All Reviews for Cultural Experiences

This night went beyond our expectations. We had a great time with all the people on board,who were mainly Japanese. The MC/hostess was bilingual and such a lovely woman,friendly and hard-working. Entertainment was a bonus and the food was really fresh and authentic. It was a perfect evening for us and we were expecting a mediocre night because of the rain. Luckily it stopped just as we got into Odaiba and we could take in the amazing view. I can`t believe I haven`t done this before. Highly recommended and worth the cost.

Shozan Garden is on beautiful grounds. Kaiseki was interesting. Maiko danced during our dinner. Good first hand experience with Maiko.

It might be good if you're looking to enjoy the atmosphere, but the food wasn't as good as I had hoped. The staff quickly came to clear away empty plates, which gave me the impression of being rushed.

雰囲気を味わうなら良いかもしれませんが、料理は期待したほどではなかった。スタッフの人達が空いたお皿をすぐに下げに来て、急かされるような印象を受けました。

We're very glad to make food sample here. It's quite special to experience Janpanese culture like this. And we all love it.

Absolutely the best Yakatabune experience! The crew and staff from Harumiya were top notch. Harumiya staff was personable and very professional. The dinner, entertainment, sights, tour and especially the Hostess were the best. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND Harumiya!!!

It was expectacular , love it !! Thanks you guys you were asome!

Making lettuce and shrimp tempura was quite interesting process, our boys and I really enjoyed putting our hands in the water, witnessing how drops of candle change to the leafs of lettuce in our hands.

Excellent choice of activities, it was easy enough I had 13 and 9 years with me, they did excellent job, I can't wait to take them back to USA and trick my friends offering Tempura at our house!...lol

well organised....good experience of japanese 9 course meal....sashimi , sushi , tempura...served hot...unlimited drinks...and japanese dessert...with great views of tokyo bay for 2 hours...worth for money..

This cruise is great, I would highly recommend! It was mostly Japanese with a couple of Westerners, however they made us feel very welcome, giving all commentaries/instructions in Japanese and (good) English and just generally the staff were very friendly.

The food is good and plentiful and drink just keeps flowing with a good selection. A lot of the food was fish (no meat) so it may be difficult if you're a vegetarian, unless you can request. Nothing was too odd though (I dont like eating random things!) and I ate and loved it all!

The staff explain the various sites you go past and even though it was pouring with rain we still got a good overview and some great photos. They stop a couple of times so you can have a look and go onto the top of the boat

The people around us were friendly and we just felt like even though we were in the minority we were very welcome!

It was one of the highlights of our trip and I would say go for it, there are not many cruises like it as far as I can tell and it feels very authentic.

After the explanation of the annual events, we were able to view the house. I found the kamidana (Shinto altar), butsudan (Buddhist altar), the beautiful garden, the storehouse, and the stairs leading to the employees' rooms very interesting. The tea room is a historic place named by the Musakōji family, so it was a bit disappointing that we could only observe and experience the tea ceremony in a separate room with standing etiquette. The meal was very delicious.

　一年の行事の説明後、お家を拝見させていただきます。
神棚、仏壇、立派なお庭や蔵、お茶室、従業員のお部屋に通じる階段など、大変興味深かったです。
　お茶室は、武者小路の家元が名づけた由緒のあるところなので、見学だけで、別室での立礼での茶道体験です、少し、残念でした。
　お食事は大変美味しかったです。

This is the only place we found offer Kimono, not simple summer clothing in Tokyo. The selection is very broad in all kinds of colors. The dressing service and over experience is wonderful. The photographer is nice too. It is important to keep in mind that the photography fee is depending on number of people in the group. So since we have 3 people, we need to pay 15,000 JPN Yen for hiring the photographer.

We actually ended up arriving to the kimono studio on the wrong day but they were so accommodating and allowed us to get the kimono dressing done that day even though they were busy. They have a heap of kimonos to choose from, lots of hair accessories, and the hair lady does wonderful braids. For location, it was easy to find, just remember it is down the street where starbucks is !

