All Reviews for Cultural Experiences

The young woman who helped me was kind and gentle. In contrast, what about the people at the shop on the first floor? At the end, I was able to take a photo, and it turned out beautifully.

教えていただけた若い女の人が親切でやさしかったです。それに引き換え一階の売店にいた人達は？
終わりに写真を撮らせていただけるのですが、きれいに写すことができました。

From start to finish, this was an amazing experience. It's an intimate, private class inside the artist's studio. The instructor provided information on the history of kintsugi and carefully guided us through each step of the process with ample detail. A list of all the tools and materials used in the class are provided in a list as well (make sure to go to Tokyu Hands in Shinjuku to get them yourself!)

The time I hoped for was not available, so I was changed to a session that was confirmed to take place. I was grateful for the email communication and the assistance provided.

I was surprised by the small number of attendees at the event, but I was thrilled to see the maiko's tea ceremony and dance from the front row, which I had hoped for. I refrained from stepping forward due to my nervousness, but since there were few people, I believe everyone was able to fully enjoy the experience. The expression on the maiko's face when she lost in the Konpira Ship game was very cute.

I was happy to be able to take photos together, but it would have been even better if there had been time for more photos of the maiko. I wanted to capture her from behind as well. If I have the opportunity, I would like to participate in a different course.

希望していた時間が開催されず、催行が決定している回に変更して頂きました。わざわざメールでご連絡頂き対応して下さり有り難かったです。
会自体は人が少なくてびっくりでしたが、希望していた最前列で舞妓さんのお点前や踊りを見られて感激です。
私は前に出るのは緊張するので遠慮しましたが、人数が少なかったので、皆さま体験を堪能されたと思います。金毘羅船々のゲームで舞妓さんが負けた時の表情がとても可愛らしかったです。
一緒に写真を撮れるのも嬉しいですが、舞妓さんの撮影時間が有ると尚良かったかも。後姿とか撮りたかったです。
機会が有れば違うコースにも参加してみたいです。

I attended a meal with three Austrians who were celebrating a birthday.

Since there was no English interpreter available at that time, I planned to interpret myself, but they arranged for an English interpreter at the last minute, which allowed me to relax and enjoy the experience.

I had explained in advance that it’s quite rare for Japanese people to meet maiko up close or to see their dances, so the participating Austrians seemed very interested and enjoyed themselves.

There were questions later about the history of maiko and the differences between the kimono worn by ordinary people and that worn by maiko, so I thought it might be helpful to have some sort of pre-prepared English explanation for such topics.

誕生日を迎えた人を入れたオーストリア人3人の方とご飯付きで参加しました。

英語の通訳がない時期に行ったため、私が通訳するつもりでしたが、急遽英語の通訳をつけて頂いて、安心して楽しめました。

日本人でも中々舞妓さんと近くで会ったり、舞踊などを見れない事を事前に説明していたので、参加したオーストラリア人達もとても興味深く楽しんでいたようです。

舞妓さんの歴史や普通の人が着る着物と舞妓さんが着る着物の違いなども後日に質問が出たので、そのような事前の英語の説明文みたいなものもあっても良いのではないかと思いました。

The weather was nice, with Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms downstream and mountain cherry blossoms upstream. At the waterside, the ducks gathered around for food, looking adorable. It was an extraordinary experience, and I felt a deep sense of happiness living in Japan.

Thanks to the boatman’s stories, I was able to learn about a new side of Kyoto, and I appreciate the meaningful time I had.

お天気良くて、下流にはソメイヨシノ、上流には山桜🌸水辺には鴨🦆達が餌に群がり可愛い🩷姿。
非日常で、日本に住んでいる事の幸せをたっぷりと感じる事が出来ました。

船頭さんの話で、新たな京都を知る事が出来、有意義な時間を頂き有難うございました。

There were moments when our child was noisy, but everyone on board kindly watched over us, which was very helpful. The staff also greeted us with smiles, which was wonderful. We will definitely use this service again. Thank you very much.

