Niigata in Traditional culture experience

• Age 3～Age 85
• 3～4 hours
• 09:00 / 12:00 / 15:00 / 18:00

Niigata City sightseeing bus and escort and guide you to 3 places you care about! You can choose 3 from the following 15 spots! For a bullet tour ♪ For a preview ♪ Next day you may be able to carefully go around alone! ?

• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 5～Age 99
• 3～4 hours /Over 6 hours on the day
• 09:00 / 13:00

This experience involves using a loom to create original placemats and scarves. [Tokamachi, the "Kimono Town"] Weaving has been a thriving industry in Tokamachi since ancient times, and it remains famous today as a producer of high-quality textiles. In the past, weaving was a part of local life, with women gathering together to spin thread and weave, especially during the snowy winter months. [What you'll get out of this experience] Experience weaving in Tokamachi under the guidance of weavers. In this experience, you'll use an easy-to-use hand loom to weave fabrics, using thin threads for the warp and thinly torn cloth for the weft. Choose your favorite from the colorful threads provided and design your own color scheme. Why not create an original piece of fabric as a memento of your trip?

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity

• Age 12～Age 90
• 1～2 hours
• 11:00 / 14:00

You will be transformed into a traditional Japanese princess and have your photo taken. We have recreated the uchikake worn by brides at weddings with our own arrangement. It is easy to change into, so it is less stressful on the body and takes less time, so you can experience it easily. Point makeup, simple hair styling, and hair accessories are also included in the price. We will do hair styling and point makeup so that the photos will be more beautiful. If you add gorgeous hair accessories, you will look beautiful from all angles. ① Choose your outfit ② Change of clothes ③ Hair styling, point makeup ④ Photograph ⑤ Change of clothes The finished photo data will be sent by email 5 or more shots It is a 2-minute walk from Niigata Station, so you can enjoy it while you wait!

• Age 12～Age 90
• Within 1 hour
• 11:00 / 12:00 / 13:00 / 14:00 / 15:00

This plan allows women to wear furisode (furisode) and men to wear haori and hakama while walking freely around town. You can walk around Niigata Furumachi in a kimono, and there are shrines, temples, historical buildings, and Japanese gardens nearby. Please feel free to take photos with your own cell phone or camera. This plan only runs in February, March, April, May, October, November, and December. You can also request additional photography from a professional photographer. Additional fee: 30,000 yen per group (shooting time 60 minutes) Data for 30 or more cuts will be sent by email within 5 days from the shooting date

• Age 12～Age 99
• 3～4 hours
• 09:00 / 13:30

This experience involves making traditional sandals called "zori." [Straw Crafts from Niigata Prefecture, a Snow Country and Rice-Producing Region] Niigata Prefecture has long been a major rice farming region, and various straw crafts using rice straw have flourished. Until 70 to 80 years ago, families would work together during the snowy winter months to earn a living by crafting sandals and other items using rice straw. Nowadays, those who can craft have become extremely rare, and straw crafts are rarely seen. While this experience of actually making zori has become rare, it is still impressive to see the footwear being made by hand. [What You'll Get From This Experience] In this program, you will work with a local instructor to make these sandals. You can choose between making zori from rice straw or cloth zori made from colorful cloth. You can choose your favorite fabric for the thongs and cloth sandals from the fabrics we have available, so you can combine them to create your own stylish original sandals. The sandals you make can be worn as sandals in the river or sea in the summer, or used as slippers or interior decoration at home. Why not make your own original handmade sandals as a memento of your trip? *Cloth sandals are an optional extra and cost an additional 500 yen. *Only Japanese and English are available.

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 10～Age 99
• 3～4 hours /4～5 hours
• 10:00

[Summary] Learn how to make traditional Tokamachi cuisine from local mothers. Enjoy a feast made with a variety of ingredients! [Schedule] Meet at a designated location in Tokamachi City at 10:00 AM. Cook the food under the guidance of the instructor's mother. The menu will basically consist of three side dishes, rice, and miso soup. As seasonal ingredients will be used, the menu will be a surprise until the day itself. Once the food is ready, enjoy it while chatting with the instructor's mother! You may discover new flavors. The tour will end around 1:00 PM with a drop-off location. *Only Japanese and English are available.

