Kintsugi Experience in Tokyo

We found our way to this nifty studio in Shinjuku where several artisans were at work on kintsugi, pottery, and glass projects. We were greeted and seated on a raised tatami area with low tables and floor cushions. Our instructor was lovely. She spoke almost no English but we found it wasn't necessary -- she showed us what to do and coached us through the whole process. The method we learned is a modern adaptation of traditional kintsugi, as laquer can cause severe allergic reactions (and real gold would have priced this experience into the stratosphere!). It is trickier than I had imagined. Don't go with a belly full of coffee -- you'll want a steady hand to accomplish good results. The finished piece is lovely and quite a memorable souvenir from our time in Japan. We stayed in Shinjuku for the rest of the day exploring the plethora of interesting little shops and restaurants in the area.

This experience was enjoyable, but was largely self guided. Staff did not speak much English at all, and the process/history was entirely presented on print outs. The act of working with the pottery and the final product were satisfying, but it would have been more fun to learn than just read and work independently.

I highly recommend this. Our teachers spoke almost no English but that made it fun! Tough to find, but google maps makes it work. We have beautiful souvenirs that are really special because of this experience.

While we enjoyed our experience, the instructor was not very attentive and his English was not very good. Several of us misunderstood his directions and our pottery repair was unfortunately impacted by the poor directions. They did not have a box large enough to transport the larger antique bowl selected, which causes us to worry about whether it will make it home in tact. Would have been better if they went over the history of kintsugi while we were there.

Amazing! One of the highlights of my three weeks in Japan. After hearing about Kintsugi and the philosophy around it I had a keen interest in finding out more. Having a go was definitely the best way to understand it. Our teacher was so lovely, very helpful and the time flew by. I could have gone back and done it again if I hadn't have left Japan the next day. Highly recommended for any art and culture lovers.

We really enjoyed this kintsugi experience. We were guided through the steps to repair a piece of broken pottery. In the end, we went home with a work of art. Our instructor was thoughtful and patient.

Really enjoyed this experience and as our house sitter used and broke one of my favourite statues as a door stop I am now going to use my experience to repair it in Kintsugi style! Rated four as I felt the experience could do with a little more improvement on instructions and outcome.