自分たちの子供が騒ぐ場面もありましたが同乗の皆様も暖かく見守っていて助かりました。スタッフの皆様も笑顔で接していただいてとても良かった　　また利用させて頂きます。
ありがとうございました。

It was my first experience on a yakatabune (houseboat).

Although it had been raining right up until the day, it cleared up, and there were moments when the sun shone through. While listening to the captain's detailed explanations, I was able to see the natural beauty of the mountains and observe creatures like ducks and cormorants up close.

I enjoyed the scenery with cherry blossoms in bloom, took in the view of Togetsukyo Bridge, and watched as ducks gathered all at once. During the hour, I savored warm oden, grilled squid, and dumplings purchased from a boat that came right up to ours. It became a truly precious and unforgettable memory.

初めての屋形船体験でした。

当日雨が直前まで降っていましたがあがり、陽が差すタイミングも。
船頭さんが丁寧に説明してくださっている説明を聴きながら、山々の自然やカモや鵜などの生き物たちも間近で見ることができました。

桜がら咲いている景色も楽しみつつ、渡月橋も一望しながらカモが一斉に集まる様子を見たり、船の方まで来てくれるおでんや団子など販売している船で購入した暖かいおでんやイカ焼き、団子などを頬張りつつ過ごした1時間は、とても貴重な最高の思い出になりました。

Very personal. Toshi was an excellent teacher, easy to follow and exceptionally well prepared. We came away with a lovely kintsugi cup each that we made and inspired to do more. Also a deeper understanding of all that’s involved in this beautiful craft.Would absolutely recommend to others.Many thanks.

This tour definitely exceeds my expectation. It is a great combination of a bus tour of Kyoto, a traditional Japanese dinner and a Maiko dance show. I will be more than happy to recommend this to my friends.

This class was a highlight of our trip. My 18 yo daughter and 21 yo son also enjoyed the kintsugi experience very much. Class was just the 3 of us, was very well run and we were able to do all steps of the repair process. Our still wet teacups were packaged very well and came home in one piece without shifting out of place.

The people around me were quite skilled, and I struggled to do well, but the teacher kindly taught me, and I was able to finish it.

まわりの方がお上手で、私はなかなかうまくできなかったのですが、先生に丁寧に教えていただき、仕上げることが出来ました。

The ship feels quite old and lacks a luxurious atmosphere. Inside the ship, the seating is spacious and comfortable. There is live music, and you can listen to Okinawan folk songs and jazz. The staff seems a bit rushed, and meals are served quickly one after another. Appetizers, desserts, and coffee are available at the buffet, which can get crowded. It seems we were sharing the ship with a school trip, and the desserts disappeared within seconds, so they weren't replenished immediately, making it difficult to enjoy them.

船は割と年季が入っている感じです。ラグジュアリー感はありません。船内は席の感じは広くゆったり過ごせます。LIVEがあり沖縄民謡やジャズのような？音楽を聴けます。
スタッフの方はバタバタしている感じで食事は次々にさっさと提供されます。前菜とデザート、コーヒーなどはビュッフェ台にありますので混雑しています。修学旅行生と同乗していたらしく、デザートは数秒で無くなっていて、すぐに追加を補充される訳ではないのでほとんど食べられませんでした。

I am very satisfied with the tour, thanks to the guide's exceptional knowledge and wealth of information. Additionally, there was plenty of time, which was great. Thank you for the opportunity to have a second school trip. I would like to use your services again next time. Thank you very much.

ガイドさんの卓越した知識と豊富な情報力にツアーに参加して大変満足しています。又時間的にも余裕があり、大変良かったです。第2回目の修学旅行ができありがとうございました。次回も利用したいと思います。ありがとうございました。

A little tricky to find the shop initially. Instructor was efficient & very patient with everyone. Lots of time to practice before you do your own glass which was great. Very enjoyable experience! ❤️

I signed up for a solo trip to Nara, wanting to efficiently visit the temples while listening to explanations. On the day of the tour, there was another solo participant, and I appreciated that the seating arrangement at the lunch venue was considerate, rather than just sharing leftover seats.

