All Reviews for Cultural Experiences

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!

This year, the Golden Week has a long holiday, but I can't take much time off due to work ( ⚈̥̥̥̥̥́⌢⚈̥̥̥̥̥̀). So, I wanted to do something special, and I ended up choosing a yakatabune (houseboat)! I was really looking forward to riding it after such a long time.

When we entered the yakatabune, there were name tags placed. For some reason, our names were in English, but it was actually nice because the English menu included the history of the yakatabune (´∀｀*). Beer was served around the time of departure! I skipped lunch for the evening, so it was perfect! The food was delicious, and I was very satisfied!

There are two stopping points. The first one was for about 10 minutes with the Tokyo Skytree in the background. The next stop was at Odaiba for about an hour. We could take a lot of photos there. During that time, the crew members told us about various landmarks and brought us freshly fried tempura! There were about five types, but the anago (conger eel) was especially delicious♡

There was a show partway through, featuring a lion dance and nankin tamasudare (a traditional performance). I had only seen nankin tamasudare on TV, so it was really fun! It was interactive, and everyone got really excited, creating a friendly atmosphere. People from overseas, elderly guests, and children all seemed to be having a great time.

With delicious food, plenty of drinks, and a pleasant breeze from the windows, it turned into a wonderful night. It was impressive that my husband, who usually doesn't express his feelings much, kept saying how much he enjoyed it! I definitely want to come again!

今年は連休が長いGWですが、私は仕事のため、あまり休めません( ⚈̥̥̥̥̥́⌢⚈̥̥̥̥̥̀)そこで何か特別なことがしたいと思い、たどりついたのが屋形船でした！
久しぶりに乗るのでとても楽しみでした。

屋形船に入ると名前の札がおいてあります。何故か私達の名前は英語表記になってましたがw、英語メニューに屋形船の歴史とかが書いてあったので、逆によかったです(´∀｀*)
出航ぐらいのタイミングでビールが配られます！夜のためにお昼をぬいてたので、最高！
お料理もおいしく、大満足！
２箇所停留ポイントがあります。初めはスカイツリーをバックに10分程。次はお台場で1時間くらいかな？そこでたくさん写真がとれます～。
その間は船員さんが、名所をところどころ教えてくれたり、揚げたての天ぷらを持ってきてくれます！
5種類くらいありましたが、特に穴子が美味でした♡
途中からショーがあり、獅子舞の踊りとなんきんたますだれをやってくれました。特になんきんたますだれはテレビでしか見たことなく、とても楽しかったです！参加型でしたので、皆さん大いに盛り上がって、和気あいあいとしたムードに。海外の方や、お年寄りからお子さんまでみんな楽しそう。
美味しいご飯と、たくさんのお酒そして窓からの風が心地よく、とても素敵な夜になりました。
あんまり普段感想を言わない旦那さんも、楽しかったと何回も言ってたのも印象的でした！
また是非きたいです！

Today, I'm making ramen.
Believe it or not, I'm a repeat visitor!
After enjoying the tart-making experience last time, I brought along an acquaintance from America.
Unlike tarts, ramen involves working with wax, shaping the noodles and menma in hot water.
For the noodles, I dip 3-4 strands in hot water and twist them into a figure-eight shape.
I start by making menma from rectangular pieces.
Recalling the shape of menma, I knead, twist, and pull.
I already feel like a skilled craftsman. ( *´艸｀)
For the broth, I pour colored wax into the bowl.
This part is a bit hot, so I asked the workshop staff for help.
I cut green onions into stick shapes with scissors and beautifully arrange the spinach, naruto, and green onions.
I ended up with a very satisfying bowl of ramen.

Thank you to everyone at the workshop for the detailed explanations about the properties of wax and for all the thoughtful assistance.
I will definitely come back with someone else.

