first we were a little anxious, because we seemed to be getting a lot of looks. The Japanese people seemed to get a kick out of seeing foreigners dressed in kimonos as they'd mostly smile and do the little nod bow thing. We walked from the studio to Nakamise shopping street and Sensoji shrine. By the time we'd gotten through those two sight seeing places we started to see a lot of other people dressed in kimonos. As we saw the other people in kimonos, I realized how much nicer the Sakura studio dressing experience was than all the others as we looked way better than everyone else we saw. My husband had the kimono top with the hakama pants on and the kimono jacket over top. The other men I saw had just the kimono and jacket, no pants. It could have been a choice on their part, I'm not sure, but I thought the pants looked better. My obi was an actual obi that the woman tied into a really cool knot and added a second accent pre-tied knot that made it look really cool. The other women I saw walking around had only a pretty poor looking pre-tied obi on. We also got to pick out Zori sandals and a kimono purse to go with our kimonos. I was also surprised at how warm the whole getup was. It was around 50 degrees outside the whole day but I wasn't cold at all, and I usually get cold very easily. Overall, I would recommend this activity, and I would definitely recommend the Sakura Studio.

I had wanted to ride on a yakatabune (houseboat) for a long time, and since there was a great lunch plan available, I decided to join. The freshly fried tempura was delicious, and the all-you-can-drink option was perfect for my husband and me, who enjoy drinking. The staff were all very nice as well.

前から屋形船に乗ってみたくて、
ランチタイムのお得なプランがあったので、参加しました。
揚げたての天ぷらもおいしかったですし、
飲み放題付きも、よく飲む夫婦にとっては、最高でした。
スタッフさんも良い方ばかりでした。

My family had a great time making our food samples. I made the parfait, and my husband and son made ramen. The instructor was able to guide us in English, and made the process easy and fun! Plus we came home with a great souvenir from our trip.

We had Ninja training as our team building activity while in Tokyo for our regional meeting. We had so much fun and it is the best ever team event :-) Thanks a lot to our ninja master and translator!

I participated with my 73-year-old mother. It's difficult to cover everything in one day on a personal trip, but we were able to efficiently enjoy the World Heritage sites in Nara. The guide's explanations were excellent, and the driver was safe.
The lunch, including Nara pickles, persimmon leaf sushi, and warm udon, was also delicious.
It was a great way to show appreciation to my mother.

73歳の母と参加しました。個人旅行ではとても１日では回りきれないのですが、奈良の世界遺産を効率よく堪能できました。ガイドさんの案内もよく、ドライバーさんも安全運転でした。
お昼御飯も奈良漬けや柿の葉寿司温かいうどんも美味しかったです。
良い親孝行ができました。

I participated with three friends who share my interests. The instructor was very friendly, and we had a great time experiencing the activity.

However, unfortunately, the wax sculpture was very delicate. It was perfectly shaped when it was finished, but now it has become covered in bits of tempura batter (laughs). I thought I was handling it carefully since I received proper explanations beforehand, but... (^^ゞ I would have appreciated having a coating agent or something similar.

気の合う仲間３人で参加しました。
とても気さくなインストラクターの方で、楽しく体験することができました。

ただ･･･残念な事に、ロウ細工はとても繊細で、出来上がった時は完璧な形だったのですが、今は、天かすだらけになってしまいました（笑）
事前にちゃんと説明していただいていたので、慎重に扱っていたつもりなのですが･･･(^^ゞ
コーティング剤とかがあれば嬉しかったです。

This is a really interesting workshop, and at the end of the day you get to take your creation home. We did the Ice Cream Sundae workshop.

The workshop leader does speak a bit of English, and they try their best to communicate with you to ensure you are on the right track. They are very patient and really doesn't push you to make a decision quickly when choosing specific ingredients (...we can't choose from so many cute things lol). We felt relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed the workshop.

The location itself is easy to find, and if you arrive a little early, you can always chill at the Lawson (convenient store) to grab a bite. Overall highly recommended :)

I made a tempura set. There were three of us, including myself. It was great that they not only made food samples but also talked about their history. I definitely want to bring my friends and family and try other things as well.

天ぷらセットを作りました。人数は私含めて三人。食品サンプルを作るだけでなく、その歴史まで話してくれたのが良かったです。ぜひまた友達や家族を連れてほかのにも挑戦したいと思いました。

It was titled "Sunset Cruise," but unfortunately, it was a cloudy day, so we couldn't see the sunset. However, there was a musician performing live inside the boat, and even though we were seated by the window, I enjoyed the two playtimes more than just looking outside during the cruise. I was especially moved when the title "Okinawa" was performed.

サンセットクルーズという表題でしたが、あいにく曇り空。よって日没は見ることはできなかった。しかし、船内でミュージシャンが生歌を披露してくれていたので、窓辺の席でしたが、外を眺めることのクルーズタイムよりも2回のプレイタイムは楽しかった。
沖縄だというタイトルが披露された時には特に感動しました。

Overall very good experience! Tutor is very attentive & caring! The small class size make it more fun & interesting.

One suggestion for future, would love to have more classes offering , and love to know from scratch how the complete food plastic production process is!