Top Tokyo Painting Classes

Experience Traditional Japanese Calligraphy! This workshop is open to everyone, from complete beginners to those with prior calligraphy experience. Under the guidance of a professional calligraphy instructor, you’ll unlock your creativity and enjoy a unique cultural experience rooted in Japanese tradition. In this workshop, you will: ・Calm your mind by grinding solid ink with an inkstick ・Learn basic brush techniques using practice kanji to prepare for your main piece ・Transform your name into kanji ・Complete your favorite kanji artwork and take it home as a special souvenir ・Optionally write your kanji directly onto a T-shirt to create a one-of-a-kind original design

Japan is known for its stunning calligraphy, and if you’ve ever been curious about this ancient art, this hands-on lesson is a fantastic way to explore it. Led by an expert calligraphy artist, you learn to write your name in Japanese kanji, then create your own personalized calligraphy t-shirt to take home. The workshop includes traditional workwear, ink grinding, and brush techniques for a complete experience.

This hands-on workshop turns one of Japan’s best-known lucky charms into a souvenir designed entirely by you. With a maximum of four travelers, you can create at your own pace in a relaxed setting and receive help from an English-speaking host. Paint pens make the activity approachable even for complete beginners. Your finished maneki-neko is ready to take home as soon as the workshop ends.

Step back into the golden age of manga and experience how legendary artists once worked. This beginner-friendly class is supervised by a professional manga artist and is easy to follow, even if it’s your first time drawing manga. You’ll feel like a mangaka from the 1970s—the era of Osamu Tezuka—by using traditional tools such as dip pens and screen tones. Start by practicing inking techniques, learn how to draw classic manga-style hair, and apply screen tones just as professionals did before digital tools existed. As the class progresses, you’ll move from guided practice to creating your own manga drawing from a blank page. Enjoy the satisfaction of completing your artwork by hand and take your finished piece home as a memorable keepsake. This hands-on experience is perfect for anyone who has ever thought, “I want to draw manga” or “I want to learn professional techniques from the past.”

Artistic travelers and anyone interested in Japanese pop culture will enjoy a small-group manga- and anime-drawing class with a professional artist. Whether you draw regularly or are a complete beginner, your instructor will walk you through the process step-by-step and teach you new skills. Learn to come up with manga/anime ideas, sketch, add color, and more.

Deepen your understanding of Japanese crafts with this private calligraphy lesson in Asakusa. Start by watching a short video introducing the history and meaning of Japanese calligraphy, then practice essential brushstrokes with a teacher. Customize a t-shirt and write a letter using traditional techniques to create unique souvenirs to take home.

- Create your own Maneki-neko (Lucky Cat), a traditional Japanese symbol of good fortune - Experience a hands-on Maneki-neko painting workshop in Gotokuji, a neighborhood associated with the origins of this iconic cultural symbol - Suitable for all ages and skill levels, with no prior experience required - Personalize your Lucky Cat using specialized paint pens and complimentary decorative stickers - Take your finished creation home with you on the same day as a unique souvenir or gift

Turn something old into something new during this lesson in the Japanese art of "Kintsugi," the practice of repairing broken pottery, and there's a chance to see Master Taku on the day of your visit. Stemming from a Japanese belief that breakage and repair are part of the history of an object, rather than a reason to throw it away, your class involves repairing damaged items (plates are provided; personal items are not allowed) with lacquer mixed with gold. Don a "samue" as you refinish one traditional pottery item, leaving you with a newfound appreciation for Japanese aesthetics and a unique souvenir.

Add a unique and personal touch to your trip to Japan with an authentic Hanko-making experience. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll create your very own original Hanko — a traditional Japanese name seal. In Japan, a Hanko is more than just a stamp; it’s seen as a true symbol of personal identity. During the experience, you’ll learn about the history and cultural significance of Hanko at a long-established seal shop, then carve the characters you’ve chosen into the seal yourself. Finally, take home your one-of-a-kind Hanko — a meaningful and truly special souvenir from Japan. Experience highlights: - Learn about the history and various styles of Hanko at a traditional seal shop - Design your own original Hanko (name seal) - Carve and take home your engraved Hanko as a unique keepsake

Seeking out the well-concealed back-alley bars of Tokyo's Shinjuku district is notoriously tricky for outsiders. Take the guesswork out of your trip on this guided tour that takes you barhopping to Izakaya bars in two different alleyways in Shinjuku with a small group. Experience the backstreets of Tokyo and authentic street food and drinks (included) while your guide shares insights into local culture in this atmospheric part of the city.

Delve into the exquisite art of Maki-e, a traditional Japanese technique that transforms blank lacquerware into shimmering masterpieces. Guided by an accomplished artisan who honed their skills under a Living National Treasure, this intimate workshop offers an authentic artistic experience. Using a beautiful Mt. Fuji design as inspiration, participants will personalize their pieces with unique colors and designs, crafting a wearable work of art in about an hour. This engaging activity, set in a gallery near Shinagawa Station, provides a unique glimpse into Japan's rich craftsmanship and leaves you with a meaningful souvenir to cherish.

