Deeply rooted in the country’s unique traditions, Japanese culture includes a wide and diverse range of customs, practices and ideas that have been cultivated in Japan over thousands of years. These range from art forms - such as ukiyo-e woodblock prints, kabuki theater plays and haiku poems - to traditions such as green tea ceremonies or geisha performances.

Other aspects of Japanese culture are connected to religious and spiritual beliefs, such as the practice of Zen Buddhism, and traditional festivals called matsuri. Traditional cuisine is also a huge part of Japanese culture, with dishes such as sushi and ramen now commonly eaten all over the world. Anime and manga, more modern elements of Japanese culture, also have an enormous global fanbase.

There are many reasons why Japanese culture has long-been admired by people from all over the world. Some are captivated by the beautiful aesthetic nature of Japanese culture, such as the highly decorative fabrics, designs and colors used in traditional kimono. Others admire the years of expertise required to possess the skill needed to craft intricate pieces of art, such as traditional woodblock prints, or the intricate attention to detail seen in the careful cultivation of bonsai trees.

There are many ways visitors to Japan typically take part in Japanese cultural experiences, particularly when visiting the cities of Kyoto or Osaka. Many tourists hire a kimono to wear for a day, take a class to learn how to make sushi or even go to watch a sumo tournament.

Yet there are many more cultural experiences that can be enjoyed that allow tourists the chance to get a deeper connection to Japan. These experiences offer visitors the ability to take part in an extremely broad range of hands-on activities and discover so much more of Japan’s rich cultural heritage.

There are many other types of cultural experiences available to visitors to Japan, especially in the Kansai region, where Kyoto and Osaka are located. These activities delve further into Japan’s history and culture, often focussed on traditional creative arts and industries as well as experiences that offer a restorative boost to the senses. By taking part in these activities you can take a much deeper dive into Japan’s fascinating cultural landscape.

If you’re visiting Kansai, you can book a wide variety of unique Japanese cultural experiences through Wabunka that will make your trip to Japan even more memorable. With Wabunka, you can take part in a variety of hands-on activities that reveal the true extent of Japan’s cultural legacy. These activities are held in unique locations all over Kansai, such as traditional tea houses, historic temples, artist studios and private workshops.

Experiences are led by masters of their craft who have perfected and honed their skills over many years. Each activity is available in English and exclusively for small private groups, with only one group held at a time. Many of the activities are hands-on experiences, where you can learn how certain items are made and create your own keepsake to take home as a souvenir of your trip to Japan.

Here are five Japanese cultural experiences that you can enjoy with Wabunka in the Kansai region.

Much more than just a drink, green tea has had a prominent place in Japanese society for centuries. This experience, held at the 160 year-old Nakamura Tokichi green tea store in Uji, reveals how green tea leaves are processed, as well as its cultural significance to Japan. The green tea grown in Uji is known for its exceptionally high quality. Founded in the 19th century, Nakamura Tokichi Honten is one of the oldest tea merchants in Uji.

For this experience, visitors will learn how to use a millstone to grind tea leaves to become matcha, the fine powder used to make green tea. Visitors also get to sample usucha, a green tea known as thin tea, in the store’s traditional tea house. Finally, the tour culminates with a traditional green tea ceremony, where guests can learn about the intricacies and understand the meaning behind this ancient Japanese custom.

The green tea experience takes place at the Nakamura Tokichi Honten store in Uji and costs 14,000 yen per person. The event is available with an English-speaking guide for private groups of up to four people and takes 1 hour. There is no cancellation fee if canceled up to eight days in advance of the booking.

Many overseas visitors are drawn to Japan by certain practices and beliefs found in Zen Buddhism, particularly the practice of meditation. For those interested in meditation, this experience offers the chance to learn about the techniques and benefits of zazen, a discipline of meditation central to Japanese Zen Buddhism.

There can be few better ways to learn about zazen meditation than at Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto with an introductory course led by a Zen monk. This experience offers an overview of the zazen meditation practiced by monks in the enchanting surroundings of Daitoku-ji Temple, which was founded in the 16th century. The course is held at Daiji-in, the temple’s beautiful main hall. Participants are taught techniques that embrace the five core elements that are central to zazen meditation: relaxation, posture, center of gravity, breathing, and yin-yang.

This experience is essential for anybody looking for a deeper spiritual connection with Japanese culture or those looking for a better understanding of the benefits and practice of Zen meditation. After meditating, visitors are invited to take part in a green tea ceremony. Together, the practice of meditation and a nourishing bowl of green tea combine to help visitors completely unwind and feel refreshed from the stresses of everyday life.

This experience is available for private groups of up to 12 people and costs 30,000 yen per person. The course is available in English and lasts for 2 hours. A cancellation fee will be charged if the booking is canceled within 11 days of the scheduled event. It is recommended that participants wear loose-fitting comfortable clothing for the zazen meditation.

