Restore broken pottery with gold in a historic Otaru minka using traditional kintsugi craft
3 hour private experience
Location: Otaru City, Hokkaido
Offered in Japanese, with a friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in your language
Meet the Master
What you’ll do
Join a kintsugi master in a renovated kominka house for a private kintsugi lesson. Learn foundational kintsugi techniques while repairing ceramics with natural urushi lacquer and materials. Complete the final stages of grinding, lacquer sealing, and dusting with gold.
Who can attend
Children must be 15+
Availability
Irregular
Session 1 (09:00 - 12:00)
Session 2 (13:00 - 16:00)
Access
45 minutes by car from Sapporo Station
Mending History
Tucked along a quiet path beside a murmuring stream, just before a stone bridge, stands a traditional Japanese minka house that now serves as a kintsugi studio—its wooden beams and earthen walls echoing with history. Inside, sunlight filters gently through latticed windows as broken ceramics are carefully restored using Japan-made urushi lacquer and real gold, transforming fractures into shimmering veins of beauty. Rooted in the philosophy of embracing imperfection, kintsugi has been practiced for centuries, originating in the late Muromachi period as a way to honor the life of an object rather than discard it. In this kintsugi studio located only an hour outside of Sapporo, in scenic Otaru, the kintsugi master use time-honored tools—grinding stones to refine edges, eagle feathers to sweep away excess lacquer—and overcome Hokkaido’s challenging winter climate to nurture the lacquer’s delicate hardening process, which requires steady warmth and moisture. Join her in diving deeper into the glittering artistry of kintsugi repair, breathing new life into once-broken vessels.
Cancellation Policy
Please make your booking at least 3 days in advance. See cancellation policy here.
A detailed itinerary will be emailed to you once your booking has been confirmed.
