All Reviews for Cultural Experiences

At first, I thought, "Isn't one hour a bit long?" and "The price is a bit high (15,000 yen for a private boat for two for one hour)," but now I think, "I'm glad I made the reservation!" Since it was a private boat for two and the first time slot (9 AM), there were hardly any other tourists on board, allowing us to leisurely enjoy the scenery of Arashiyama! The boatman was very kind, often asking, "Shall I take your picture?" and sharing local stories. I really appreciated his kindness! Next time, I want to enjoy Arashiyama in the different seasons of spring, autumn, and winter!

最初は「一時間長くね？」「値段ちょっと高いなぁ（二人貸切一時間合計15000円）」と思いながら予約しましたが、今は「予約しててよかった」と思っています！
二人の貸切しかも一番目の時間帯（九時）のため、他に乗船する観光客もほぼいませんし、ゆっくりと嵐山の風景を堪能することができました！船頭さんも何回も「写真撮ってあげましょうか」って話しかけてくれたり、地元の話を紹介してくれたりして、すごく優しい人です！
今度はまた春、秋、冬の違う季節の嵐山を楽しみたいと思います！

It became an unforgettable experience for us. The lunch was very well prepared. The pilot was a very kind and pleasant gentleman. We want to recommend this experience and this company to everyone.

私たちにとって忘れられない経験になった。昼食はとてもよく準備されていた。パイロットはとても親切で感じの良い紳士でした。
私たちはこの体験とこの会社をみんなに勧めたい。

Food was good and Maiko dance was good. Overall we had a good time.

Recently, I found an interesting experience plan at a belt shop that I've been using frequently, so I signed up and participated on short notice.

We started with a tea ceremony demonstration, followed by a Q&A session, and then a two-shot photo opportunity. After that, those on the short course exited, and we moved on to dancing and traditional parlor games. Since there happened to be a small number of participants, we were able to enjoy the parlor games at a leisurely pace.

最近、ちょくちょく利用しているベルトらで面白い体験プランを見つけたので急でしたが申し込んで参加しました。

お点前、質疑応答、2ショット撮影と続き、ショートコースの方は退場し、その後、踊り、お座敷遊びになりました。
たまたま参加人数が少なくゆったりとお座敷遊びを堪能しました。

The two-shot with the maiko was taken carefully as requested by each person. I had expected several maiko to come out and perform dances, but only one was available the whole time. If I could wish for something more, I would have liked to see two or three maiko. However, from a layman's perspective, I was very impressed with their dancing skills. The food was also satisfying, with a presentation and taste that truly reflected Kyoto's culinary excellence.

　舞妓さんとのツーショットも、希望通り、各人丁寧に撮影いただきました。私は、舞妓さんが数人出てきて踊りやらを披露するのかと思ってましたが、ずっと一人が対応されてたので、欲を言えば、2，3人の舞妓さんを見たかったです、ただ、踊りは
素人目ではありますが、非常にお上手だなという印象でした。お料理も、さすが京都らしい見た目と味で満足のいくものでした。

While it's common to see maiko and geiko, opportunities to take photos or have conversations with them are not easily come by. This time, I had a very precious experience that became an unforgettable memory of my trip.

舞妓さんや芸子さんは見ることはあっても一緒に写真を撮ったり会話する機会は簡単にはありません。今回はとても貴重な体験をし忘れられない旅の思い出となりました。

彼女のダンスを見ることができ、彼女とゲームをし、昨日のようにお茶を準備するのも見ました - 素晴らしい体験でした！

We were able to see her dance, I played a game with her, and we also saw her prepare tea like yesterday - great experience!

It was better than I expected. Although we were delayed due to traffic on unfamiliar roads, thanks to various considerations, my whole family was able to enjoy it very much.

Thank you.

予想以上に良かったです。
慣れない道での渋滞により開始時刻が予定より遅れてしまいましたが様々な配慮のお陰で、家族全員とても楽しむことができました。

ありがとうございました。

It's just a one-minute walk from JR Uji Station, making it easy to stop by before or after sightseeing. It's also conveniently within walking distance from Byodoin Temple's Phoenix Hall. You can rent bags for kimono, undergarments, and geta, so I didn't have to prepare anything myself.

JR宇治駅を出て徒歩1分のところにあるので観光前や帰りに立ち寄りやすいです。平等院鳳凰堂からも徒歩圏内で便利です。
着物用の手提げ鞄、肌着、下駄も借りられるので何も自分で準備しなくてよかったです。

I made a reservation to enjoy the cherry blossoms while avoiding the crowds. It was a wonderful cherry blossom viewing experience, allowing me and my two companions to savor it at our leisure.