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity

• Age 5～Age 99
• 1～2 hours
• 10:00 / 13:30

This is an experience where you can make a "chinkoro," a traditional craft of Tokamachi. [What is a "chinkoro"?] A "chinkoro," a small, colorful doll made from rice flour, is something every Tokamachi resident has made. The word "chinkoro" means "puppy," and they are often shaped like puppies or the zodiac animal of the year. They are made around January each year and displayed in homes. However, because they are made from rice flour paste, they break and break within a few weeks. The more broken pieces there are, the better the luck. The culture of chinkoro making is said to have originated in the Edo period, but its origins are unclear. [What you'll get from this experience] In this program, you will learn to make a chinkoro, a traditional Tokamachi craft, under the guidance of a local instructor. You can go beyond the traditional puppies and zodiac animals and create your own original chinkoro, featuring anime characters, mascots, animals, and more. This is an experience that anyone, regardless of age or gender, can enjoy. Why not try making a lucky chinkoro as a souvenir? *Only Japanese and English are supported.

• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 13～Age 99
• 1 Day or more
• 15:00

Based on the concept of a super short-term study abroad program in Niigata, the mecca of manga, you will learn how to draw manga in just 3 nights and 4 days, a way that Japanese students spend a year learning. The workshop instructor is a professor at Kaisei University's School of Anime and Manga (professional manga artist). "For those who are drawing manga for the first time, so that they can draw, and for those with experience, so that they can draw better!" This is a program that allows you to experience and master the essence of manga production in just 13 hours. Participants will be required to create and complete a one-page manga (around 6 frames). The course will be conducted with breaks every hour. *Please prepare your own accommodation and meals.

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 5～Age 90
• Within 1 hour
• 09:00 / 15:00

At Sado Gold Mine, experience plans are also available in addition to tours. [Applying gold leaf to mini Sado koban] You can easily experience applying gold leaf. Don't worry if you are a beginner, the assistant will support you carefully. Estimated time required (20 minutes)

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity

• Age 5～Age 90
• Within 1 hour /1～2 hours
• 10:00 / 14:00

At Sado Gold Mine, experience plans are also available in addition to tours. [Gold leaf pasting on individual plates] You can easily experience gold leaf pasting. Don't worry if you are a beginner, the assistant will support you carefully. * Regular sightseeing courses such as Sodayu Mine and Doyu Mine are not included. Estimated time required (60 minutes): Design gold leaf application (approximately 40 minutes) + sticker removal (approximately 10 minutes) + finishing (approximately 10 minutes)

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity

• Age 6～Age 80
• 2～3 hours

Experience a charcoal grill inside a kamakura! You can eat freshly grilled rice cakes. At night, candles are lit in the kamakura. *Fireworks and sake tasting are available as options. *You can grill the anbo (rice cake) from the anbo experience on a charcoal grill and eat it. Our staff will be able to speak simple English and use a translator. If you are unsure, we can also assist you with an interpreter (fees apply).

• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 10～Age 90
• Over 6 hours on the day

Noh performances ceased after the Taisho era, and the Noh stage at Nagae Atsukushihiko Shrine lay dormant for a long time. Sado Island, a World Heritage Site, is home to approximately one-third of Japan's Noh theaters. Among them, one site has been forgotten for nearly 100 years: the Atsukushihiko Shrine Noh Stage, where Noh performances ceased in the Taisho era. The Sado Island Galaxy Art Festival 2025 will bring this historic stage back to life with a special event. A one-night-only experience where the past and future intersect. This event will feature a Noh performance by a local Noh performer, revived after nearly 100 years. In addition, eight contemporary musicians will perform live on the Noh stage, creating unique worldviews using a variety of instruments, including electronics, laptops, digital pianos, guitars, and flutes, as well as creative instruments made from Sado bamboo. Following the Noh performance and symposium, the opening will feature guest appearances by Fukushima Rei Shuzan + Fukushima Satoshi, a father-son duo who first met on Sado and fuse shakuhachi with electronic music. This special evening, where the majestic space of Noh intersects with the tranquil sounds of contemporary music, will sharpen all five senses and provide a one-of-a-kind experience unlike any other. [Notice] This event will be conducted entirely in Japanese. Translation and interpretation services will not be available.

• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 10～Age 90
• 1～2 hours /2～3 hours

Noh performances ceased after the Taisho era, leaving the Noh stage at Nagae Atsukuhiko Shrine dormant for many years. This event, held on Sado Island, a World Heritage Site, includes a Noh performance and a workshop offering a unique Noh experience taught directly by a local Noh performer. Sado Island is home to one-third of Japan's Noh stages. Among them, the Nagae Atsukuhiko Shrine Noh Stage, which has been dormant for nearly 100 years since performances ceased in the Taisho era (1912-1926), will be revived by a local Noh performer for a special experience, along with a workshop. Noh masks and costumes are on display in the worship hall. [Notice] [Notice] The Noh performance will be conducted in Japanese. Translation and interpretation services are not available.

• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 0～Age 99
• Within 1 hour
• 09:30 / 10:30 / 13:30 / 14:30

Learn about kimono trivia while wearing a kimono in Kamo City, Niigata Prefecture, known as the Little Kyoto of Hokuetsu, and after dressing and taking photos, you will have free time. Recommended free time is to enjoy lunch at Yama Cafe, a famous Japanese restaurant nearby, or take a stroll through Kamoyama Park, which is home to Aomi Shrine, where Uesugi Kenshin's mother is said to have visited monthly when she was pregnant with Uesugi Kenshin, and the squirrel park (April to November). You can also see 500 carp streamers swimming in the Kamo River from April to early May, and salmon swimming upstream in November. The shopping street where our shop is located has an arcade called Gangi, and you can stroll through the shopping street known as Longevity Street, and enjoy taking photos with the historic Kamo buildings in the background. ~Experience flow~10:25 Meeting reception (start time is an example) We will confirm your name, number of people, etc. 10:30 Dressing, hair and makeup, photo shootChoose which kimono you would like to wear and we will dress you in it with accessories. If necessary, we will take a snapshot photo after hair and makeup. You will be given the data only. 11:30 Free timeWalk around Kamo, the Little Kyoto of Hokuetsu.We recommend lunch at Yama Cafe in Yamaju, which is listed in the Michelin Guide. 17:00 Return your costumeReturn to our shop and change your clothes. Then the session ends.

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity
• For Family

• Age 0～Age 100
• 2～3 hours

Enjoy a simple BBQ at Little Japan ECHIGO, an inn that has been renovated from an old folk house! You will be very satisfied with the sweet and delicious rice "Koshihikari from Niigata Prefecture" from Niigata, the rice producing region! Enjoy meat and rice with your whole body in the great outdoors ♪ ① Reception/preparation You will receive and prepare at our hotel. ② BBQ starts! Once you're ready, enjoy your meat and rice in the midst of nature! ③Cleaning up/Dismissal You can use the restroom or change your clothes at the hotel.

• For Family

• Age 0～Age 100
• 2～3 hours

Enjoy a casual BBQ at Little Japan ECHIGO, an inn renovated from an old house! You'll be completely satisfied with the delicious and meaty brand pork "Echigo Mochi Pork" and "Koshihikari rice from Niigata Prefecture"! Enjoy the meat and rice with your whole body in the great outdoors♪① Check-in and preparation Please check-in and prepare at our inn. ② Start the BBQ! Once you're ready, enjoy the meat and rice in the great outdoors! ③ Clean up and disband You can use the restroom and change clothes at our inn.

