Take your Japanese experience one step further, hands-on classes. Most of these workshops are available in English. Information and reservations are only in Japanese, but you can get assistance with translation through your hotel concierge. The following are but a few of these handy classes:
[Tokyo] Japanese Tea Ceremony Lesson
The international CHADO Culture Foundation (Urasenke Foundation) offers a Japanese tea ceremony observation and hands-on lesson in English. Closed door and private lessons for groups of 20 or more are also available. Lessons last about 3 hours and cost from 5,000 - 7,000 yen per person. Check for schedule call or fax your reservation (Japanese only) .
Tel.:03-5225-0878, Fax.: 03-5525-0782
International CHADO Culture Foundation : 1-4 Ichigayga-koura-cho, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 162-0856
Flower Arrangement Lessons
The Sogetsu Foundation is offering a Ikebana Sogetsu International class every Monday from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (except during August and holidays). A first-timer class begins at 10:30 a.m.
The class cost is 3,800 yen per person and includes flower material and tool rental.
Reservations are required : kyoshitsu@sogetsu.or.jp
Sogetsu Foundation : 7-2-21 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0085
[Yokohama] S-U-Ro Saikan (Learn from the master)
S-U-Ro Saikan Bekkan in Yokohama's China town is offering a popular cooking class taught by famous television personality and owner chef, Sun Kuan i. For approximately 2-21/2hours, Chef Sun Kuan i will teach you how to cook Chinese dishes from your refrigerator, how to blend in various Chinese spices, and prepare a one dish theme. As an added attraction, S-U-Ro Saikan will include soup, Shumai dumplings, dessert, and a souvenir. What's more, Sun Kuan i speaks fluent English.
The cooking class costs 3,000 yen per person.
For reservations call 0120-787-456, 045-641-4569 (Japanese only)
S-U-Ro Saikan Bekkan : 202-1 Yamashita-cho Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 231-0023
[Kyoto] Living in Zen, One-day Experience
Living in Zen, will be held 2 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is limited to adults (15 years and older), with a 30 people maximum per day. It includes Meditation, Calligraphy, Tea Ceremony, Zen, lunch box, and guided temple tour. Taizo-In is a small Zen temple located in northwestern Kyoto. It is a four hour experience at a cost of 7,500 yen (cash only). Reservations are a must. www.taizoin.com/en/
Taizo-In temple : 35 Hanazono-Myoshinji-cho Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi Kyoto
Workshop Tour and Hands on Gilding
From a Buddhist ritual object build for Kyoto's big temples in 1775, comes this tour workshop and hands on gold dust workshop. Learn how craftsmen turn logs into final ritual objects, or make yourself a gold dust painting cup souvenir applying intricate gilding techniques used centuries ago.
All for 500 yen per person. Classes start at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and run about 1.5 hour. Shuttle service is available from the head store in Shimogyou-ku.
Reservations at 075-341-4121
Kobori Butsugu Mfg. Co. : 88 Dodo-cho, Nishiyama, Yanashina-ku, Kyoto 607-8301
S-U-Ro Saikan (Learn from the master)
Traditional Handcraft (Choose from 10 workshops)
Workshop Tour and Hands on Gilding