Learning Zen Of Japanese Calligraphy In Kimono Near Osaka Castle

Very accommodating host. Despite my error in overlapping experiences, the host allowed us to reschedule to another time. This was most welcome and the experience was worth the time. If you have additonal time they also offer samurai experiences as well. Wishing them all the best and future success.

A really enjoyable afternoon spent practicing calligraphy whilst dressed in traditional Japanese clothing, learnt a lot and will be continuing with it back in the UK. The tea ceremony was clearly explained and really good fun to serve each other. An aftetnoon well spent!

This was an incredible experience! Everyone was so friendly, helpful, and kind. We loved every moment!

We had a lot of fun learning about the art of Calligraphy! How the way you hold your brush can change the entire shape of your writing. 10/10 amazing experience. Thank you so much!!

We had a truly wonderful time at the calligraphy and kimono experience. Mau, our calligraphy sensei, was absolutely lovely and a true artist with 17 years of dedication to her craft. Calligraphy is not easy to master yet she guided us with patience and passion while sharing her deep knowledge of the art. She offered many kanji to choose from and also encouraged us to bring our own ideas. The other staff who worked there were equally warm and engaging. They shared some lovely, high quality photos of the activity they took of us and even provided us with souvenir tote bags and a developed photo for us to remember this experience. We really enjoyed ourselves and highly recommended this activity.

We dressed up in kimonos and since we were the only ones, got a personal experience. We ran over time since we were having a good time. We got personal instruction and got included in our package a customized fan, scroll, handbag, and professional level photos. they also sent us home with our practice papers which was cool. Great experience and very nice teacher.

This was such a fun and intimate experience. We learned the culture, they were very helpful and kind! The hospitality here is amazing and I would definitely recommend or try one of their other experiences. Next time I will do the tea ceremony. Thanks for such a great experience and for being so inviting!

Highly recommend for anyone travelling in osaka who wants to learn and experience Japanese culture! great experience all around, no notes :)

This was an interesting and challenging experience. It required patience, calm and the willingness to learn quickly, make mistakes and above all, PRACTISE! I was impressed with the preparations and the carefully managed sequence of this ‘learning’. This would take a lifetime, but for this taste of calligraphy it was excellent. My only problem was that the final section of the directions was extremely vague; this needs a simple addition like ‘… then cross the street and walk through the railway underpass, then turn left.’ Otherwise useful map. Thanks.

We booked the kimono and calligraphy activity, it was an amazing experience, the staff was very patient and helpful. Would definitely recommend!

During my two weeks in Japan, this was my favorite activity. Learning Japanese calligraphy was so calming and peaceful. The teacher was calm, patient, and reassuring. We were also dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos. It was our first time wearing them and I just enjoyed it so much. I didn't want to take it off. I just can't wait to go back to the US and learn more Japanese calligraphy. It was amazing.

Great experience! We got there a little early (they will send you an email with the exact location on a map to easily find it - it was very close to the subway) and I was able to pick out which kimono I wanted to wear. After we were dressed, she gave us some background knowledge of writing in Japanese and we each picked out a word we wanted to write from a book (I picked "journey" and my husband picked "cherry blossoms"). She taught us how to write it step by and step and we practiced writing (paining) it. She taught us how to sign our names and then we practiced that. At the end, we were given a cardboard backed paper for our final product (painting the word and signing our name to our work). We were able to keep her step by step instructions so I can remember how to do it at home (they provided a bag to put everything in). The entire time there was calming Japanese music playing in background and she took pictures of us while we worked and emailed them to us after. It was such an amazing cultural experience and now I have great souvenirs of my trip!

DO NOT BOOK THIS!!! SCAM...we got stranded outside a shuttered abandoned area by train tracks with another family we didnt know that showed up fof same experience. calling viator for refund

Showed up with my son at night in the rain and the place was closed with no communication. We called, texted, emailed - no response. We paid over 5000 yen for transportation for nothing. Only time we might have been able to take a calligraphy class in Japan and now it will never happen. More disappointed for my son than myself - do not book!

What a great experience! Master was patient and funny! We loved learning the strokes behind the characters. So cool to write my name in Kanji. Highly recommend!

Place was not found. Even following directions and help from neighbors. The address given took us to a residence building and neighbors has no idea about samurai honor or activity. I try to contact the activity host but no answer was given.

This class was simply amazing! The instructor for calligraphy, Kaori, is extremely patient and friendly and was able to speak English as well. From the start, she was extremely welcoming and supportive from teaching us terminology and guiding us through how to properly write Japanese characters, and we are given lots of time to practice it prior to doing the main activities. The class was extremely immersive and just unforgettable in general. 10/10!

