Tokyo Asakusa："shodo" Calligraphy & Making Keepsakes You Choose!!

great family activity, fun for all of us, 80, 47 and 11 year old - plus we get to go home with a wonderful souvenir

Location is really easy to find. Just follow the directions provided. Staff is amazing/friendly. We arrived about 30min early and they were more than happy to accommodate us (ie didnt make us wait) which was great because we could fit more things into our day. Staff was also really patient. Really have no complaints. Everything was as advertised and expected.

The entire experience was amazing. We learned how to write, were able to practice with lots of coaching, and then made our own t-shirts and scrolls. An experience not to be missed!

Really fun activity ! Mana was an excellent teacher that was really kind and joyful, she was also really knowledgeable and a calligraphy expert!

My 10 year and I had a lovely afternoon practicing the letters and learning about calligraphy. Mana was very friendly and welcoming

Great father-son experience! Fun and we learnt a lot. Great to design t-shirts with our own new calligraphy skills too.

I’m 1/2 Taiwanese and have always wanted to learn Japanese calligraphy as part of my heritage—the Japanese adopted Chinese characters - referred to as Kanji (漢字) for their writing system in the 5th century CE; it was a deeply meaningful to experience it firsthand. I found this class on TripAdvisor and booked an experience, and I’m so glad I did! From the start, communication was excellent. My flight to Tokyo was delayed, and since the airport is about an hour away from their studio, they kindly rescheduled my session without any hassle. They were so patient and accommodating throughout. The instructor’s artistic skill is absolutely incredible— her calligraphy is truly beautiful. She guided me with such care, letting me practice for as long as I wanted, and made the whole experience unforgettable. I even bought tools to keep practicing at home! 😅🤭. They also let me do my own phrase which was “Ya Ya (my name to my grandkids) and Doki Doki” - the literal translation made my daughters and me giggle (means a Ya Ya “little bit” excited like the sound of a heart flutter) as in we’re excited to see Ya Ya 😍🤭 - ややドキドキ - I bought extra t-shirts so I could let some of my grandkids have them! Thank you so much for sharing your artistry and patience—it was one of the highlights of my trip to Japan. 🙏✨

This was such nice experience. Ken Ji and Mana are the best hosts you can get. If you want to try calligraphy in Japan don’t miss this place ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Wonderful experience, the staff were very welcoming, encouraging and helpful. We were able to learn a bit of history, very short which was good because i was keen to start and were then guided to make our own special t- shirt. Go, If you can and enbrace yourself in the experience.

Had an amazing time. Patient instructor, giving us time to work on the basics before moving onto writing our Kanji for our t-shirt. Being left handed was acknowledged, and instructor was quite happy to see the difference in results.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m half Taiwanese and have always wanted to learn Japanese calligraphy as part of my heritage—since Japan adopted Chinese characters (Kanji 漢字) in the 5th century CE, this felt especially meaningful to experience firsthand. I discovered this class on TripAdvisor and booked it right away—and I’m so glad I did! From the beginning, communication was outstanding. My flight to Tokyo was delayed, and because the studio is about an hour from the airport, they graciously rescheduled my session without any problem. Everyone was incredibly kind, patient, and accommodating. The instructors’ artistic skill is breathtaking—their calligraphy is mesmerizing to watch. They guided me with such care, allowing me to practice for as long as I wanted, and made the entire experience inspiring and peaceful. I even bought tools so I can keep practicing at home! 😅🤭. They also let me do my own phrase which was “Ya Ya (my name to my grandkids) and Doki Doki” - the “literal” translation made my daughters and me giggle (means a Ya Ya “little bit” excited like the sound of a heart flutter) as in we’re excited to see Ya Ya - at least in my mind, right 😍🤭 - ややドキドキ - I bought extra t-shirts so I could let some of my grandkids have them! Thank you for sharing your artistry and patience—it was truly one of the highlights of my trip to Japan. 🙏✨ Also - thank you for the pizza suggestion - it was PERFECT!

Brilliant introduction to Japanese brush calligraphy. Great teacher and teaching materials. Lots of encouragement and time. Final piece printed onto a T shirt to take home

Amazing helpful understanding teachers . Fun to do! T shirts too if you want. Haruna was very encouraging! The peaceful atmosphere encouraged creativity.