Sakai is a city just south of Osaka that is famous in Japan for the production of cutlery, including high-quality kitchen knives. To this day, Sakai knives are used by chefs in many of the finest restaurants in Japan. In this experience, visitors can learn how to create their own kitchen knife that has been crafted in the traditional hand-made way. The experience is led by the experienced bladesmiths in the workshop of Wada Shouten, a manufacturer of knives that was founded in Sakai in the 19th century.

The activity begins with a short tour of the Sakai Knife Museum, located a few minutes walk from Wada Shouten’s workshop. Here, visitors can develop a greater understanding of the history, range and quality of knives made in the region. Then, participants return to Wada Shouten to discover how knives are made in the traditional way without the use of any machinery or molds, as well as how to correctly care for and sharpen the blades to ensure their longevity.

Finally, visitors are given the opportunity to craft their own knife which they can take away and keep as a souvenir from their trip to Sakai. There is a choice of three different types of knife that visitors can make - a general kitchen knife called a santoku knife, a deba knife typically used to filet fish, and a sashimi knife for slicing raw fish. Participants are handed the delicate job of fitting a handle to the sharpened blade under the careful instruction of the bladesmith. If maintained with care, the finished knives will be a mainstay of any kitchen for many years to come.

This experience costs 33,000 yen per person and lasts for 2 hours. Bookings are available in English for private groups of up to eight people. There is no cancellation fee if bookings are canceled up to eight days before the date of the event.

Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese practice of repairing cracked or damaged pottery with lacquer and traces of gold powder. Broken pieces of pottery are reconnected with an added artistic embellishment that brings new life to once-damaged ceramics. This experience, held at Kyoto’s historic Shikata Urushi store, teaches visitors two techniques of kintsugi. Participants will learn how to apply a lacquer called urushi and gold powder to restore pieces of pottery in need of a touch of tender loving care.

The experience is led by the skilled artisans at Shikata Urushi, one of Kyoto’s most esteemed lacquer stores, which first opened in 1867. Visitors will learn two techniques of kintsugi, ware and hibi. Which of the two techniques is used depends on each piece of pottery’s specific state of repair. Participants will be taught how to carefully apply the lacquer that melds the damaged pottery back into one solid piece before adding the gold powder that covers the cracks and completes the repair. Afterwards, visitors are treated to coffee served in beautiful lacquerware cups made at Shikata Urushi.

There is more to kintsugi than just providing essential repairs to useful everyday objects. The decorative nature of kintsugi means that each repaired bowl, cup or plate becomes a unique piece of crockery. Kintsugi is strongly connected to the Japanese principle of wabi-sabi, an idea that encourages people to embrace the small flaws and faults that can be found in everyday life, rather than to constantly strive for perfection. As a result, this experience is perfect for those interested in traditional Japanese aesthetics as well as anyone with an artistic eye.

This experience costs 26,000 yen per person and can be booked for private groups of up to 14 people. Please note that the basic price includes the use of brass or tin powder during the kintsugi process, though you can use silver or gold powder for an additional fee. The course lasts for 2 hours and 30 minutes, and there is no fee if the lesson is canceled in advance of 8 days before the scheduled booking.

The city of Kameoka in Kyoto Prefecture is famous as a global center for whetstone and hone production, the implements used to sharpen knives and blades. At this experience, held at the Natural Whetstone and Hone Museum, participants can take part in several hands-on activities that teach of the importance of hones to the production and sharpening of kitchen knives used in prestigious restaurant kitchens and the highest quality traditional Japanese swords. This activity is a wonderful experience for anybody interested in the fascinating process of creating traditional Japanese artisanal crafts.

The experience is led by Aki Tanaka, the director of the Natural Whetstone and Hone Museum. Tanaka-san will give participants a private guided tour of the museum and explain how the unique geology of the region is perfect for the production of hone and whetstone, as well as introduce some of the highlights of the museum’s collection. Visitors are even allowed to hold a real Japanese sword as part of the tour.

After the guided tour of the museum, participants are shown how to fashion a hone from a choice of Japanese whetstones. Visitors will then be given a hands-on lesson to learn how to use a hone to sharpen knife blades made of Japanese steel. The sharpness of the honed blade is tested by how easily it slices through a sheet of paper. A personalized engraved handle is added to the finished blade to complete the knife, which visitors can keep, along with the hone, as a memento of the visit.

This experience costs 33,000 yen per person and can be reserved for private groups of up to six people. The entire tour lasts for 2 hours and is available in English. Bookings can be canceled without a fee up to six days in advance.

To enjoy unforgettable cultural experiences that offer a deeper connection to Japan during a visit to Kansai, choose from a range of creative, hands-on activities with Wabunka. With experiences designed for private groups and with English-speaking guides, Wabunka visitors to Japan can create lasting memories whilst discovering so much more about Japan’s fascinating cultural heritage.