Kintsugi Experience: Art of Golden Joinery in Tokyo
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Tokyo, Japan
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Turn something old into something new during this lesson in the Japanese art of "Kintsugi," the practice of repairing broken pottery, and have the chance to meet Master Taku in the 11:00am class. Stemming from a Japanese belief that breakage and repair are part of the history of an object, rather than a reason to throw them 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.
- Learn the Japanese art of Kintsugi (pottery repair) in Tokyo
- Discover the philosophy behind this unique art, rather than wasting broken pottery
- Take home a repaired item as a souvenir from your lesson
- Enjoy a personalized experience in a capped group
- Under 6 years of age, cannot enter the atelier for safety reason of the establishment
What's Included
- Lesson fee
- A plate you will use for the lesson, and to bring home after lesson.
- All necessary equipment included
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- TNCA Minami-Aoyama Studio3-chōme-8-2 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan
The atelier is in the basement of the OG building.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Make your own way to the centrally located studio in Tokyo's Minami-Aoyama neighborhood, ready to try your hand at the Japanese art of kintsugi. Meet your teacher and small group of no more than 10 guests, then put on your *samue,* a traditional Japanese craftsperson's garment.
Over one hour or so, your teacher will guide you through the technique of kintsugi, using a ceramic plate supplied by the studio. You'll also learn about Japanese culture and philosophy and get insights into traditional Japanese crafts. By the end of the lesson, you'll have a unique souvenir to take home and a new perspective on the value of objects.
Over one hour or so, your teacher will guide you through the technique of kintsugi, using a ceramic plate supplied by the studio. You'll also learn about Japanese culture and philosophy and get insights into traditional Japanese crafts. By the end of the lesson, you'll have a unique souvenir to take home and a new perspective on the value of objects.
1
Omotesando
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Under 6 years of age, cannot enter the atelier for safety reason of the establishment
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 478 reviews
Punyashlok_B, Mar 2026
Had a lovely time learning the process. Simple and near perfect. Would recommend to any and all who want a quick guide through this.
Jessica_S, Mar 2026
The activity was enjoyable and it was good to learn the history of Kintsugi. It was perhaps a bit overpriced but overall I enjoyed it.
Shelly_A, Mar 2026
We had a great time and love having our repaired pottery as souvenirs we made ourselves. The instructions and guidance were very clear to make sure we did everything correctly.
Sharon_C, Mar 2026
The experience was very fun! It had a good edutainment aspect of value that I enjoyed. The ceramic was pre-broken for us to choose, I wish there were more style varieties to choose from. The instructions were very clear and the video was also easy to follow. I think it would be good to extent the estimated experience time to 1.25 hrs as it seems like people took extra time to create their kintsugi plates and ask questions. I think the value of the experience was quite worth it and they also sell a kit you can take home to try out.
Adamware, Mar 2026
Fun experience for me and my wife! We got to pick out the small dish we wanted to repair, each had a unique crack in it. The artist and his assistant then guided us through how to repair the piece with clear instructions and were very nice. The art space is filled with his original art you can purchase and even buy kintsugi kits to take home. We really enjoyed this class and love the artwork we made.
Hanna_F, Mar 2026
This is a great experience! The teaching was simple and clear an it was just overall a very enjoyable time! I definitely would recommend it
Jeff_T, Feb 2026
This experience exceeded expectations! The whole experience was well curated, explained and executed. The artist thought of everything and made us want to return for more advanced projects. This experience is a must!
Elvis_K, Feb 2026
It was interesting and fun. We planed the activity to an earlier schedule to meet the master. The master did not show up. We would have instead booked for a later event and made room for a flee market visit. The master need to show up if it is included in the program. Best
Stuart_I, Jan 2026
This was very interesting and informative, learning about the why of Kintsugi as well as the how. The instructor was very helpful and nice and patient. We love our pieces that we created!
Anthony_P, Jan 2026
This was such a great and authentic Japanese experience, I can't recommend it enough. If you're looking for more creative experiences for your trips, this is the one to do in Japan. The staff is great, and the instructions were very clear and easy for something that I thought would be very complex. They provide you with a "pre-broken" ceramic dish that you will then file, epoxy, and add gold to. They also give you a box and packing materials for safe transport. Really loved this workshop, this is a must-do in Tokyo
Lauren_H, Jan 2026
Very kind and patient staff who helped us create a beautiful, one of a kind souvenir from our trip!!
april_r, Dec 2025
It was a fabulous introduction to this art form.