Nous avons vécu une superbe expérience dans cet atelier de calligraphie à Asakusa ! La propriétaire est chaleureuse, bienveillante et a pris le temps de nous expliquer avec soin les bases de la calligraphie et sa signification. Même pour une première fois, l’ambiance était détendue et agréable, ce qui nous a permis d’apprendre en nous amusant tout en découvrant un aspect unique de la culture japonaise. En bonus, il est même possible de repartir avec un t-shirt personnalisé, imprimé avec les kanji que l’on a dessinés (avec un petit supplément). Une activité typiquement japonaise à ne pas manquer!! We had a wonderful experience at this calligraphy workshop in Asakusa! The owner was warm, kind, and took the time to carefully explain the basics of calligraphy and its meaning. Even as beginners, the relaxed and friendly atmosphere made it easy to enjoy ourselves while learning, and it allowed us to discover a unique aspect of Japanese culture. As a bonus, you can even take home a personalised T-shirt printed with the kanji you created (for a small additional fee). A truly authentic Japanese experience not to be missed !

IT was Amazing,very friendly Lady,i learn a lot of Japanes ,,very good Material,good conektion,nice small Talk , I will das the expierence to Others people Very Respektfull

Had lots of fun doing calligraphy and the shirt I made turned out amazing! Definitely recommend!! Got to practice a lot of the strokes and could practice before printing on t shirt!

I went with kiddo and this turned out to be such a fantastic family bonding and meaningful experience for us. She is an artist and I am…not. We both got to create wearable pieces that were personal to us. We also took full advantage of the option to add on additional images and purchase additional pieces. Mana was a very helpful and kind teacher and took lots of pictures she shared with us. The only negative was that we had another experience booked shortly after and had to rush to leave. If it were up to us, we would have reserved 2+ hours in our calendar for this calligraphy opportunity! Arigato gozaimasu, Mana! 🙏🏾 今は今

The class was amazing! We had such an amazing experience. We were 10 people and they were able to easily accommodate us. They were so patient and gave us so much time.

Mana and Kenji were fun, nice and energetic. Great experience to create lasting merch and memories using kanji. Great activity for all ages.

Great experience! I learned to write the word that reflects my life philosophy here. They printed the kanji I wrote - along with a beautiful sakura design - onto a T-shirt, which has become my favorite piece of clothing. They’ll also send me a postcard with my calligraphy to my home address - such a lovely touch! Thank you for this meaningful and unforgettable experience ❤️‍🔥

A super fun calligraphy experience from which you can make a unique souvenir for yourself. The staff were fluent in speaking English and kind. The place is on the 3rd floor of a building.

Had a wonderful time learning calligraphy today. The teacher was very kind and patient with beginners. Loved being able to print my work on a T-shirt!

Trying out the calligraphy workshop was such a fun and memorable experience! ✨ It was definitely more challenging than I expected — every stroke requires so much focus and intention — but that made it all the more rewarding. There’s something really calming about the process, and it felt so fulfilling to create something beautiful by hand. Highly recommend if you’re looking to try something new and meaningful. 🖌️🖤

Great experience for our family of 6 including 3 children ages 9 and above. The teacher was fluent in English, very good at caligraphy and very patient. Excellent first attempt. We look forward to doing more caligraphy at home as a family.

I had such a great time, I learned about kanji history and about calligraphy culture in Japan. They also showed me the basics of writing Japanese calligraphy and helped me to write many different things including my name and my husband’s name. The staff were so kind and helpful and I got to enjoy a handmade T-shirt too that will forever be a memory of my experience at WaPen. I highly recommend if you want to learn Japanese culture.

Great experience where you can learn calligraphy and feel japanese vibes. I even had my T-shirt with my calligraphy printed on it. The sensei is so kind and supportive. Highly recommended for travellers coming to Tokyo 🇯🇵

Cozy and friendly. Interesting experience. Learn how to write down kanji (caligraphy), it is a challenging. After done with the caligraphy, you may asking them to print it at t-shirt (bring your own or buy on the spot). by Ricky Rinalto

It was a very fun experience. I did it with my boyfriend. It is harder then it looks, but we had such a good time and the t-shirts turned out so good! Thank you for having us, it was a 10/10 experience!

This was such a cool experience! The staff were very helpful and interesting, and the final product is a wonderful souvenir.

Lovely experience with my gf and we printed our names in our t-shirts. It’s gonna be a memory we will carry with us forever!

I have my first time experience making shodo and printing my own shodo onto t-shirt. The teacher was really friendly and supportive. Really a true experience. Highly recommended!

It was so cool. I have always wanted to experience and learn Japanese calligraphy and doing it with someone equally interested in it made it even more enjoyable. I really recommend this activity for people who are interested in Japanese culture beyond anime. I really appreciated the culture I am living in even more.