In addition to explanations about World Heritage sites and national treasures, I learned a lot from the guide's highlights on the beautiful aspects of the Buddha statues, and I also heard about the local history during the bus rides. The bus driving was very careful as well.

There was ample time to receive my goshuin (temple stamp), making it a very satisfying tour!

奈良への1人旅で、寺院を解説を聞きながら効率的に回りたいと思い申し込みました。
当日は他にも1人参加の方もいらした上、昼食会場も余った席に相席ではなく、配慮された席配置で有り難かったです。

世界遺産や国宝の解説に加えて仏像の「ココが素敵だ」というガイドさんの推しポイントや、バス移動中は地域の歴史なども聞け、大変学びがありました。
バスの運転も丁寧でした。

御朱印を頂く時間もしっかりあり、大満足のツアーでした！

I took a dinner cruise on a yakatabune. The night view of Tokyo from the water is amazing. The food and the service from the staff were excellent. I would love to do it again.

屋形船のディナークルーズを利用しました。水上から眺める東京の街の夜景は最高です。料理もスタッフさん達のサービスも満点でした。リピートしたいと思います。

The staff was amazing, the food was delicious, the sights were beautiful, and they took excellent care of a dietary need someone in my group had (Celiacs disease).

Highly recommend.

It was a meaningful sightseeing experience because they pointed out things I would have missed on my own. The guide was entertaining, so I enjoyed myself even while traveling alone. The driver was also very kind, moving the bus to convenient spots. Thank you for your help.

自分だけでは見逃してしまうポイントを教えてくれるので、有意義な観光となりました。
ガイドさんが面白いので一人できても楽しめました。運転手さんも乗りやすい所にバスを移動してくれて、とても親切でした。
お世話になりました。

We were concerned about doing this….as it is described as “glass etching”. Something we have not done ever in our life, but we decided to give it a try. We were pleasantly surprised at the process. The instructor took us step by step to explain the technique of glass etching and he was to patient and calm during the whole process. I would definitely recommend this to all of my friends and family. It was just steps outside of the Asakusa train Station….so convenient.

We made a reservation for our family based on a friend's recommendation, and it was great that we were able to enjoy the scenery with explanations while stopping at hot spots. The food was delicious, and we were able to eat at a leisurely pace, making for a more enjoyable time than we had imagined.

友達のススメで家族で予約しましたが、景色も説明ありホットスポットでは停泊してくれてとてもよかったです。
お料理も美味しい上にゆっくり食べられて、想像以上に楽しい時間でした。

my partner and i booked the ramen making session and had a fantastic time. the staff were very friendly and helpful even though there was a small language barrier. we definitely recommend going to this establishment for creative souvenirs :)

It was a tour in the cold rain. However, the guide's witty stories were very enjoyable, and I was impressed by their extensive knowledge of history. As expected of Nara, I felt the history there. I had visited the places during my school trip, but I had completely forgotten about them, so it was a great opportunity to revisit.

冷たい雨の中のツアーでした。が、　ガイドさんのウイットに富むお話がとても楽しく、　また歴史のことをものすごくご存じで感服しました。
さすが奈良　歴史を感じ昔修学旅行で回ったところでしたが全く覚えてなく再確認で乞いました。

I was so happy to be able to see a maiko perform, something I thought I would never experience in my lifetime. From the way she looked at the colored paper, I thought she must be very serious, and she indeed seemed very serious.

一生生で見ることないだろうと思ってた舞妓さんの舞を見れて幸せでした。舞妓さんは色紙見る限りすごく真面目なんだろうなって思ってましたがすごい真面目そうでした。

The guide was not only punctual but also delivered explanations that were almost masterful, allowing for a deep understanding of the World Heritage site, including its history and background. I also thought the cost performance, with the entrance fee and lunch included in the price, was excellent.