We had s wonderful time! We dressed in kimono and were on tatami mats. She was a wonderful teacher that taught us not only calligraphy strokes but also about our names and to write our names as well! She was very patient with us as we practiced the Kanji. She was kind and compassionate as we talked with each other. We made fans in the end and they turned out great for first time ever doing calligraphy. Would 100% do it again! I'd recommend going for anything they teach at Honor Samurai! We may try and fit in another class soon!

This was an excellent class! I loved getting dressed in a kimono and learning how to write my name in Japanese calligraphy. The leaders were friendly, patient, and engaging. I would definitely recommend taking this class for a very unique experience!

Wonderful experience. We did the kimono and calligraphy. I was able to choose a kimono and get dressed and it was very beautiful. They spoke perfect English and were absolutely wonderful and friendly - very tourist or foreigner friendly. The calligraphy gave you many practices of writing kanji (a chosen word) and your name before putting it on the final paper or fan.

It was such a fun activity - wearing a beautiful kimono with a help from a sweet young lady ( sorry that I don't know your name ), excellent teacher to teach us how to write Kanji. After long walk around Osaka castle, this was a right destination for us. Very nice experience, both my daughter and I enjoyed thoroughly!

I cannot recommend this experience enough! I did the calligraphy class and tea ceremony, and it was such a wonderful and unique memory made on my trip. The instructors were so very kind and patient, and taught me so much about both calligraphy and Japanese history. From beginning to end, the entire class and tea ceremony was engaging, delightful, and truly unforgettable. I did this experience solo, but it would also be wonderful for a group or a family.

Very friendly atmosphere during the experience even if it is your first calligraphy, You are helped and supported and it makes you want to improve this lovely art.

This was an excellent experience for a family of 8 including grandchildren and grandparents. Great relaxation after busy schedule in Osaka. The host is an excellent person and very helpful and great positive energy. She entertained us all greatly and we had an amazing time overall.

I had the best experience with both instructors and I just loved the zen atmosphere and the lesson. It was so fun and relaxing! I would love to do it again!!

This was a great experience. The two ladies and gentleman were so kind and helpful. They took lots of pictures for us.

We had a wonderful time learning about the culture, history, and traditions of calligraphy and tea ceremonies. I would highly recommend coming here if you have a chance you're in Osaka. No Japanese needed, they teach you the brush strokes for each character and can let you choose your own if you like! The tea ceremony was an excellent experience and we had the opportunity to make our own tea. Thank you again everyone at Samurai Honor!

Really good experience. First you get changed into Kimono and choose your Japanese word. You are shown how it is drawn and given plenty of practice attempts with hands on tutoring. Finally you write your character onto a blank fan and an optional extra beautiful wall hanging (fee extra dollars but worth it but no pressure) The hosts are great, friendly with good English. They take plenty of photos throughout and email them to you with no extra charge. You are not rushed at all. Thoroughly recommend if you want to do something slightly different.

Really great class, you get to learn some history, pick a kanji to practice and learn how to write your name. The instructor had already created us a sheet with our name in all three alphabets, as well as in kanji on a small wooden block and a sheet explaining the kanji meaning. We got to do multiple practices and write on a fan as part of it, I also paid the extra to do the hanging scroll. They took pictures during as well and the kimono wearing was very cool. I also did the add on tea ceremony which was very enjoyable and educational. All the swords and samurai in the room (from the other course they run) were an added bonus to look at!

This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, our hosts made us feel welcomed and at home, it had something for everyone the tea ceremony was beautiful and educational, the calligraphy will inspire your creative side. Our hosts helped us there was no language barrier so helpful. We didn’t do the Samurai but the group before us and they looked like they had an amazing time. This is a definite activity to do, Thank you again.

The calligraphy and tea ceremony were so worth it! My friend and I had personalized experience and it was so much fun getting dressed in the kimono, learning the art of Shodo and Sado (tea ceremony). We even learned a lot of new Japanese words and phrases.

Wow. This was an amazing experience. We arrived and were fitted into kimonos- there are about 12 parts so it takes a few minutes. Next we sat down and were given a history of Japanese calligraphy and were taught the basics. We chose our word and began to practice. Our instructor continued to watch over us and help us master our letters. When we were ready we took what we practiced and wrote in our final piece. Pictures were taken and we were given a gift bag with all our practice pieces. It was lovely to learn about these facet of Japanese culture and history and I cannot recommend this highly enough!