We did the calligraphy experience. They taught how to draw first then, we could practice on a practice paper. After that, we drew on a paper. We brought a T shirt and we printed on a T shirt. The experience was fun and staffs are friendly.

I recently tried a calligraphy workshop and it was such a fun and creative way to spend an afternoon! The instructor was patient and made learning the strokes feel easy and enjoyable. I loved how calming the practice was, and it was amazing to see my own progress in just a short time. I even got to take home a personalized piece of my work – I'm already planning to frame it! Would definitely recommend this experience to anyone looking for something artistic, fun, or even as a unique way to unwind.

Well start of a weekend. I’m so glad and happy that I visited this place. It’s a new experience for me. It’s feels so relaxing to learn the calligraphy. Staffs here are so welcoming and they speak English as well. Get your own calligraphy printed on your shirt. Fabulous experience! Totally loved it! Thanks Wa-Pen for this awesome experience. Day well spent!

I had an amazing experience! The staff is so patient and supportive, I would definitely recommend this experience if you want to do something different while are you in Tokyo

A great experience to try a wonderful art form. And you get to print your own calligraphy work onto a t shirt( after a lot of practice). The staff are wonderful, helpful and kind. Definitely recommend

Absolutely loved my experience here!!! You're met by relaxing music and warm and welcoming staff. You have enough time to practice and enjoy the calligraphy (feel free to ask for help if no one is around you but the staff is basically always nearby and providing the advice and help with the Kanji spelling) and also learn about it in the video kindly provided prior to the lesson. You will have an opportunity to send a postcard to someone dear to you and you can not only practice but also get your own writings print t-shirt which is perfect souvenir from Japan ❤️

I honestly loved Mana-sensei’s calligraphy class. She’s super friendly and made me feel at home right away. The best part was when she wrote my name in Kanji—such a cool moment! I even got to try writing kanji myself and printed it on a T-shirt, which I’ll definitely keep as a special memory. Mana-sensei explained everything in English and chatted with us in Japanese too, which made it extra fun. I’m really grateful to my friend for bringing me here. If you’re curious about calligraphy or just want to try something different, I can’t recommend this place enough!

I’m so glad I chose this place for my very first experience with Japanese calligraphy. Our instructor, Mana-san (愛), was incredibly kind, patient, and full of warmth — a truly lovable person. She welcomed me with a beautiful card, written my name in Japanese. I definitely recommend trying this beautiful and calming cultural experience!

This was my first time trying calligraphy ever and it was super fun! The staff was really nice and welcoming and I felt like I really learned something today. I saw myself improving with each try and I'm really satisfied with the results!! Thank you so much for the experience!!!

I had a fun and interesting time here! The experience was well organized, and the staff spoke very good English, which made everything easy to understand. The location is also perfect—very close to the main tourist spots in Asakusa. The calligraphy session was really enjoyable, even as a beginner. The professional calligrapher guided me step by step, and I felt relaxed the whole time. I got to choose my favorite kanji and print it on a T-shirt—such a unique souvenir! Highly recommended if you’re visiting Tokyo and want to try a creative and cultural activity!

I went here with my sister And we got to experience new activity and made some memories together that we will remember forever And the staff were amazing

This experience was so great! The instructor was so patient when teaching the technique of the art of calligraphy. It was so much fun and also so peaceful!

It was super fun to do and interesting experience. Would definitely do it again and I got inspired to buy my own calligraphy set. The instructions were crystal clear and easy to follow. We got enough time and help to practice our calligraphy. The guides were super nice and friendly AND TALK AND UNDERSTAND ENGLISH. This was definitely a valuable experience and memory added to my Japan trip. The instructions on how to find the building are clear and easy to follow

Once in a lifetime experience! Amazing hospitality. さすが日本のおもてなしと美術！^_^ Thank tou so much for the quality time. Everyone visiting Japan should definitely experience this activity if they want to taste the real Japan and the art! 💕

Very interesting activity. Staff members were very kind and patient with teaching. You can choose the word to write. There are some examples but you can come up with your own words.

I had a great time at a calligraphy workshop in Japan where you can print your own design on a T-shirt. The instructor was very kind and taught us how to use the brush properly. After writing my favorite word in Japanese calligraphy, they helped me print it directly onto a T-shirt. It became a one-of-a-kind souvenir and a really meaningful memory. I highly recommend this experience if you want to try traditional Japanese culture in a creative and fun way!

This was a wonderful experience. You learned briefly about the history of Kanjia get to practice some basic strokes and then combine them to whichever Kanji you want. The staff was wonderful and really cared that you enjoyed your time. Perfect date place because they have a cute little surprise at the end that could definitely score you some points 👍🏼