時間に正確な上、ガイドさんの説明はほぼ名人芸の域に達しており、歴史や背景を含めた世界遺産の深い理解が出来ました。
また拝観料や昼食が含まれた価格設定のコストパフォーマンスは素晴らしいと思いました。

Toshie Masubuchi was a wealth of knowledge in Kintsugi, as well as being a warm and detailed teacher throughout the lesson. This was my first time engaging in this art form and Toshi was prepared to teach with detailed handouts (in English), thorough verbal descriptions and visual hands-on examples at each step.

She welcomed me into her art space with a hot cup of tea on a cold morning and was patient and helpful during the entire lesson. I will treasure the memories of this class and recommend them to anyone visiting Tokyo.

I never thought the day would come when I could see a maiko up close... It was such a fun time, being able to play together, talk, and watch the dances! The host was very friendly and had a warm way of speaking, which I really appreciated! The food was truly Kyoto cuisine; everything looked beautiful and was incredibly delicious!

舞妓さんを間近で見れる日が来るなんて…
一緒に遊んだりお話出来たり踊りが見れたりとにかく楽しい時間でした〜！
司会をされてる方も和やかな話し方でとても良く気のつく方だなぁと思いました！
食事もこれぞ京都料理と言う感じでどれも見た目が綺麗でとても美味しかったです！

The guide spoke good english so we understood everything well. He explained where the Sample factory comes from and also a lil smalltalk which was fun.

For the activity itself the creation of ice cream sample was a nice experience and turned out really pretty.

Def recommend

On the day of the event, I was the only Japanese person there. It seemed like the foreigners were having a great time. The organizers were desperately trying to liven up the venue, but the maiko seemed disinterested.

Originally, maiko are people you meet in a traditional setting, and it felt unfortunate that they were brought out to such a place. Since traditional experiences can be quite expensive and are not accessible to the general public, I suppose that's why such an arrangement was made. While it was a blessing for someone like me who can't go to a traditional setting, I couldn't help but think about the pride of the maiko.

当日，日本人は私だけでした。外国人の方が多いので，お楽しみのようでした。
主催者は必死で会場を盛り上げておられましたが，舞妓さんは白けておられました。
本来，舞妓さんはお座敷でお目にかかる方で，あのような場所に引っ張り出されることが気の毒でした。なかなかお座敷はお高いので，一般は体験できないため，あのような設定をされているのでしょう。お座敷に行けない私のような者にはありがたいですが，舞妓さんのプライドを考えるとどうかと思いました。

We had a family dinner to celebrate my husband's birthday. The waiting area during check-in was warm and had a nice atmosphere. I was grateful that the restroom was very clean. The meals on the boat were also fantastic, with freshly fried tempura served, which was incredibly delicious. I even forgot whether I mentioned the birthday when making the reservation, but they surprised us by decorating the dumplings with fireworks to celebrate the birthday, which made me really happy. The staff's service was very attentive, polite, and wonderful. It turned out to be the best birthday dinner. Thank you for an incredibly fun time!!! I definitely want to ride again.

主人の誕生日で家族全員でお食事させて頂きました。チェックインする時の待合室も暖かくて、良い感じでした。お手洗いがかなり綺麗だったのでありがたかったです。船上でのお食事も揚げたての天ぷらを運んでくださったり、凄く美味しかったです。予約時に誕生日の事をお話したかどうかも忘れてしまったくらいなのに、お団子に花火を飾ってサプライズでお誕生日をお祝いしてくださり、本当に嬉しかったです。スタッフさんのサービスもとても細やかで丁寧で素晴らしかったです。最高のお誕生日ディナーになりました。めちゃくちゃ楽しい時間をありがとうございました！！！また絶対乗りたいな、と思いました。

I chose this to use up my expiring points, but after experiencing it, I was really glad I made that choice because it was so much fun. They taught me very carefully and also gave me tips and advice.

使用期限の切れるポイント消化のため選んだのですが体験してみるとすごく楽しくて選んで良かったなぁと思いました。
とても丁寧に教えてくださるし、コツなどもアドバイスしてくださりました。