Pottery is an art form deeply embedded in Japanese culture. As a visitor, it can be difficult to find a way to experience it. This group class in central Tokyo teaches you how to make pieces, offering hands-on experience in a structured setting. Leave with a truly one-of-a-kind souvenir.

Step back in time to the old days and experience Japan like a ninja. This small-group class (maximum six people) introduces you to such ninja techniques as ninja meditation (Kuji-In) as well as the use of samurai weapons, including the sword. Get insights into Japanese fuedal times as you practise.

You can also choose experiences other than Sumi-e (ink painting), so please choose what you want to do beforehand. We will ask you by e-mail. In case of Sumi-e While explaining the tools, we will draw a basic Sumi-e bamboo. You will also learn how to look at Sumi-e. In the case of watercolor painting The instructor will choose a photo of a Japanese landscape (Mt. Fuji) as the subject for a landscape painting. The instructor will teach you how to paint your own favorite scenery. For ballpoint pen drawings Participants will be asked to draw a landscape drawing using a photo of a Japanese landscape chosen by the instructor as the subject. You will learn shortcuts for rough finishing. In the case of colored pencil drawings The instructor will teach you how to draw realistically using colored pencils. This is done on postcard size paper.

In this workshop, we use authentic paints, tools, and materials that are nonetheless easy for beginners to handle. You will have the opportunity to create paints using traditional methods and then use them to paint, as well as experience adding brilliant decorative touches using gold leaf techniques. Additionally, our introduction to the history and concepts of *Nihonga* (Japanese-style painting) will satisfy your intellectual curiosity with surprising facts and fascinating anecdotes.

Take a break from sightseeing and learn the ancient arts of the ninja during this fun-filled introduction to key ninja techniques, culture, and weapons. During this small-group Tokyo workshop and demonstration, learn a range of practical skills—such as how to throw a ninja star, and how to draw a samurai sword—and also discover key ninja philosophies, take part in a short meditation, and have time to take photos.

Most Hokusai experiences in Tokyo are behind museum glass. Here you make one. You paint "The Great Wave" with traditional gansai pigments inside a restored 80-year-old wooden house in Kagurazaka — a quiet former geisha quarter of sloping lanes and hidden alleys that most visitors never find. Complete beginners are genuinely welcome. You start from a light pencil guide rather than a blank page, and your English-speaking instructor stays beside you through every step, so people who insist they "can't draw" walk out surprised by what they made. Families are welcome too: children aged 6 and up paint at the same table as the adults, with crayons on hand alongside the brushes, and the instructor adjusts the level of detail so everyone finishes a piece they are proud of. No experience needed, no shipping, no waiting — you leave the same day with your own A3 original, and free-flow soft drinks keep you painting.

Raise your sword like a true samurai warrior during a private training session in Tokyo. Don a samurai outfit and train with the katana, then enjoy a photo shoot to commemorate your experience. This private lesson offers personalized attention and includes outfit rental and photo and video footage.

Create your own handmade souvenir while learning a new skill and gaining greater insight into Japanese culture during a private calligraphy session. Choose whether you want to paint your Japanese kanji character onto a t-shirt, a lantern, or a traditional folding umbrella. Your private instructor tells you all you need to know to create beautiful calligraphy, plus enjoy Japanese sweets and green tea while you work.

Step into a traditional Japanese calligraphy experience in the heart of Tokyo and create a meaningful souvenir to take home. In this 1.5-hour private session, you won’t just learn how to write—you’ll experience the beauty, philosophy, and mindfulness behind Japanese calligraphy. Guided by a professional calligrapher, you will explore the meaning of kanji and discover how each stroke expresses emotion and intention. By the end of the class, you will create your own unique artwork—whether it’s your name in Japanese, a meaningful kanji, or a word that represents your journey. Your finished piece becomes a special souvenir you can keep for yourself or gift to family and friends. This experience is designed to be relaxing, creative, and personal—even for complete beginners. After the session, you can also enjoy a moment of calm with traditional matcha. Whether you’re visiting Tokyo or looking for a cultural escape, this is more than a class—it’s a memory you can take home.

Veer away from the well-trodden tourist activities in Tokyo and try your hand at something a little different—fan painting. With the help of an instructor, you get tips on how to make your fans pop as well as a fresh insight into the role fans have played in Japanese culture and history.

This walking tour of Shinjuku’s buzzing areas of Golden Gai and Kabukicho is the perfect way to discover great bars, restaurants, and food stalls, without having to do any research. Discover new haunts, and feast on local specialties, such as ramen and “yakitori” (skewers). Learn about local history from your guide, and best of all, enjoy the perk of having tastings included.

Engage in the art of manga illustration at Manga School , where professional manga artists share their expertise from Japan’s comic scene. Over a 2-hour session in a small group, learn essential techniques like sketching, inking, and applying screentones. Discover the unique aspects of Japanese character design, explore how facial proportions convey personality, and craft your very own manga hero. All materials are included, allowing you to focus entirely on creativity. At the end of the class, take home your original artwork, a personal memento of your artistic journey.