さぁ、今日はラーメン作りです。
なんと私　リピーターです！！
前回のタルトづくりで味をしめ、アメリカ在住の知り合いを連れていきました。
ラーメンはタルトと違いロウ細工ということで
お湯で麺とメンマを成形します。
麺は3－4本毎　お湯につけて八の字にして作っていきます。
メンマは長方形のものから作っていきます。
メンマの形を思い出しながら、もんだり、ねじったり、ひっぱったり。
気分はもういっぱしの職人です。( *´艸｀)
汁は着色されたロウをどんぶりに流し込みます。
これはちょっと熱いので工房の方にお願いしました。
ネギは棒状のものをはさみでカット
ホウレンソウ・なると・ねぎをおいしそうにレイアウト
大満足のラーメンが出来上がりました。

ロウの特性など丁寧に説明していただき、
細かい気づかいをしていただいた工房の皆様ありがとうございました。
また、誰か連れて伺います。

I have always wanted to try a Kimono but never had a chance to, so definitely wanted to try this photo shoot when I came to Japan. The whole experience was so amazingly wonderful. The girls spoke English well and we were able to communicate. There were so many different gorgeous Kimonos to choose from. They help to make my hair and had an abundance of hair pins to choose from (There were so many different ones that I couldn't make my choice but was glad that I had their guidance.) The photo shoot was very friendly and fun. I definitely enjoyed my pictures afterwards and wanted all of them. Best of all, you finished your experience with sweets and macha tea in the end. What girl doesn't like ending with sweets right? This was definitely a fun experience and would recommend to anyone!

I participated with a friend and my friend's son (a first grader).

When we gathered at the meeting place, we noticed a few foreign visitors who were also in Japan. There were five groups of participants on the boat. The interior of the boat was very clean, and it was nice to sit in chairs instead of on tatami mats. With about 20 participants, we were able to enjoy the spaciousness both inside the boat and on the deck.

The meal was luxurious, featuring sashimi, steamed clams, tempura, and more, with portions so generous that we couldn't finish everything. During the trip, a small boat came alongside our yakatabune and sold us boiled clams. I bought some as souvenirs, and they were delicious.

The weather was nice, allowing us to enjoy the outdoor scenery. The view from the boat was great, and we docked near the Rainbow Bridge and close to Tokyo Skytree, where we could enjoy the scenery from the deck as well. Although it was quite warm during the day, it got a bit chilly at night, so I thought it would have been good for the child to have an extra layer.

Surprisingly, the elementary school student didn't get bored, and both adults and children were very satisfied with the experience.

友達と、友達の息子（１年生）と３人で参加しました。

集合場所に集まると、やはり、日本を訪れている外国人の姿がちらほら。船には５組の参加者でした。船内とても綺麗で、座敷ではなく椅子に座れたのもよかったです。20人くらいの参加者だったので、船内もデッキ上も広々と利用することができました。

食事はお刺身、ハマグリの酒蒸し、天ぷらなど豪華で量も食べきれないほどでした。移動中、小さな船が屋形船に横づけしてきて、アサリの佃煮を販売してくれました。お土産に買って帰ったのですが、こちらも美味しく頂いてます。

天気も良く、外の景観も楽しむことができました。船からの景色もよかったですが、レインボーブリッジ近く、スカイツリー間近かで船が停泊され、デッキ上からも景色を楽しむことができました。昼間は暑いくらいの季節ですが、夜は少々冷えるので、子どもは余計に一枚上着を持って
いてもよかったなとも思います。

思っていた以上に、小学生が退屈せずに過ごしてくれ、大人も大満足の内容でした。

A group of 5 of us did this unforgettable experience! Everything was perfect and the staff was extremely friendly! We were given great instruction and valuable information about sample food production and history. We were given a lot of control and freedom with our creations and never did we feel like we were being rushed. It was a truly enjoyable experience.

Our instructor was Kazuya Ito. He was great! And he has great English, especially since he told us he is self-taught from watching movies! Truly amazing!

As there were no reviews of this experience, I was not sure what to expect but as soon as our taxi pulled up at the address and there was a clear sign directing to us to the right floor, I was reassured!

