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View all Kyoto toursHands-on Zen Calligraphy and 150-Year-Old Kyoto Machiya Tour by Local Operator
1.25-hour tour in Kyoto, including Hands-on practice and all necessary tools and Original calligraphy artwork. Run by 聚らく, booked direct rather than through a reseller.
Highlights
- Runs 75 minutes
- Hands-on practice and all necessary tools
- Original calligraphy artwork
- Japanese tea and sweets
- Machiya & Kyoto cultural tour
- Assistance for photography
Hands-on Zen Calligraphy and 150-Year-Old Kyoto Machiya Tour by Local Operator: Key Facts
| Price | From $64.5 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 75 minutes |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
This is a 75-minute experience in Kyoto. It is run by 聚らく, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.
Kyoto was Japan's capital for over a thousand years until 1868 and has 17 UNESCO-listed sites among some 2,000 temples and shrines. The big three are Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, covered in gold leaf and best in morning light; Kiyomizu-dera, the wooden stage on the eastern hills with the Higashiyama lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka below it; and Fushimi Inari's gates. Nijo Castle has the nightingale floors that squeak against intruders, and Ryoan-ji the rock garden. Temples open around 8:00 or 9:00 and close at 17:00, and the city bus is slow; a day with a driver or a guide who orders the stops against the crowds is the difference between four sights and seven.
The price covers Hands-on practice and all necessary tools, Original calligraphy artwork, Japanese tea and sweets, Machiya & Kyoto cultural tour and Assistance for photography. It does not cover Transportation, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.
聚らく sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with 聚らく before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Includes
- Hands-on practice and all necessary tools
- Original calligraphy artwork
- Japanese tea and sweets
- Machiya & Kyoto cultural tour
- Assistance for photography
Excludes
- Transportation
Important information
Meeting point
聚らく sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
Absolutely amazing! Yuki and Kumi are exellent teachers. The experience starts with a short meditation and one is guided through every stroke. You get to chose what you want to learn and can leave with your personal scroll. Highly recommend!
Het was een mooie ervaring.
Yuki was a very good and helpful teacher. I highly reccomend this workshop.
Fantastic experience guide’s were lovely and very helpful. Tour of home and snacks were an added treat.
We are so grateful for our calligraphy experience. We never did calligraphy before. We felt welcome and relaxed. The top of our time was the absolutely unique opportunity to visit a historic 150-year old home. Our host was full of attention and care and we learned a lot from her. Definitely recommended!
We loved this class. The teacher was patient and explained the process beautifully and we were all able to create our own scroll to take home.
Very nice experience, learning about the history and expression of Japan’s Kanji. The master was very polite and encouraging. The guide and translator was also very kind, showing the traditional house afterward and letting us taste the era. The tea and mochi were so good!
The instructor patiently and carefully explained the basic calligraphy strokes step-by-step, as well as the philosophy behind Japanese calligraphy. Then, I could select a Kanji, that I wanted to draw. After some more practice and guidance, I eventually drew the character on a beautifully prepared scroll that I can take home as a souvenir. Afterwards, we visited the historic Machiya house right next to the location and I got a tour through the house. I also enjoyed a cup of green tea and some traditional Japanese sweets. Had a lot of fun and would recommend it to anyone.
l'attività è stata molto interessante, ci ha permesso di riflettere su noi stessi e ottenere approfondire la cultura di un popolo meraviglioso. la nostra guida è stata molto paziente, competente e gentile anche con le nostre due bimbe di 7 e 3 anni. Davvero consigliata
Lekcja kaligrafii to niezwykłe przeżycie. Prowadząca była bardzo pomocna i inspirująca. Lekcja odbywa się w pięknym i ciekawym miejscu, po którym zostaliśmy oprowadzeni. Bardzo serdecznie polecam to doświadczenie.
Very fun calligraphy!! Our teacher was very sweet and helpful. The addition of the macchiya tour was super cool and we would have loved to do the other experiences they offer if we had time. Arigato gozaimashita!
The writing experience was wonderful, and the teacher was very helpful and attentive in passing on her knowledge and teachings. Highly recommended