Your invitation to everyday Japan
Workshops and experiences run by the people who do this every day — shop owners and craftspeople. Booked in minutes, backed by Peatix, one of Japan's leading event and community platforms.
Meet the hosts
Osaka
Namikiza Experience
English Rakugo on Dotonbori
Rakugo, Japan’s traditional art of storytelling, told in English: one seated performer plays every character, and then you try telling a short story yourself.
- ¥4,000
- 1.5 hours
Read their story →
Kyoto
Umenoya
Maiko Lunch in Gion
Watch a maiko, an apprentice geiko, dance up close over a seasonal lunch at Umenoya, a family-run house in Kyoto’s Gion district with over a century of history.
- ¥16,800
- 2.5 hours
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Tokyo
Story Petals
Journaling and Japanese Crafts in and around Tokyo
Journal & Craft Club, a mindful, creative space where people meet through journaling and craft, across languages and cultures.
- From ¥3,500
- 2 to 3 hours
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Tokyo
Mindful Bites
Vegan Home Cooking Class
A private vegan Japanese home-cooking experience around a tatami table — one group of up to four at a time.
- ¥9,800
- 2.5 hours
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Kyoto
Kazuya Sato
Shinobue Heard from a Boat in Arashiyama
A shinobue player performs from the bank as a covered boat takes you up the Oi River in Arashiyama and back, an hour in all. It runs twice a year, in May and October.
- ¥7,000
- 1 hour
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Tokyo
Moxa Japan
Moxibustion Workshop
A licensed practitioner teaches you to use Japanese moxa on your own body, in a Shibuya clinic that has been there since 2014.
- ¥50,000
- 1.5 hours
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Tokyo
Ginza Natsuno
Chopstick Craft Workshop
One of Japan's largest chopstick specialists, offering more than 3,000 varieties — and a dedicated workshop next door where you shape your own pair.
- ¥2,640 + wood from ¥660
- 1 hour
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Kyoto
Kai Cutlery Store Kyoto
Knife Sharpening Workshop
The first street-level shop of a blade maker founded in 1908, where its own specialists teach you to bring a knife back to life.
- ¥5,000
- 2.5 hours
Read their story →
Why Japan, In Person
Hosted by local people
Not tour products built for tourists. You join what the hosts already run — in their own shop or workshop.
Chosen for the people behind them
We feature experiences led by people with a genuine passion for what they do — and tell you the story behind each one.
The language, stated plainly
You'll know what to expect before you book — which language it is taught in, and whether an interpreter will be there.
How it works
01
Read their story
Each host has a page: who they are, what you'll do, and what language to expect.
02
Book on Peatix
Pick a date and pay online. Your booking is confirmed instantly.
03
Step in and try it
Everything is set up for you.
Questions before you book
- Do I need to speak Japanese?
- No. Some sessions run in English. Others run in Japanese with English support — such as materials in English, an English-speaking member of staff, or an interpreter. Each host's page says which, before you book.
- What do I need to bring?
- It depends on the host, and each host's page has a What to bring line. Some sessions need nothing at all; others invite you to bring your own tools.
- How do I book?
- Pick a date on the host's page and pay online through Peatix. You'll get confirmation right away.
About Japan, In Person
We don't list everything. Every host here is someone we have spoken with directly, and each one reviews and approves their page before it goes live. What we look for is simple: something that is already part of their everyday life.
The site is made by Peatix, an event and community platform. Your booking and payment happen there. Because Peatix already connects organizers and communities across Japan with people who want to join them, Japan, In Person can introduce travelers to these local experiences.
- 5.6M
- people join events on Peatix each year
- 25,000+
- events listed at any time
- Since 2011
- connecting people through events and experiences