We were greeted by two incredibly hospitable and welcoming Japanese ladies who were incredibly passionate about their business. It was honestly a priviledge to visit them in their studio. First there was the opportunity to choose a Kimono to my tastes and then they did my hair in a style fitting for the Kimono (you also get to choose matching hair accessories too) which was great. After this I touched up my make up and they began to put the Kimono on.

The main experience is then having your photos taken in the studio part along with some fun Japanese accessories. For this experience you have one printed photo included from the photo shoot and you can pay extra to take the digital prints away - which I did as it wasn't too expensive.

I can honestly say that the whole experience was fun and professional with the Japanese ladies making you feel totally at ease the whole time. My husband came along (but he didn't fancy dressing up!) and they made him feel very welcome too and let him take photos of me for free in the kimono outside of the studio too (which I thought was very generous).

After the photo shoot we were both served some delicious green tea and Japanese sweets which ended off the experience brilliantly. This was a totally worthwhile experience and in my opinion much better than walking around outside in a Kimono which I saw lots of tourists do! The quality of their kimonos is so much better and as they are more princess style, it feels incredibly luxurious to wear them. As the lift doors closed at the end of this experience we were left with the image of the two ladies bowing to us on our way out - I cannot rate them highly enough.

Overall a fantastic experience and I'm so glad I chose to do it!

We signed up for the kimono experience plan because my wife loves Japan and has always wanted to try on a Kimono. The whole experience turned amazing. Despite being unfamiliar with the area, the studio was very, very easy to find located in the NW corner of JR Meguro. The studio itself was very inviting and personal. We were greeted by the girls who spoke English and were super friendly. They informed us on the schedule and details of our plan, so there were no surprises later. Once done, she provided me with a catalog with all the different traditional Japanese men’s wear to choose from. As I have never worn this before, I definitely needed the ladies to help me so that I didn’t wear the pants on backwards! We then proceeded to the studio where they took probably 15-20 photos. They had all sort of different props from me ranging from samurai swords to Japanese umbrellas which was fun. The shoot throughout was very engaging, where the photographer is constantly interacting with you. As I never have modeled for anything, she was very helpful in terms of telling me how to pose, where to put my arm, and where to look. At no point during the shoot did I feel uncomfortable or unnatural. Once done, they allowed you back to the dressing room, where you were actually allowed to use your own phone or camera to take a few pictures for yourself! Since I only purchased the basic package, I was able to choose only 1 pic. However, many of the photos really turned out well and getting extras weren’t so expensive so I picked up more. Even if I selected the whole package of the shoot, the cost was still fairly reasonable (5000 yen). Best of all, the girls are never pushy for you to buy any photos. All in all, this turned out to be a wonderful experience and probably was the highlight of our trip. I would highly recommend this for anyone coming to Japan and hoping for a Japanese experience with pictures to remember.

As others have mentioned, it has a homely atmosphere, unlike luxury cruising. One disappointing thing was that I wanted to quietly confirm the anniversary celebration, but perhaps because there were many foreign staff, I ended up calling a Japanese staff member, which made it obvious to the person I was celebrating with. It was funny in its own way, so it turned out okay.

他の方も書かれていますが、高級なクルージングとは違いアットホームな雰囲気です。
一つ残念だったのは、特典だった記念日のお祝いに関してこっそり確認したかったのに
外国人のスタッフが多かったためか結局日本人のスタッフを呼んだりしてお祝いの相手にばれちゃったことです。これはこれで笑えたので良かったのですが。

Our family all really enjoyed making the wax food models, it was one of the highlights of our trip. Our host had enough English to explain what to do, but we weren't expecting this, so that was an added bonus. We were all really pleased with our creations!

The travel directions were accurate and easy to follow and we found it to be very accessible. In addition, it was also very good value.