The three-hour experience course at a long-established shop in Nishijin, which still conveys the traditional seasonal events and lifestyle that are likely rare even in Kyoto, became a unique and flavorful experience. I would like to visit again during different seasons.

恐らく京都でもたくさんは残っていない昔ながらの季節季節の行事や暮らしを今でも伝える西陣の老舗での3時間体験コースは、他に類を見ない味わいある経験になりました。また季節季節に訪れてみたいと思います。

Walking into the Shozan Garden your receive an immediate feeling of both awe and Zen at its mere beauty. We were then greeted by several staff members who seated and served us during our meal. The meal was a traditional Japanese meal that gave you an intro into Japanese cuisine; if you are not already familiar. Towards the middle of our meal, the beautiful maiko was introduced and began her performance which was the definition of grace, beauty and eludes to the work and craft of the full Geisha. Later that evening walking thorough the Shozan Garden you feel at peace, as though this is the place in which you could live out your existence. This experience should be a #1 on your list of things to do in Kyoto.

Easy instruction and good service, worth checking out

STAFF- Very accommodating, kind and they will really make you feel good with their service by making sure you will feel comfortable and look pretty in your photos in kimono. Kimono rental plus hair and make-up for approx $50- great deal!
KIMONO- lots of designs to choose from. Everything was pretty, even the accessories.

Boat trip was fascinating. All atendees were just Japanese people so we enjoyed really traditional trip. Food was very original and tasty.

We booked the sundae workshop, and after completing it we realised we should of booked a full day and done all of them!
I booked this (female) for my partner and I to do, he wasnt looking forward to it but ending up having alot of fun.
The guy we had was fantastic, we took lots of photos, he explained everything perfectly.
It was alittle tricky to find, we did follow the directions but went too far - the place is part of a house, and there is a little sliding door where you need to go. So if you end up at a t-intersection after it says it is on the left hand side you have gone too far.

Forgot to ask for our teacher's name. But he was really awesome! Though he was not fluent in English, he really tried his very best to share his knowledge on the samples. I was very impressed with his enthusiasm and professionalism in his work. Keep up the great work! I'll definitely attend the workshop again if I'm visiting Japan. I'll also introduce my friends to attend! :)

Aloha from Hawaii! Visited on June 15, 2015. Our appointment was at 1:00 but they allowed us to begin at 12:00. Staff was very friendly. We made ramen, tempura, curry rice, and ice cream. Staff helped us create wonderful memories. Mahalo (thank you) from our family!

My 5 yr old did this and the tart keychain. Although he was too small to handle the piping 'gun', he really wanted to try it. The instructor did a great job in helping my son hold the gun and guide it while still allowing him to still feel like he did the piping! It's very similar to the tart making in that you pick 5 decorative items, pipe the cream then decorate!

10-yr old had great fun with this and the ramen. Instructor was very patient and encouraging and the end product was very well packaged for travel.

This was easy enough for a 5yr old to do. He needed some help piping the cream but then picked and placed the decorative pieces on his own. If you pick this piece, I would suggest you also pick another more complicated one to do as this will be completed very quickly!

The teachers are very nice. I had a great class with them. Fun!!! They provided me a very clear instruction to find the location as well. That was a great help. If you are interested, just sign up and you will like it as well. They can teach you in English =D

The teachers are very nice. I had a great class with them. Fun!!! They provided me a very clear instruction to find the location as well. That was a great help. If you are interested, just sign up and you will like it as well. They can teach you in English =D

I went with my whole family. This was our first time seeing Maiko. Watching them dance and then taking pictures with the Maiko made for a fantastic Kyoto memory.

