Kendo And Samurai Experience In Kyoto

Instructor was so funny and knowledgeable, everyone got to wear their own armor and got to spar. 12/10 recommend.

Great experience, my son absolutely loved it! Thank you!

AMAZING!!! 10 out of 10! Must do in Kyoto. Learned so much about Samurai and Kendo history, culture and practice. We got to spar at the very end. Taka was our sensei and he was very articulate and patient with us beginning. Made me want to book another class back home in Miami :)

We thoroughly enjoyed learning about samurai history and experiencing the Kendo training in an authentic space. Thank you!

Fun introduction to kento/samurai. A interactive lesson to understand the fundamentals. Young and nit so young had a great time

It is very educational and interactive! We learned samurai history, how to use a sword and how to do moves in Kendo! We got to “fight”, and take a bunch of pictures and videos.

Had an amazing experience. I would recommend anyone to do it who is travelling to Kyoto. Taka and Hana were great!

Taka, the trainer, was fantastic. Great experience! If you come to Lyoto, don’t miss this. Very worth while.

Taka was great! Had a really fun time learning about the kendo martial art.

Highly recommend! My teenage sons and husband loved this experience. They said it would be hard for kids under 10. In an historical neighborhood, so get there early to make sure you can find the house.

We had a great time with a multi generational family of all ages! Taka, the instructor, was so fun and informative. He really made the experience interactive and kept us laughing! The location is a bit out of the way, but worth it! Highly recommend!

This both a very informative and very interactive experience. We had a great time. The training and sparring were fun. It is a blast for all ages.

Nice japan house and garden, funny instructor with strong training skills. It was really deep experience, thanks again.

The sensei was fun and thorough. Lots of info on the history of samurai. Kendo training was fun.

Instructor provided in depth information on the history of Japan and Samurai. We enjoyed the opportunity to don the appropriate gear and learn how to sheath and unsheath the katana. Afterwards, we learned a few techniques wielding a bamboo practice sword. What a great experience! We took many photos

Silly, but a lot of fun and some great photo opps. The host was outstanding.

Not really what we expected. The experience started very late (due to late comers, which is of course not the venues fault) however they did not go over the time allocated (2hours) to make up for this. The large proportion of the time was taken up by watching 2 videos and putting the clothes on. The actual practical time was minimal. In addition, the venue also has knife making at the exactly same time in another room which was very loud and we struggled to hear the instructor. There was not enough room in the venue either. As it was raining, we were indoors for the activity (which is fine) however, in my opinion, they are not able to facilitate this for such a a large group of people. In summary, I wouldn’t recommend the activity to others.

Good introduction to Kendo, and basic understandings of Samurai, but don’t expect to be in a full equipment with head protection or have a kendo practice in one

I went with my siblings and everyone's partners and it was so much fun. We had a great time learning the history and it was just an amazing time.

Went with my sister yesterday as a treat for my birthday as I had always wanted to experience the samurai lifestyle. It was a great experience and I highly recommend, learn a lot about samurai history and also got to spar and wear samurai outfit. Definitely a must try when you are in Kyoto

I went to the Kyoto location, and the instructor was very knowledgeable and skillful in Kendo. I learned a learned a lot and had a wonderful time!

We had a great time! We booked as a 5-person group expecting to join others, but nobody else signed up during our time slot, so we essentially had a private class! Taka was an excellent teacher, and we all had a great time, including katana practice and kendo. This was the highlight of our trip, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Nothing at all what we expected according to description and pictures online. We weren’t able to wear the full uniform (only got to see one helmet) which was a let down. The place is very small, seems run down, dusty and not taken care of at all. There were people coming in and out with groceries leaving the door open and cold air in right by our side in the middle of the “class”. We’re a family of 4 adults and the group was 12 people that day. Space was tight and because of that we were taken outside to “practice” but it was a very cold and cloudy day. We were told to feel free to take pictures outside but the space didn’t have a good background for pictures. Again, we just felt we were in someone’s backyard and the condition of such was not good at all so not really a place where one would want up take pictures for memories of a nice experience. All in all we left very disappointed.

What a great experience with Taka, a 23rd generation descendent of a Shogun and winner of many Kendo competitions. It was just the right amount of fun, learning, and history and the entire family really enjoyed the experience.

Amazing experience. Great teacher of Shogun descent. Experienced how to wear the robes, how to withdraw the katana. Was taught basic kendo moves which culminated in fight sessions at the end.

Note: This experience does NOT include tatami mat cutting. The listing says it does, but there's been a recent law change in Japan that means they're no longer allowed to offer it legally. Obviously not their fault, but if you're reading this Taka then best to update your listing so guests aren't disappointed! Despite this, we really enjoyed the class. Good exercise and lots of fun. We were taught how to wear kendo outfits, explained some parts of tradition and culture, practiced drawing and sheathing out samurai swords with proper technique, then did some kendo drills and ended with some sparring (modified for complete newbies). Taka is a very friendly and good teacher. Great experience overall, but probably slightly overpriced, although not enough for us to regret it.

The instructor was well qualified and spoke very good English. The dojo was a private home. The activity was overpriced.

A very enlightening and enjoyable experience, it was fun to practise with the bamboo swords and compete vs others. Friendly instructor.

Taka made this experience incredibly memorable for my fiancée and I! Even though it was raining and we had to do the activity indoors it was still a highlight of our trip and can’t recommend it enough to people who’d like to learn and experience kendo. Thank you Taka!