• For Family

• Age 12～Age 90
• Within 1 hour
• 11:00 / 12:00 / 13:00 / 14:00 / 15:00

This plan allows you to walk around the town freely wearing a kimono or yukata. This page is for those applying alone. There is a discount plan for two or more people. Please apply from there. The Katakai Fireworks Festival will be open for special business on August 2nd and 3rd, and September 9th and 10th. For details, search for "Kimono Rental Mayu" on SNS. You can walk around Niigata Furumachi in a kimono, and there are shrines, temples, historical buildings, and Japanese gardens nearby. You can participate alone. We will provide kimonos from October to May, and yukatas from June to September. We have over 70 kimonos for women and over 80 yukatas for women. We have basic navy blue, gray, and dark brown kimonos for men, in S, M, L, and LL sizes. We also have basic colors for men's yukatas.

• For Groups

• Age 12～Age 90
• Within 1 hour
• 11:00 / 12:00 / 13:00 / 14:00 / 15:00

This plan allows you to walk around the town freely wearing a kimono or yukata. You can walk around Niigata Furumachi in a kimono, and there are shrines, temples, historical buildings, and Japanese gardens nearby. You can participate with friends or as a couple. Kimonos will be provided from October to May, and yukatas will be provided from June to September. There are more than 60 kimonos for women and more than 50 yukatas for women. For men, we have basic navy blue, gray, and dark brown kimonos in S, M, L, and LL sizes. Men's yukatas are also available in basic colors. We will be open for special business on August 2nd and 3rd, and September 9th and 10th for the Katakai Fireworks Festival. Thank you for your understanding. For more information, please search for "Rental Kimono Shop Mayu" on Instagram, X, and Facebook.

• Age 3～Age 80
• 3～4 hours
• 10:30

Empty-handed is OK. No need to prepare anything. First, you will change into a kimono. Dressing and simple hair setting will be done here. We also have bags, sandals, and tabi that match your kimono. You will wear a kimono and enjoy lunch and walking around the city. As an option, it is also possible to request a photo shoot by a professional photographer or a professional hair and makeup artist. Rickshaw rides around the city are also wonderful (rickshaws run from April to October).

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity

• Age 3～Age 100
• 1～2 hours
• 10:00 / 12:00 / 14:00 / 16:00

Using an electric potter's wheel to spinning, it is a ceramic art experience plan a full-fledged work can make. Features of electric potter's wheel is, to become a homogeneous beautiful bowl of thickness. It will be clean finish, such as the first time, but a professional potter. A little difficulty than hand beauty batter goes up, but okay because instructors teach how to use and tips!

• Pickup Service
• For Rainy Days
• For Groups

• Age 3～Age 100
• 1～2 hours
• 10:00 / 12:00 / 14:00 / 16:00

It is a pottery experience plan for beginners who molds clay freely by hand. Things that can be made with 1 kg of a little extra clay are coffee cups, teacups, large bowls, deep vases, dishes, etc. Infinity. A professional potter will teach you kindly, so it's safe for all newcomers. In the workshop surrounded by nature, let's complete your own original work while confirming the feel of the soil!

• Pickup Service
• For Rainy Days
• For Groups

• Age 20～Age 69
• Over 6 hours on the day

The Sado Island Galaxy Art Festival is an art festival that displays contemporary art in various locations around Sado Island, set against the backdrop of its rich nature and culture. This special tour of the Sado Island Galaxy Art Festival takes you around the contemporary art installations scattered across Sado Island, visiting sites of folklore and legend, and even visiting a Sado Noh workshop and a sake brewery. A guide from the art festival accompanies you on the tour. Along the way, your guide, who is a foodie and has a penchant for fine dining, will offer recommendations on delicious local food and drinks, as well as other Sado gourmet specialties.

• Age 20～Age 68
• Over 6 hours on the day

The Sado Island Galaxy Art Festival is an art festival that displays contemporary art in various locations around Sado Island, set against the backdrop of its rich nature and culture. This special tour of the Sado Island Galaxy Art Festival takes you around the contemporary art works scattered across Sado Island, visiting sites of folklore and legend, and even visiting a Sado Noh workshop and a sake brewery. A professional guide from the art festival accompanies you on the tour. Along the way, the guide, who is also a foodie, will offer recommendations on delicious local food and drinks, as well as other Sado gourmet specialties.