<Translated by Veltra.com>

This is a very fun workshop, and I do really enjoy doing the food samples. Not to worry if you do not understanding Japanese, as one of the staff is able to communicate in basic English. And Mr Ito even used the language translator apps on his phone to communicate with me, and explain to me on various material used in food sample. You should try it if you are visiting Tokyo!

I had a wonderful experience in a charming machiya in Nishijin. However, I would have appreciated a bit more careful kimono dressing and a selection of kimono patterns.

雰囲気のある西陣の町家で、素敵な体験ができました。
ただ、もう少し丁寧な着付けや、着物の柄選びがあればうれしかったです。

The workshop was located in a typical residential area, and the large sign made it easy to find. We participated as a pair and made ramen and parfait clips.

There was another group already working on making tempura at the experience location. Although it was a small workshop, each group was happily working with the instructors. During the process, I learned that ramen is made from "wax" and parfait from "vinyl resin."

The instructor carefully explained the characteristics of each material, and I think it's better to create different items when participating in a group, as it allows everyone to learn about various food sample-making processes. When we actually made the items, there were examples of failed attempts and various sizes and colors of topping samples prepared in advance, which made it very efficient and allowed us to create cute clips without any mistakes.

When we were leaving, our creations were carefully packed into boxes, so even though I live overseas, they didn't get damaged during the long flight. Additionally, I received a document that briefly explained the history of food samples and the challenges of expanding globally. In a short time, I was able to learn not only about the materials' characteristics but also about the history of sample making and the difficulties of global expansion, thanks to the instructors' thorough preparation and efforts to ensure participants had an enjoyable experience. I believe this activity can be enjoyed by both children and adults.

Also, since I booked through Veltra and paid in advance, the experience went smoothly without the common reservation or payment issues often encountered abroad. Thank you for a wonderful time.

一般の住宅街の中に工房はありました。大きな看板が目印になっていたので、場所を探すのに時間はかかりませんでした。
二人での参加でしたが、ラーメンとパフェクリップを作りました。

体験場所にはもう一組のグループが先に天ぷら作成の作業をしていました。
小さな工房でしたが、それぞれのグループが先生方と和気あいあいと作業を進めていました。
作業を進めていく中で、ラーメンは「ろう」、パフェは「ビニール樹脂」を材料に作成することを知りました。

それぞれの材料の個性を先生に丁寧に説明して頂き、複数人で参加する場合は、それぞれ違うものを作ったほうが色々な食品サンプル作りの過程を知ることができ良いと思います。実際に作る時も、失敗作の例や色々なサイズや色が異なるトッピングサンプルを事前に準備して頂いてたので、とても効率よく、かわいらしいクリップを失敗することなく作ることができました。

帰り際には丁寧に作品を箱に詰めていただけたので、私は海外に住んでいますが、長時間の飛行機移動でも崩れることはなかったです。
また、帰り際に食品サンプルの歴史や世界進出の難しさなどが簡単に説明された文書をもらいました。短い時間に、ただ作るだけではなくて、材料の個性やサンプル作りの歴史、世界進出の難しさを知れたのは、工房の先生方が事前にしっかり準備をして、体験者が楽しめるように尽力されているからこそだと思いました。
このアクティビティは子供大人関係なく楽しめると思います。

またベルトラ経由で予約、事前支払だったので、海外でよく経験する予約時間や会計でのトラブルなくスムーズに体験ができ安心しました。楽しい時間をありがとうございました。

This is a very fun workshop, and I do really enjoy doing the food samples. Not to worry if you do not understand Japanese, as one of the staff is able to communicate in basic English. And Mr. Ito even used the language translator apps on his phone to communicate with me and explain to me the various materials used in the food samples. You should try it if you are visiting Tokyo!

This is a very fun workshop, and I do really enjoy doing the food samples. Not to worry if you do not understanding Japanese, as one of the staff is able to communicate in basic English. And Mr Ito even used the language translator apps on his phone to communicate with me, and explain to me on various material used in food sample. You should try it if you are visiting Tokyo!