Taka was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable trainer. We had a great time. Recommend taking an uber because it’s a bit of a walk from the train or bus stop.

A friend of mine and I signed up for this experience after wanted to try something new and unique during our time in Kyoto. This experience completely surpassed all our expectations. Taka was an EXCELLENT teacher! He had so much knowledge and his passion was visible during the entire lecture. We walked away from it, not just having had fun, but having learned something new. The short sparring portion at the end of the lecture was the highlight. Tatami mat slicing can no longer be done legally in Japan, but this was a very welcome replacement. I'm giving 4 stars (more like 4.5) because I feel the inside of the studio space could've been a little neater and better organized. This would be my only remark. I wholeheartedly recommend this experience and would gladly try the other workshops by studio Nin if I were ever in Kyoto again.

Would highly recommend this experience! Our instructor Taka made the whole experience very memorable with his humour and happy demeanour. We were worried that we’d be relearning the same things we saw the day before at the samurai museum although it was a refreshing insight into the lives of samurai and the basics of kendo. We learned about the traditional armour and how to wear it, how to properly draw your blade and sheathe it and basic kendo moves which you got to utilise during a spar session with bamboo swords. In the end we got foam training bats to fully unleash the skills we learned on each other which was hilarious. We can’t wait to come back and do the ninja weapon or japanese knife crafting this studio also offers.

Our family of five had a great time. The teenagers key comments are: - the practice sparring with kendo sticks was great fun - I bet my brother in the final battle , which is always the best - the armour and costume was very realistic - it made me feel like a samurai. All in all great 2 hours of fun, topped off with a bus ride and wander to see parts of Kyoto outside of the centre of town.

The best experience I had during my stay in Japan, without a doubt! Taka was so kind and sweet with the whole group; I loved him, a sweetheart. He made me feel and live Japan, immersing myself in the world of martial arts. He made me want to learn more about this incredible world. I'm thinking about starting some martial arts and will definitely return to Kyoto. I highly recommend this experience. I gave the experience to my nephew as a birthday present, and both he and I received a gift! Thank you very much, Takato. I'll be back soon. :) どうもありがとうございます 間違いなく、日本滞在中に最高の体験でした！タカさんはグループ全員にとても親切で優しく、本当に素敵な方でした。武術の世界に浸りながら、日本を感じ、日本を生きることができました。この素晴らしい世界をもっと学びたいと思いました。私も武術を始めようと思っているので、必ず京都に戻ってきます。この体験は本当におすすめです。甥っ子の誕生日プレゼントにこの体験をあげたら、彼も私もプレゼントをもらいました！タカトさん、本当にありがとうございました。またすぐに来ます。

A nice experience to learn more about samurai and kendo, you start with a little theoretical part and later you practice a bit by yourself. Lots of fun, i definitely recommend it!

Incredible experience! It was truly original, listening and learning from Taka, one of the descendent of the Tokugawa clan the history of the samurai and Shogunate, as well as been thought by one of the Kendo national champions. You get the chance to wear the full kendo and samurai attire and play kendo in teams. Highly highly recommended experience with NIN Studio Kendo!

Went with my son and we had a great time! The instructor was a lot of fun! We thought this was an adult only reservation, but there were kids included with another family - ended up working out great regardless!

Amazing experience, we did it as a group of four. We dressed in Samurai attire, learned how to handle katanas, learned how to fight with a kendo (bamboo stick), and even had a little sparing against each other. Matsudaira Takato Sensei was our instructor and informed us on the rich history of his klan. We definitely will do this again when we come to Kyoto, Japan again.

My son and I had an incredible time at the samurai experience in Kyoto! Despite the rain forcing activities indoors, the session was both highly engaging and educational. We learned fascinating historical details and enjoyed hands-on practice. The instructor was knowledgeable and passionate, making it a memorable highlight of our trip. Highly recommend!

The experience was very fun. I went with my girlfriend and we loved to learn about the way of the sword and the culture surrounding it. The instructor spoke english well and was friendly. The equipment was in order and clean. It was an extremely hot day but cold towels were given to us, a nice attention. It would have been nice to have a space to train inside, but the organizers did well with what they had. Thank you!

Our instructor Taka was a great teacher. However my only issue was that the experience was advertised as having the opportunity to cut a tatami matt at the end with a katana. We never did this even though the description of the experience said we would. The main reason I booked this experience was to be able to do that and was left disappointed.

The Kendo experience was amazing, getting in the suit and all the more that is being explained really brings you back and gives a good indication on how it was back in the day. The rain was a bit unfortunate, but we still had a lot of fun!

Great information given, went out of their way to help us move on to our next appointment. Even ensuring we had the full experience given we had to leave early

Excellent and fun experience, well worth the price. I must recommend to all considering this experience! The time flew by.

This was much more authentic than expected. Kengo was great. Good teacher and you really get to learn and practice kendo techniques. Hitting your annoying travel friend with a stick is a cathartic trip experience.

The instructors where very informative and welcoming. A lot of history in Kendo and informatively fun to learn about the martial art. Perfect for beginners and people who want to experience some form of traditional martial arts in Japan without judgement or previous experience.

The instructor is very patient; takes his time to explain things; and gives you plenty of time to ask questions and take pictures etc.

The experience was incredible! One of our highlights of visiting Japan for sure 🤩 we learnt so much about the history of samurai and got time to practice our newly learnt skills too! Lots of photo ops as well hehe - our Sensei was the best!!!

Fun class! The instructor made sure everyone had a good time. We learned the basics of Kendo, and the samurai way. I would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Kyoto.