• In Door Activity

• Age 20～Age 69
• Over 6 hours on the day

"Another Sado Sightseeing: An Art Tour Around the Island" (with lunch and a guide by the director of the Sado Museum) takes you to places not visited in existing tourist guides. The tour is designed to allow you to fully enjoy the charms of Sado from a folkloric perspective. You will visit places that are not usually visited, and if the timing is right, you will also be able to see a village festival. For lunch, you can enjoy a meal made with plenty of ingredients from the island.

• In Door Activity

• Age 0～Age 100
• 1 Day or more

Experience the traditional culture of Niigata, the Furumachi Geisha! Experience the 200-year history of Furumachi, an entertainment district that has been acclaimed to rival Gion in Kyoto and Shinbashi in Tokyo. ~Experience Outline~ (Day 1) - Check in at Hotel Okura Niigata in Chuo Ward. Move to a kimono store and "Try wearing a kimono and stroll around the Furumachi Geisha District" (16:00-17:30). At the Nabechaya restaurant, "Dinner with multi-course meals and watching the dance of Furumachi Geisha, experience playing in a traditional Japanese parlor" (18:00-20:00) (Day 2). Check out of the inn at 9:00. Move to the Northern Culture Museum in Konan Ward to "visit the mansion and garden, and have a celebratory lunch of a wealthy farmer" (9:30-12:30, 180 minutes). Arrive at the south exit of Niigata Station at 13:00.

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity
• For Family

• Age 5～Age 100
• 1～2 hours

All wind-chimes ring beautifully, but Niigata is especially famous for its crystal fuurin. The sound of these wind-chimes is clearer and louder than those made of regular glass. See for yourself, by joining us in making this amazing household decoration. This will be an unforgettable experience, especially since you will have the wind-chime to take home and remind you of it!

• For Rainy Days
• In Door Activity
• For Groups

• Age 20～Age 100
• 1～2 hours

Sake has a long history in Japan. Since 700 AD it was used in religious ceremonies. For almost 1000 years, sake was mainly produced in Shrines and temples. Even now, Sake is one of the main offerings left for Shinto Gods. Learn all about the history of this ancient relationship, while tasting the delicious Niigata Sake in the heart of a Shinto Shrine.

• For Rainy Days
• For Groups

• Age 16～Age 100
• 2～3 hours

Everyone has heard of Geisha, popular female entertainers in the 19th century Japan. However, before Geisha's popularity grew, OIRAN were considered the trend-setters of Japanese fashion world. These highly educated women had the precarious nickname Keisei (or Castle-toppler), for their reputation of stealing the hearts of upper-class men. In Niigata, OIRAN were always very popular in the Furumachi area. Today, in the near-by Honcho area there are many places that allow visitors to experience al l the splendor of Oiran fashion. Allow yourself to explore your sensuality and project to the world your inner beauty, through the transforming experience of expertly selected dress and make-up. No one has ever walked away unchanged.

• For Rainy Days

• Age 6～Age 100
• 3～4 hours
• 11:00

Experience sushi making with EDGE OF NIIFATA in the center to port-town Niigata. Niigata is the best place to enjoy high quality sushi. The fresh seasonal fish and Niigata Koshihikari rice make for a life-alteringly delicious combination. People not only from all over Japan, but from all over the world come to Niigata for a taste of Niigata sushi. When you have a chance to enjoy the best sushi in the world, why not expand the experience by also learning to make it? A professional sushi chef will teach you about the history of Niigata sushi, how to make it, and how to properly eat it.

• For Rainy Days
• For Groups

• Age 16～Age 80
• 3～4 hours

This is an experience where you can actually wear a kimono, not just see it, but wear it, such as Honshiozawa, a traditional Japanese craft with a delicate texture and a crisp feel, and Shiozawa Tsumugi, which was created by applying the techniques of Echigo Jofu, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. In a kimono, you can stroll around Bokushi Street, where the streetscape of Shiozawa-juku on the Mikuni Kaido remains. *Staff can speak simple English and use a translator. <Please inquire> We can also accommodate original plans, such as lunch included.