人混みを避けて桜を楽しみたくて予約させて頂きました。仲間と三人だけでゆっくりと堪能させて頂き最高なお花見が出来ました。

In Gion, even if you look for opportunities on Hanamikoji, it's quite common not to actually meet a real maiko or geiko. While guiding first-time foreign visitors to Japan, I found a program that offered a chance to see a maiko's dance at a relatively low price, take photos together, and even experience traditional entertainment. I signed up with some skepticism. While you wouldn't be able to see real traditional entertainment for this price, such opportunities, which are held for many tourists, might be quite rare and valuable.

祇園、花見小路で機会を伺っても、実際の舞妓ちゃん、芸妓さんにはなかなか会えないのが普通です。
外国人の初来日者を案内していて、かなり安価で舞妓さんの踊りが見られて、一緒に写真も撮れる、お座敷遊びも見せてもらえる、というプログラムを見つけ、やや半信半疑で申し込みました。
本当のお座敷遊びなら、こんな金額では全く見ることが出来ないけれど、多くの観光者を招いて行われる、こんな機会は、なかなか貴重かもしれません。

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。

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。

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.

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。

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！

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。

The place may not be luxurious, but the talent of Maiko is genuine. When I watched Maiko's performance, I was moved to tears, feeling more than just beauty. Maiko represents Japanese culture, and I hope that one day more performances will be held, allowing many foreigners to understand the significance behind Maiko and geisha.

場所は豪華ではないものの、マイコの実力は本物です。マイコの舞台を観たとき、美しさ以上に感動して涙が溢れました。マイコは日本文化を象徴する存在であり、いつかもっと多くの公演が開催され、多くの外国人にマイコや芸者の背後にある意義を理解してもらえることを願っています。

As the schedule progressed smoothly, the question time and the playful moments when the maiko lost revealed the essence of that child, which was quite interesting.

淡々とスケジュールが進む中、質問時間や、お遊びで舞妓さんが負けたときの様子がその子の本質が見えた感じが出て面白かった

The maiko were elegant and adorable.

There was a Q&A session, as well as a tea ceremony, dance performance, and traditional games, all packed into a reasonable amount of time. The staff were kind, and I had a wonderful time. Photography and videos were allowed, and you could take pictures with the maiko.

(I’m not sure if I can post this here, so I’ll just include a photo of the matcha.)

舞妓さんが上品で可愛らしかったです

質問コーナーがあったりお手前、舞鑑賞やお座敷遊びなど程よい時間で盛りだくさんな内容でした
スタッフの方も親切で楽しい時間が過ごせました
写真や動画も自由で舞妓さんと一緒に撮影もできます

(ここに載せていいかわからないのでお抹茶の写真にしておきます

Most of the participants were foreigners, but I was moved to be able to experience a part of the traditional culture. I also thought it was wonderful to have the opportunity to ask questions to the maiko. I took this chance to ask my questions. Behind the glamorous facade, there are rigorous training practices, and hearing about that made me acutely aware of the challenges of preserving traditional culture. I hope they continue to do their best in the future.

外国人の参加が、殆どでしたが
伝統文化の一部に接する事ができ
感激しました。舞妓さんに質疑応答出来るのも素晴らしく思います。この機会と思い質問させて頂きした。華やかな影には、大変な習い事があり、その一面をお話しくださり伝統文化を継承する事の厳しさを痛感した共に今後も頑張って欲しいです。

I started planning the itinerary for my old friends, an American couple visiting Kyoto for the first time, and "Maiko-san's dance performance" was number one on their list of experiences they wanted to try. While searching online, I found Japan Cultural Experience An and immediately made a reservation.

At first, I was a bit anxious about booking online, but the staff was kind and the reservation process went smoothly. On the day of the event, we were greeted with smiles from all the staff, which made us smile as well. The explanations in English were easy to understand, and we had a very enjoyable experience together with the couple.

Thanks to this, I was able to create wonderful memories in Kyoto with my old friend, whom I hadn't seen in 30 years. Thank you very much!

