Cultural Windows Archives - Windows to Japan

Cultural Windows

Break through the barrier and become a part of the scenes in front of you. From the thunderous sounds of taiko to the delicate arrangement of flowers, the choices are yours.

Shodo Calligraphy

Shodo Calligraphy

The fine art of writing Japanese characters is more than what meets the eye. A simple flick of a wrist, or the slight twist of a brush can add finesse, creating the beautiful works of text art you may find on wall scrolls or in the works of brilliant street artists. Words have power, and you will be shown how to convey that power through the art of writing as our professional calligrapher teaches you the basics, and helps you create you own work of linguistic art.
Sado Tea Ceremony

Sado Tea Ceremony

While sipping the rich flavor of matcha green tea, a master of the tea ceremony will give you an insider look into the small details that make the ceremony the serene moment of pure contemplation and togetherness that it is. Learn about the ceremony’s connections to Zen and Buddhism, and how so many elements of Japanese culture permeate through every step and motion.
Young Sumo

Young Sumo

The large and famous sumo wrestlers of today started somewhere, perhaps even in this same school for sumo star hopefuls full of children with dreams of becoming a future yokozuna. A perfectly unique outing awaits our traveling families visiting Tokyo, where children may join in on morning practice with fellow young athletes, giving the kids a taste of the traditional sport, while giving family members photographs and memories of a lifetime.
Ikebana

Ikebana Flower Arrangement

Welcome to an art that combines colorful, seasonal flowers and grasses to create a scene that mimics nature as our minds strive to see it: pure, untouched, and beautiful. Be personally introduced to the concepts of the designs that go into making a bowl of scenic beauty, and take with you a skill that will have you able to add a touch of the great outdoors to even the most urban climes.
Ninja Training

Ninja Training

Though the day of the ninja is long past, the techniques and stories live on. During your adventure through Japan, you can have the chance to learn more about these feudal-era spies while taking a walk in their proverbial shoes through the help of those who have researched and practiced these skills otherwise doomed to be left in history.
Kyudo Archery

Kyudo Archery

Longbow takes on a new meaning once you step in to practice this traditional form of archery. Form, grace, and humility take center stage in this practice. Beginners and those more experienced are all welcome to test their skills of accuracy while delving deeper into the history of this sport.
Taiko Drums

Taiko Drums

Thunderous excitement fills the air as a performance of strength and rhythmical skill take the stage. Taiko drum teams and solo performers exude a certain strength and confidence as they strike ancient rhythms into the air. Meet these performing artists and learn from them as they pass on to you Japanese drumming basics and the energy required to bring the music to life.
Zazen Meditation

Zazen Meditation

Welcome to the art of sitting, the difficulty lying in making the conscious effort to keep your mind clear of thought, focusing solely on your breath and the rhythm of life around you. Taking a moment out of your adventure to practice zazen meditation will give you respite; meeting monks willing to give you insight into their world will give you sense of connection with the culture surrounding you.
Kimono

Kimono Culture

Wearable art that also requires an artful skill to adorn oneself with, the image of the kimono is so ingrained into Japanese culture that even though the garments hail from long ago, they persist on into the present day and beyond. Choose your favorite colors and designs, and listen to the teachers as they tell you about the significance of each while showing you the how and why of the proper way to wear the traditional gown. Then, spend an afternoon on the town in full dress, letting your imagination take you through stories of Japan’s past.
Kendo

Kendo

Shrill and unusual screams fill the air. They are not of distress, however, but are shouts of strength and energy. Kendo, the Japanese art of fencing, involves unique rules of dress and etiquette. Get a feel for the basics as professionals in the sport guide you through the moves once practiced by samurai and warrior hopefuls.
Bonsai Making

Bonsai Making

Delve into an art of creating human-influenced, natural beauty much like ikebana, but with the addition of more time, patience, and discipline. With their own hands, masters of this art mimic the beauty of ancient trees and forests in pots no bigger than rice bowls. Learn from these masters how to form these masterpieces, while coming to understand and respect the effort and ceaseless motivation required to bringing these beauties to life, and keeping that life sustained.
Machiya

Machiya Houses

Imagine living in Japan, in the heart of Kyoto City, in house that exudes traditional Japanese aesthetics, filling you with warmth, relaxation, and a sense of home away from home while allowing your imagination to run wild as you wander the rooms and hallways wondering what past stories, what people of history once lived within the same walls. Staying in one of our historic machiya rental townhouses allows you to truly experience life in Japan, living as a local. We invite you make yourself at home, and allow yourself to be immersed in the world around you.
Monko

Monko Incense

Scent is one of the most emotionally moving senses we humans have. One brief wisp of fragrance causes us to recall the most vivid memories, calling forth feelings of home and peace. Certain fragrances have a special place in Japan, with some of the most natural and pungent being reserved for important ceremonies and religious rites. Clear your senses and prepare for a journey using only your sense of smell. Learn about traditional incenses and the place they hold in history and in the present, and prepare to be tested on your ability to memorize and recall some of the many warm and spicy fragrances of the East.
Origami

Origami Papercraft

There is beauty in everything, and this can be proven with something as trival as one, simple sheet of paper. Through an artist’s hands, a flat and simple plane becomes much more. You too will learn the craft as our artist teaches you to see the potential, the hidden forms of creative expression waiting to be brought into existence in ordinary pieces of paper.
Sumo Stable

Sumo at Dawn

Ever ready for the next tournament, sumo wrestlers with their great strength and discipline rise in the morning and prepare for the day’s drills. We invite you to come in and watch Japan’s modern warriors of the ring train during their morning practice, getting a brief look into the day to day of Japan’s sumo wrestlers.
Japanese Family Life

Japanese Family Life

Walk from the path of the average traveler into the home of new friends. We will introduce you to Japanese locals who are excited to welcome you into their home and lifestyle for an afternoon and evening of food, fun, and laughter. This is a chance we highly recommend for those with an open mind and heart, truly wishing to come into contact with Japanese culture and way of life.
Wagashi

Wagashi Japanese Sweets

Beautifully ornate and perfect with green matcha tea, wagashi sweets are a sight to behold and a taste to savor. Participating in this lesson on Japanese confectionary, you will create treats of beauty from humble ingredients, getting a hands-on experience led by one of our friends and professional confectioners. Like clay into sculpture, you will witness the level of artistry that goes into even the tiniest of treats.
Aikido

The Aikido Art of Throwing

Style, grace and patience are important parts of the martial art of aikido. When practicing, this art seems like dance as you lead or follow your partner. However, the fluid movements hold the power to throw the unsuspecting. Through an afternoon of practicing with our partner and master of aikido, you will learn the basics of how to defend yourself without the violence of hits, kicks, or weapons. Find how to use your opponent’s own movements and body against them, and watch as they fall to the ground before realizing the predicament they are in.