Shamisen Discovery in Kyoto 【Group】

I booked this experience for my husband and me as part of a group and little did we know, it was just the two of us so we got a wonderfully personal experience with Jack. He is an amazing teacher who gauged our abilities and matched our paces of learning. It was a lovely foray into the world of Shamisen. We would definitely have more lessons with him given the chance. In fact, it has me thinking about getting my own shamisen (which he can also help with!). This was by far our favourite activity in Kyoto.

Had a wonderful session with Jack. Such a great host and patient teacher. As a guitar player this instrument is very humbling. It would take a lot of practice to master the technique. Jack asked us about our music background and easily gauged our ability. We were playing a jam session right away. I only wish I could spend the entire day playing Shamisen.

Great experience! Very fun and interactive!

The instructor was great and easy to talk to! We had a great time learning from him and he made the introduction to this beautiful instrument very simple, and we had so much fun playing music together. This is definitely something every visitor in Kyoto should put on their itinerary!

Absolutely phenomenal experience! I’d no doubt do this again in a heart beat!

The group Shamisen lesson with my sister was my favorite experience in Kyoto. Jack was a great guide. He taught us shamisen history, proper form for holding the instrument and bachi, several Japanese scales, and by the end of the lesson, my sister and I were able to play a whole song together. Shamisen Dojo is about a 15 minute walk from Kinkaku-ji temple. It worked perfectly to visit the temple in the morning and then make it to our 1pm lesson in the afternoon. Please don’t hesitate to book this incredible experience!!

I always loved the shamisen and to be able to learn it and from such a knowledgeable and good teacher it was a great experience! Myself and my partner really enjoyed it and it was the highlight of our Kyoto trip for sure. I definitely recommend if you’re interested in music or just want to experience something unique while in Kyoto.

Unique experiece in Kyoto, outside of crowded venues. Jack is an amazing instructor and time flies quickly while learning the beauty of shamisen. Can't recommend this experience enough.

We had so much fun during the workshop. Jack is an amazing music teacher (and very inspiring musician) who really tunes in with his students. He will guide you step by step. We enjoyed it very much. So don’t hesitate and book this lesson when you want to give yourself an experience you’ll never forget!

This was such a lovely experience, highly recommend both to those with a music background and those without! The instructor is so kind and gentle and we were able to play through a song by the end of the hour. As a westerner trained in classical music it was really interesting to see how Japanese traditional music compares and learn a new style of playing. I would definitely do this again on another trip to Kyoto! Thank you so much.