Marumasu Nishimuraya — Attraction in Kyoto

If you're looking for a relaxing and traditional crafting activity in Kyoto, I would highly recommend this kyo yuzen dyeing museum / studio / workshop. It's definitely a hidden gem, located in the very back of a side street (past a couple of shops). It's about a 10 minute walk from the Shinmachi Oike subway station.

I didn't know anything about kyo yuzen dye before this workshop, and participating in the craft helped me appreciate it more. It's easy to learn, but difficult to master! The Marumasu Nishimuraya workshop makes this craft accessible for beginners. My companion (who describes himself as "not artistic") had a fun time choosing stencils (they literally have hundreds of them) and customizing them.

I'd recommend making an appointment first, especially if you need English instructions. (However, I felt all of the staff were equally friendly and helpful despite our limited Japanese. The owner came by several times to say hello and check out our work.) Once you make the appointment and receive the lesson, you can basically spend as much time as you need completing projects

Depending on how many people are using the studio, if you're working with lots of stencils or colors which tend to eat up a lot of time, you could probably spend hours here without even noticing the time. And if you want a "full" Kyoto textile history experience, the Kyoto Shibori Museum is closeby.

I would definitely visit here again...

Easy to book via the website and email and was really looking forward to this experience. We carved the chopsticks out of soft wood before decorating a chopstick bag. Maybe it was a one off day but we unfortunately did not get much guidance during the workshop. The staff who got us started with the workshop was friendly but was leading multiple other workshops at the same time and was not always available to give instruction or answer questions. The other staff would just place the tools on the table for the next step without explanation or demonstration. We ended up having to copy nearby parties who were a few steps ahead in the chopstick making process. Towards the end of the class we felt rushed out because the staff was ready to clean up the area. Overall it was a fun hands on activity where you get a unique souvenir but wish the class had...

First off, this place is very easy to locate. It's situated in Oike street, and there were many shops and cafes nearby. We were ushered inside and didn't have to wait at all. There were four of us and the instructions were given in simple, easy to understand English. Originally I made a reservation for 3 people but there were four of us, but Kanako San was kind enough to allow me to participate without having to make a reservation beforehand. Thank you Kanako san, for teaching us how to make the chopsticks and supervising us along the way. It took us about 3 hours to make the chopsticks starting from shaving the wood, up until the dyeing process for the chopsticks case. At the end, the chopsticks were wrapped nicely and even it took us quite a long time, it was really fun! The space is also cozy. Great for families and friends. I totally...