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View all Kyoto toursSamurai Sword Class by Experts in Traditional Arts in Kyoto
Tour in Kyoto, including English-speaking instructor and Photo shoot. Run by Ginbu Co., booked direct rather than through a reseller.
Highlights
- Runs 1.5 hours
- English-speaking instructor
- Photo shoot
- Tenugui" towel (traditional towel from Japan)
- Completion certificate
Samurai Sword Class by Experts in Traditional Arts in Kyoto: Key Facts
| Price | From $83.5 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1.5 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
This is a 1.5-hour experience in Kyoto. It is run by Ginbu Co., 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 instructor, Photo shoot, Tenugui" towel and Completion certificate. It does not cover Hotel pick-up and drop off, Food and drinks and Gratuities, 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.
Ginbu Co. 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 Ginbu Co. before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Includes
- English-speaking instructor
- Photo shoot
- Tenugui" towel (traditional towel from Japan)
- Completion certificate
Excludes
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities (optional)
Important information
Meeting point
Ginbu Co. 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
This was one of our highlights for sure! Loved learning the routine, and wearing the traditional outfit with sword was amazing!
Very good , thanks you Julia Sensei , Arigatō Gozaimasu 🙏
I am a solo traveler and i had so much fun. There was a couple of groups but the organizers made sure I was able to get photos and videos. It was fun meeting new people too
Very happy with this experience. There were 2 parts to it: 3 masters performing kenbu theatre based on samurai poetry, which was intense, obviously involving swords and certain themes around life and death of a samurai. The second part was us being instructed by Julia, our guide on the day, on the basic sword moves, dressing up as samurai and performing on stage. This was for the long/full experience, which I highly recommend. The short experience has the same kenbu theatre but very little practice time afterwards.
This was a highlight of our trip. The show was spectacular, very kind and wonderful staff. Myself and my partner ended up being very lucky to be the only two booked in for the lesson and it was AMAZING! The outfits, the choreography and patience from Kika was brilliant. Lots of videos and photos and lovely keepsakes from the experience too. Thank you so much!!! It was amazing!!
We had a fantastic time! It was so much fun getting to pick out what to wear, and learning the steps using the samurai sword. We also loved getting to do the performance at the end! I highly recommend this activity we had a blast and it was one of the highlights of our trip!
Was a super cool experience! Fun and professional at the same time
Very enjoyable experience learning about the art of kenbu!
The class started with the fitting of a samurai suit. The staff was very attentive and helped with getting dressed in the traditional garments. After that we started the class and learned how to draw the sword, and different forms of attacks and how to holster the sword again. We learned the movements with the fan and even practiced a small choreography. After our class was over our sensei Hisyo took pictures in different poses for us. The Kenbu show at the end of the class was very impressive and enjoyable to watch. As as side note: as a bigger person I had issues in the past with these fitti
As a family we were so impressed how inclusive the session was. The instructors were excellent. They were friendly, fun and patient. I would highly recommend this for families. We were in a group of ten some together and others alone but the session was aimed at inclusivity and teamwork. We learnt so much about the culture and history of the Samurai.
This was a very enjoyable experience overall. It was interactive and felt like actual samurai training, which made it both fun and memorable. My only suggestions would be to slow down the pace a little and reduce the group size, as there were many participants and it sometimes felt rushed. I also wish there had been more costume options available. That said, I had a great time and would recommend it to anyone looking for a unique cultural experience. For younger children under 10, it may be a bit less suitable.
This was a A+ family friendly experience! We got to dress in costumes and learn traditional sword and fan dances. Our teacher was very knowledgeable, funny, and assisted with pictures for our family.