Kintsugi Workshop: Beauty in Brokenness
Step into a real kintsugi studio and experience the soulful Japanese tradition of mending, reverence, and renewal
Kintsugi Workshop
Step into the world of kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art of golden repair.
For centuries, artisans have honored the life of broken ceramics by mending them with shimmering veins of lacquer and gold — turning loss into beauty, and imperfection into strength.
In this immersive workshop, held inside an authentic artisan’s studio, you’ll learn the philosophy, techniques, and heart behind kintsugi.
Guided by a master craftsman, you will bond broken pottery pieces using synthetic lacquer, fill in missing fragments with resin, and gently dust them with a silver-based golden powder to restore their soul.
No experience is needed — all materials and tools are ready for you. Come empty-handed, and leave carrying a piece that is uniquely yours: a vessel with its own story of resilience.
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Kintsugi
Immerse yourself in the artistry and culture of Kintsugi. Beginners and enthusiasts alike will enjoy this hands-on workshop.
Professional Instructor
Real English, real skills, and a great personality. Our instructor has the knowledge and expertise to provide you with an interesting, fun, and memorable workshop.
Easy Access
This workshop is conveniently held at our Kintsugi workshop, walking distance from Kyobashi Station making meeting up an anxiety-free experience.
Fully-Narrated Kintsugi Workshop
In our workshop, you’ll never be left to figure things out on your own. Your instructor will be with you every step of the way, providing clear guidance, sharing cultural insights, and ensuring you have a fun and engaging experience.
History and Evolution of Kintsugi
Kintsugi, meaning “joined by gold,” began in the late 15th century when, according to legend, a Japanese shogun sent his broken tea bowl back to China for repairs. Disappointed by its clumsy repair with metal staples, Japanese artisans developed a method that embraced breakage instead of hiding it. Using lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, they restored ceramics in a way that honored their history rather than erasing it. Over centuries, kintsugi evolved into more than a craft — it became a philosophy rooted in wabi-sabi, the acceptance of impermanence and imperfection as natural and beautiful. Today, kintsugi stands not just as a technique, but as a way of seeing the world: cracks and fractures are not flaws to be hidden, but moments to be remembered.
The Workshop Experience
Held inside an authentic artisan’s studio, this workshop offers a hands-on introduction to the traditional methods of kintsugi using modern, accessible materials. Under the guidance of an experienced craftsman, you’ll repair broken pottery by bonding shards together with synthetic lacquer, filling missing pieces with resin, and applying a silver-based gold powder to complete the piece. The environment is relaxed but purposeful, built around learning the spirit of patience and attention to detail that defines kintsugi practice. You’ll have full access to the tools and materials needed, and you’ll work at a pace that allows you to absorb not only the technique, but the quiet reverence behind it.
What You’ll Take Away
At the end of the workshop, you’ll leave with more than a repaired object. You’ll carry home a deeper understanding of the Japanese aesthetic of resilience, imperfection, and care. Your finished piece will bear visible scars, transformed into marks of value rather than damage. Alongside the physical object, you’ll take with you the skills to continue practicing kintsugi at home, and a personal connection to a centuries-old tradition that teaches restoration, not replacement.
Notes for Kintsugi Workshop
Inclusions:
All necessary tools and equipment (brushes, resin, lacquer, powders, etc.)
Hands-on kintsugi instruction by a professional artisan
Access to a selection of broken pottery pieces to repair
Your completed kintsugi piece to take home
Overview of the history, philosophy, and cultural significance of kintsugi
Exclusions:
- Transportation to the Venue: Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from the workshop location
- Insurance: Personal or travel insurance is not included and should be arranged individually if desired
Solo Travelers:
In order to keep our pricing as low as possible, we aim to never charge
more for solo travelers. However, if the minimum of 2 guests is not met
for this tour we will offer you as a solo traveler one of the following 3
options.
- To attend the tour on an alternate date.
- Pay a 3000 yen solo supplement
- Receive a full refund
Easy Access
We start our tour walking distance from Kyobashi Station.
Get to know some of our guides
We’re proud to have a diverse team of personable, knowledgeable guides fluent in both English and Japanese, serving travelers across multiple regions of Japan. Here, you’ll get to know just a few of the exceptional people who bring our tours to life.
Laura
Guide in Kansai Region
Kensuke
Guide in Hiroshima Region
Ferdinand
Guide in Kansai region
Michelle
Guide in Tokyo Region
Meeting Point
With advance notice, pickup at Kyobashi Station can usually be arranged