What a great experience, everyone was incredibly nice and informative. They explained the processes and history of shodo and sado and showed their enthusiasm and passion. Will definitely have to come back for the kendo experience next time. ありがとうございます、とても良いですよ。

Whilst I had been somewhat nervous to try this kind of workshop/experience, I had a wonderful time learning from Kaori-san. She was so incredibly welcoming and kind throughout the experience, creating a comfortable atmosphere for trying something new! Sitting down and trying calligraphy was a beautiful to spend my day, and if I had more time, I would definitely have tried some of the other experiences too.

What an amazing experience I had during this cultural activity in Osaka! I felt happy throughout the process. They waited for me even though I was late due to train delays and getting lost, and they even called me to make sure that I was okay and that I was coming! I was impressed by the teaching quality and the time and energy they invested in making this workshop truly special; putting on the kimono was the icing on the cake! Book this activity; you will enjoy it even more if you want to fall deeper in love with the beauty of Japanese culture! Thank you to the staff of Samurai Honor special mention to Noriko, Furiko and Rae.

We really enjoyed the experience - it was a lovely way to learn some aspects of Japanese culture and to unwind after a rather full day. Dressing in traditional clothing made it especially meaningful and opportunity to “learn by doing” with both the calligraphy and the tea ceremony allowed us to take back some special memories of Japan and Osaka.

Fantastic fun really lovely people. The writing is so much harder than I thought. Loved the whole experience thanks Julie

It was great, we ran late and they still gave the full experience was great experience. Would recommend

I don’t have enough words for how cool this kalligrafie experience is! We booked it for 2 persons and it was a private session. You emmerse yourself into learning how hard it is to write the Japanse characters. The kaligraphy master is kind and skillfull. You can choose 1 word to learn and your own name. You get dressed in a kimono which, actually, is a nice experience. We bought the wall hanging roll as a souvenir to bring home. Would recommend!

Fantastic experience near the Osaka castle. Two lovely ladies (1 did translate everything in English for us) welcomed us and introduced us to the art of calligraphy! We were helped wearing the traditional costume, were able to practice calligraphy and also got beautiful pictures to help remember the experience in Osaka. Everything we produced was given to us at the end in a beautiful bag. Thank you so much! Would recommend 10/10

If you are going to do one class in osaka , do this one ! The two sensei , ably helped by the vey kind camilla as our translator, were so kind, patient and generous to us . I learnt a lot from the calligraphy, tea ceremony and how they treated us as guests. This was the highlight of osaka and our holiday for me . Thank you and have beautiful lives.

It was my first calligraphy lesson and it is definetly worth to visit if u are interested in this kind of things, it was really fun and the time went by very quickly. You were allowed to choose your own Kanji or one of the given ones. It is harder than it looks when professionals write them down.

An absolutely fabulous experience! My kids said it was one of the most memorable parts of their trip. We got to dress up, learn calligraphy, and take home our work as well as fans which we painted the calligraphy on as well. Very educational and informative. Highly recommended!

Our calligraphy master and English speaking guide were so patient and made us feel very comfortable. We had a great morning learning some basic skills.

This was such good fun! Despite having no previous knowledge of Japanese calligraphy and script, we were able to learn some basic pen and brush strokes that we built upon to with the characters we had chosen. Our hosts were welcoming, friendly and patient with our efforts, demonstrating the techniques used to write different types of Japanese characters, before letting us loose on our practice sheets. Once we were confident with our characters, we moved on to making our marks on fans and then on scrolls that we were able to take away with us. An altogether brilliant morning that was both fun and informative!

What an excellent teacher, and I have a satchel of art to take back home. I learned a bit about the culture as well as the technique during a full hour of art practice. A lovely experience. Note that the Google map directions are accurate but it’s a small store front — I walked past it initially. So allow a few extra minutes to spot it.

Great host and plenty of time to practice. However, it lacked a bit of explanations and background on the different Japanese alphabets.

Really great experience from start to finish. Amazing to be dressed in a kimono for the tea ceremony. Ui who performed the tea ceremony was great and described everything she was doing via a recording and with the help of Shanika to translate. I even got the opportunity to make some tea myself! Yuka was really patient with her teaching of the calligraphy and I was given the opportunity to try many times my chosen word and also my name. I was also given a fan to write on and this, along with all the attempts I’d made to write were given to me at the end in a plastic case. Shanika was amazing throughout - she did all the organising and arranging and translating and she also took pictures for me. Overall really great experience and worth doing.

Great experience! I was looking for an introduction to Japanese calligraphy and was not disappointed. They took an incredible amount of time with me, answered all my questions and I was really allowed to practice a lot and try out the art of shudō in detail. Great.