It was enjoyed tremendously by my husband and I. We also booked with friends that traveled with us. We are not artists; this workshop was designed perfectly for all.
Skye_C, Dec 2025
Several things:
1. We accidentally booked the wrong date, and when we reached out they absolutely refused to do anything. They wouldn’t let us switch the date or get a refund and we ended up having to pay for it twice (totally not worth it)
2. The owner/artist guy is there but had headphones on and completely ignored everyone.
3. It’s not safe to eat off of when you’re done. You’d have to pay a bunch more to get that.
4. You have to choose from pre broken plates with one crack, you grind the edge, superglue it, and put some lacquer and gold powder on it. That’s it, nothing special about it. Buy a kit on Amazon and watch a 3 minute YouTube video and save yourself the time and money.
5. The girl host that helped us was nice, only good thing about the whole experience
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that this experience did not meet your expectations.
Regarding the booking, our confirmation message clearly states that date or time changes and refunds are not possible, and unfortunately we are unable to make exceptions.
The owner and master artisan is often present in the atelier working on professional pieces. Direct instruction by the owner is available only in our advanced workshops; this experience is an introductory class guided by trained staff.
This workshop focuses on learning basic kintsugi techniques using prepared pieces within a limited time. Tableware suitable for food use, as well as more advanced restoration methods, are offered in our higher-level classes.
Thank you again for your feedback, which helps us improve and better communicate our offerings.
Carla_S, Dec 2025
Very fun experience! Instructor was very friendly and helpful. The process was very simple and it was very rewarding to see your piece coming together
Kurtis_D, Dec 2025
My daughter and I did this course together. It was a great experience. The artist took time to personally look at everyones work. The class was very well organized. Would recommend to anyone interested in this pottery technique.
Francesca_D, Nov 2025
This is a very fun activity for people to get a taste of the art of Kintsugi. The instructor was Japanese and spoke very good English so you will be comfortable in either language. The studio is small, intimate, and interesting.
Gabrielle_W, Nov 2025
Great cultural experience, fun and really well organised and taught. Easy to do and a wonderful moments from a holiday in Japan
Mike_M, Nov 2025
An awesome workshop, the shop itself is great, teacher was super helpful, and everything was extremely well planned out! Definitely my top recommendation for anyone able to fit it in.
Daniel_T, Nov 2025
This workshop was full of fun jokes and very easy-to-copy directions including video examples. We had lots of fun doing something new and appreciate our teacher for walking us through the class with kindness! We highly recommend this workshop.
Martin_C, Nov 2025
It was a nice mix of the history, philosophy & technique for Kintsugi. The instructor gave encouragement & support in the creation of our own personalized piece.
nick_t, Nov 2025
Had a great time at the kintsugi experience. It’s a great way to spend some time concentrating on such a nice task.
floydfamily6, Nov 2025
It was a great experience, well explained and very accessible to non Japanese speaking participants.
CHRIS_O, Nov 2025
This experience was a great way to get a firsthand understanding on the basics of kintsugi. The host is a kintsugi master and his staff was great at making sure we understood the necessary steps to complete our first attempt creating a beautiful piece of kintsugi pottery. The end result is a very satisfying souvenir that’s sure to inspire you to save your next broken coffee mug as your next attempt to put your new skills to use! Enjoy!
jasonajeffery, Nov 2025
This experience was a good way to learn about the art and history of Kintsugi, it was well explained and hands-on.
Aimi_L, Nov 2025
Love it! Taku is extremely friendly and very encouraging. I would love to take another class with him or any of his staff.
Earl_G, Nov 2025
We are from Connecticut and booked this kintsugi class based on viator reviews. It was super fun and easy to find! The host and teacher of the class was delightful! A lot of fun. A super neat way to kill an hour and learn at the same time. Would highly recommend without A must.!
Alan_F, Oct 2025
We really enjoyed learning the steps of kintsugi and we love our little plates that we repaired. What a great memory to take home.
Rebecca_N, Oct 2025
What a nice way to spend the morning in Tokyo creating something unique and a memorable souvenir to take home. Our instructor was very helpful and we loved learning about kintsugi!
Meghan_S, Oct 2025
A fun and unique experience with a great souvenir at the end! The instructors were patient and the studio was really cool.
Lisa_R, Oct 2025
I loved learning about the process of kintsugi!
The teacher did a great job of explaining the process. The history of the art culturally was super informative and we all left with a little piece of Japan!
From $57.64
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Kintsugi Experience: Art of Golden Joinery in Tokyo
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