Kyo-arashi Shibori Scarf Class

What a gem of an experience! This workshop is attached to a great family run museum that is free with the workshop. It is incredible that the family has such a long history and knowledge of the craft, including items from the time before and after WWII. The class gives you the choice of the type of item you would like to work with and the color you would like to use. The best part is the end where they do an unveiling ceremony that makes every participant feel special and celebrated.

Good introduction to Shibori for first timers. Initially there is a hands on workshop, in minutes you are taught one Shibori dyeing method that produces a beautiful silk scarf with an exciting and surprising pattern. Afterwards you are shown around the museum and given an informative presentation with actual examples on the process, intricacies, and historical significance of Shibori. There is also a great Museum shop. All in all a perfect and rewarding way to learn about and appreciate this stunning craft.

This was a wonderful experience and the instructor was very patient and informative

This was an engaging, learn-how hands-on activity with a beautiful silk scarf for yours to keep at the end. The museum upstairs is amazing and the father and son have some of their intricate, stunning work to see. Highly, highly recommended.

An interesting experience and basically foolproof. We liked the little museum upstairs a lot, where you can see various shibori works and learn about the technique.

I went with my mum and some friends to do a silk dying course. It was so much fun!! The teacher (Mr Yamamoto) was so kind and helpful. When we finished dying our pieces we were brought upstairs to look around the museum whilst our silks were washed and dried. The guy who took us round was really insightful about the shibori craft and answered all of our questions! He even let me try using the needle and wrapping up a bit of fabric. It was alot harder than it looked!! I bought a shibori dyed bag in the gift shop, it was really well made and very beautiful!! Definitely recommend the experience! Especially to those who like interesting and more unknown crafts!!

I have only praise for this class. There are four colours you can pick from and from there, you are the one folding the fabric into four pleats before you wrap it around a PVC tube before securing it in place with elastic cord. From there, you dunk your piece into the dye. You can finish your project in 30 minutes and as the item dries, you can go through the museum which is small but impactful. The son of one of the Shibori masters presents a demonstration of how the process works. He still has the family's shibori tool that dates back to pre WW2. I enjoyed this class so much. It checked off all the boxes for me: educational elements, fun, and definitely not a tourist trap. AND you have a beautiful scarf that you bring home as a reminder of this wonderful time. Remember too that there are only three Shibori masters left in Japan. You'll get to meet them during the instruction. Get your singing voice in order because you may be called upon to sing to make the dye work better! : )

Couldn't recommend this experience more! We had a brilliant class taught by one of the only 3 masters left in Shibori, then a brilliant guided tour of the museum which was included in the price. Both were absolutely fascinating!

Wonderful experience! We had a great time making scarves with a lovely team at the museum. A tour is included in the experience, which is perfect. It was really great to learn about the really different ways of making these kinds of scarves and the incredible history and craftwork that they entail. It was also lovely to learn from family members of artisans, whose work is featured in the museum. It’s a small boutique museum run by people who are very passionate about this incredible art form. It’s really a great experience to learn a bit about how to dye the materials. Everyone is really kind as well. It’s a great workshop to do with the family and friends.

This experience was fun, inspiring, and educational! The staff was very upbeat and friendly, and my daughter, mother-in-law, and I each created a beautiful silk scarf--my scarf now is one of my best travel souvenirs ever ❤️ I also enjoyed learning about the history and technique of shibori on a video as our scarves were drying, and the staff taught us how we could use dyes and different fabrics to create our own shibori pieces at home. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who loves culture, history, and arts and crafts, and would like to bring a beautiful and unique hand-dyed scarf home!