京都訪問が初めての旧友の米国人ご夫婦の日程を考え始めて、「舞子さんの舞鑑賞」は体験したいリストのナンバー１でした。ネットで調べていると日本文化体験庵anが見つかり直ぐに申し込みました。
初めはネット申込みで少し不安でしたが、対応も親切でスムーズに予約ができました。
当日はスタッフの皆さんの笑顔でのお出迎えを受けてこちらもニッコリ、英語での説明も分かり易く、ご夫婦と一緒にとて楽しい体験ができました。
お陰様で、30年振りに再会した旧友と京都で良い思い出ができました。
ありがとうございました！

I have always wanted to meet and talk with a maiko in Kyoto, and take a picture together, and this time my big wish came true! I had a very enjoyable time. However, while I made it in time for the event, I was a bit confused because the venue was hard to find.

いつかは京都で舞妓さんと会って話してみたい、一緒に写真を撮りたいと考えていましたが、今回大願成就!
とても楽しい時間を過ごさせていただきました。
ただ、開催時間には間に合いましたが、会場の場所が分かりづらくて少し戸惑いました。

I signed up for the 1:00 PM session, and despite it being the middle of a holiday weekend, there were few participants, so I felt very fortunate to be almost directly in front of the maiko in the front row. The responses during the Q&A were very polite, and I was able to hear enjoyable and interesting stories. The maiko was very cute, and I, as an older man, couldn't help but feel a bit smitten. I would like to take advantage of this opportunity again if possible.

13:00からの回に申し込みました、連休の中日にもかかわらず参加者が少なく最前列の舞妓さんのほぼ正面でとても得した気分でした。質疑応答のお応えもとても丁寧で楽しく興味深い話が聞けました。とても可愛らしい舞妓さんだったので私の様なオジサンは鼻の下が伸びっぱなしでした。また機会があれば利用したいと思います。

Had an awesome time and would highly recommend. The restaurant is gorgeous and the staff extremely hospitable. The kaiseki dishes were very well liked by the three of us and their proprietary sake was excellent.

Our interpreter Peter was super chill and knowledgeable. Lastly our maiko, Kana Sue was fascinating to watch - the makeup, hair style, kimono, and all the meanings behind each intention of dress; the couple of dances she performed; and the hospitality services. Not to mention learning of her and many other girls' extremely committed lifestyle choice and what that entails to become a geisha was an eye opening seminar.

I would have liked to see some singing and instrument playing, but perhaps requesting a geisha over a maiko would have been prudent. An interpreter is necessary unless your fluent. Overall it was a highlight of my trip and I would do again.

We rented a private boat as a family. It was a hot day with a 12:00 boarding time, but the boat had a roof, so it wasn't hot at all, and it felt very pleasant. We had lunch on the boat, bringing our own rice balls and other snacks. Along the way, a convenience store boat came by, and we bought some pickled cucumbers, which made for the perfect lunch with our rice balls and croquettes! They got really close to us, and their maneuvering skills were impressive.

The captain spoke to us gently at key moments, showing consideration for our family's relaxing time. It was a very satisfying hour! Thank you!

家族で貸切で乗りました。12:00からの乗船で暑い日だったのですが、船には屋根もあり暑くなく、とても気持ちよかったです。船の中でお昼ご飯を食べました。おにぎり等持ち込みました。途中水上コンビニの船が来てくださり、きゅうりの浅漬を買い持ち込んだおにぎりとコロッケで最高のランチが出来ました！ギリギリまで近寄ってくれてその操作技術が素晴らしかったです。
船頭さんは要所要所で穏やかに話しかけてくださり、家族でゆっくりしている時間を気遣ってくださいました。大満足の1時間でした！ありがとうございました！

During my short stay in Kyoto, I looked for experiences that would allow me to savor Japan. International guests prefer tours that are not solely for overseas visitors; they enjoy tours that Japanese customers can also appreciate.

The riverside setting wasn't cool, but it was a very lovely location where I could enjoy watching the maiko, making it a truly valuable experience. It became a wonderful memory for my family.

京都での短い滞在期間で、日本を味わえるものを探しました。
海外からのゲストは、海外のゲストばかりのツアーは好みません
日本のお客様が楽しめるツアーを好みます。

川床は涼しくはなかったですが、とても素敵なロケーションで
舞妓さんの鑑賞もでき、とても価値のある体験ができ嬉しかったです。
家族のいい思い出になりました。

Since I arrived early to the appointment, the instructor started the lesson earlier with little preparation needed which was very much appreciated.

The lesson itself was great. Even though English was harder for her, she still communicated well how to play the instrument by demonstrating and giving verbal explanation, which helped me learn quickly. Since I had learned the song she had prepared for the lesson, she was flexible and had two other songs that I could play and I had a great time learning and playing the instrument.

She also gave me small sweets and took the time to talk to me after the lesson. She took the time to accommodate beyond what I had expected from the lesson, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to learn.