Japanese Music Performance and Instrument Workshop in Kyoto
Description
Experience Japanese music with all your senses — watch, listen, and play! Enjoy a dynamic live performance by professional musicians featuring the Tsugaru shamisen, koto, taiko drums, shinobue flute, and other traditional Japanese instruments. What makes this experience special is that you don’t just watch — after the performance, you can try the instruments yourself with friendly, step-by-step guidance from the musicians. Even complete beginners can enjoy playing a short phrase or simple piece. The intimate small-group setting lets you experience the sound and energy of Japanese music up close and interact directly with the performers. Finish with memorable photos with the instruments and musicians — a unique way to experience Japanese culture in Kyoto.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(66)
The first half was a short performance by the instructors using each of the instruments and the second half was hands-on training using basic rhythmic patterns with those same instruments. The two instructors were very talented and patient with explaining how to play each of the three traditional instruments. 90% of the course was in Japanese, but there were English recordings for the history segments and each instructor did well with conveying the steps. Photos were encouraged (no recordings allowed for the professional first half). Good value for money and a great glimpse into the Japanese culture of music.
The show is authentic and powerful! And the piece was played in no time with careful lectures. The instruments that you can experience are also gorgeous, such as shamisen, koto, and wadaiko, and it is a great value. I recommend it.
We had a wonderful time at Oto Monogatari in Kyoto. The live performance was beautiful, and the musicians were incredibly talented. We learned about traditional Japanese instruments and even had the chance to play them ourselves. The explanations were easy to understand, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. It was a unique cultural experience that we will always remember. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Japan!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the performance, the atmosphere, and the opportunity to try the traditional instruments yourself. It means a lot to us that you found the explanations easy to follow and the experience memorable. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you back again for another unique journey into Japanese music and culture! 🎶✨
I thought it was for tourists, but the performance and the instruments that let me experience it were authentic and surprising. We also recommend it to the seriously minded!
ご来場ありがとうございました！ 演奏も体験用の楽器も本格的だったとのお言葉、とても嬉しいです。 初めての方にも楽しんでいただける内容でありながら、音楽や和楽器に興味のある方にも満足していただけるよう心がけています。 またぜひ、違う演目や季節ごとのプログラムも楽しみにいらしてくださいね。お待ちしております！ 🎶
The instructors played some traditional Japanese instruments and taught us their history. They were great musicians. Then they were patient as my family and I attempted to play them as well. It was a fun time!
Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re very happy to hear that you enjoyed both the music and learning about the history of the instruments. It’s wonderful to know you felt supported during the hands-on experience as well. We hope to welcome you again for another traditional Japanese music experience!
Beautiful music, education, and overall experience! Really fun time.
Thank you very much for your lovely review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the music, cultural learning, and the overall experience. It means a lot to hear you had a fun time with us. We hope to see you again someday!
We had a great time and can recommend this experience for anyone!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re really happy to hear you had a great time. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again! 🎶
Beautiful experience and recital! The music is super professional and very friendly! They also taught me a little to play the instruments, divine! Super recommended! Thank you very much to both of you!!
¡Muchísimas gracias por tu hermoso mensaje! Nos alegra mucho saber que disfrutaste tanto del recital y de la experiencia. Fue un placer compartir la música contigo y enseñarte un poco de los instrumentos. ¡Gracias por tu recomendación y esperamos verte de nuevo!
We really enjoyed the small concert! The hosts were very friendly! After the performance they let us try wadaiko (drums), toko and shemisen, together we tried to play "sakura" song, which was pretty difficult, but fun! We would definitely recommend this workshop for those who want to experience jaoanese culture! NB: the address on the website was not entirely correct, we actually had to walk a bit further to find the right place. For those who are going to attend the workshop, the studio is located right across Seisuke Knife shop.
Thank you very much for your lovely review. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the concert and had fun trying wadaiko, koto, and shamisen. “Sakura” can be a little challenging at first, but you did a wonderful job playing together — and sharing that moment is always one of the highlights for us as hosts. Thank you also for pointing out the note about the address. We sincerely apologize for any confusion you experienced while finding the studio. We truly appreciate your helpful explanation for future guests. We will review the information on our website to make sure it is as clear and accurate as possible. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we are very grateful for your recommendation. We hope to welcome you again on your next visit to Japan. Warm regards, Oto Monogatari Team
Fun and great information. The hands on portion was cool too! It was cool to see them play the instruments, sing, and allow us to participate in some songs. The hands on part was fun where we were able to play the instruments and guided us using music sheets. There was a slight language barrier, but we enjoyed hearing the authentic language for the culture.
Thank you very much for your thoughtful review. We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed both the performance and the hands-on experience. Watching traditional instruments being played live — and then having the chance to try them yourself — is something we truly love sharing with our guests. We’re glad you had fun playing along with the music sheets and participating in the songs. We also appreciate your understanding regarding the slight language barrier. While we do our best to communicate clearly, we are grateful that you embraced the authentic Japanese language as part of the cultural experience. Your openness means a lot to us. Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back to Kyoto in the future. Warm regards, Oto Monogatari Team