When I first booked this experience, I expected that (because kimono is quite an expensive thing) I will feel uncomfortable wearing it and taking pictures. As I come from the country where people providing services are not really that friendly I also expected formal atmosphere. But the reality was complete opposite! The three ladies working at the studio Wa were soooo friendly and created such a atmosphere, that I couldn´t help but laugh during the whole photoshooting. When we entered the studio, they already expected me and my friend and we received very warm welcome. Then they arranged our hairstyle very pretty so it will match with kimono and we got to choose the hair accessory on our own. Also we chose the kimono we wanted to take pictures in. Even though it took us quite a lot of time they waited patiently for us to decide. Then one of the ladies helped us with wearing kimono and the others prepared for the photoshooting. They took around 20 pictures of each of us (also with some props like a sword, flowers, an umbrella) . Then we took off the kimono and got to choose one picture to be printed out. Me and my friend were so satisfied with the pictures that we decided to pay for all of them to get them on CD. While we waited for the CDs, the ladies served us with original japanese matcha - green tea and sweets. For the whole time we were there, they were really friendly. The best hospitality! Even when we returned home and I had a problem displaying pictures on my computer, so I wrote to the studio and they replied within few hours and sent me pictures again.
Honestly, I can´t find anything to complain about. The whole studio is really cozy and close to the Meguro Station, and one lady can speak English very well. I will definitely recommend this place not only here but also to my friends. And I really wouldn´t mind taking my pictures in kimono there again :) They also have a facebook page so you can check some of the photos there.

I participated in this activity in the beginning of April with my friend and it was a very enjoyable experience. The Kimono studio is a quite small business with a family atmosphere. There were no other customers at the time, which seemed to be the standard circumstances. The two of us had 3 women staff at our disposal, who took very good care of us. They brushed our hair, provided basic make-up products and dressed us in the kimono of our choosing, which would have been very complicated otherwise. There were about 7 types of kimono in different colours to choose from. If you want your choice to match you perfectly, ask them to show you the real kimono, because the photograph in the catalogue is quite misleading. The shooting itself took about fifteen minutes. You can tell it is not a professional shooting session, but the staff is very pleasant and they try hard to make it work. They also have some additional accessories such as umbrellas, flowers, fans and katanas. Every one of us got 20 photos and we could choose one to be printed out free of charge. If you want the digital version of the whole collection, you need to pay extra money and they burn it out for you on a cd. After the shooting we received a real matcha tea and some sweats. To sum up, this activity is definitely worth the money. It is a great experience!

Definitely recommended for families travelling to tokyo with young children. It was held in a cosy home environment, easy to find with instructions upon booking and kids got mostly hands on experience to make the plastic food samples. We picked the sundae and ramen but if I were to do it again will pick curry rice and tempura too..value for money for the experience. They made sure to pack the items probably before u left...nothing but praise for them!

This cruise was one of the best experiences that I have had in tokyo! The staff were very accommodating (even though their English was very limited) and this enhanced the experience many times! The views of tokyo once the boat stops were breathtaking and the overall feeling was relaxed and fun. It also seemed to be very popular with locals (as we were the only foreigners on the cruise) but this made everything much more enjoyable! Highly recommended!

I participated in it with my partner (who is not Japanese). It was a course full of Japanese cultural experiences that visitors like, and he and I were very satisfied with it.
A European couple who were attending at the same time course seemed very satisfied too. We had an animated conversation with them, saying that we would be sure to recommend this to others.

Since there was an English guide, I did not need to translate for my partner (which would have been stressful, since there a lot of things that I do not know about Kyoto Culture), and I enjoyed it to the fullest. When I have guests from foreign countries visiting next time, I would like to use your plan.

<Translated by Veltra.com>

This is a very good introductory lesson into plastic food making and the history and techniques which were used to make the plastic food.
Mr Ito is a very good teacher, who will spend his time to explain his art in fullest details and does his best to communicate in english to the non-Japanese speaking guests to make them feel comfortable and be immersed in the lesson.

It was awesome