Create elegant raised fabric art with one of the last remaining Hakata okiage masters
3 hour private experience
Location: Fukuoka City
Offered in Japanese, with a friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in your language
A minimum of 2 guests is required to book. Solo participants are welcome but will be charged the 2-person rate
Meet the Master
What you’ll do
Join one of the last remaining Hakata Okiage artisans in a private, hands-on workshop. Learn about the history of Hakata okiage. Under the guidance of the master, make your own Hakata okiage art from a selection of templates.
Who can attend
Children must be 5+
Availability
Wednesdays and Friday to Sunday
Session 1 (10:30 - 13:30)
Session 2 (13:30 - 16:30)
Not available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Access
10 minutes by car from Hakata Station
20 minutes by car from Fukuoka Airport
You Raise Me Up
The hand-painted eyes seem to glimmer atop the raised surface of the fan, the face delicately nestled behind layers of stitched kimono fabric and brocade. Like a Noh mask, the expression subtly shifts with each angle, revealing a quiet depth of emotion in an otherwise motionless form. Hakata Okiage, a traditional art form from Fukuoka historically practiced by women, involves crafting elegant three-dimensional images by wrapping hand-cut patterns in soft padding and overlaying them with fine cloth and decorative silk. Originally admired in the courts of Edo, this intricate technique eventually gained popularity among the general public and became a core component of women’s education during the Meiji Period. Today, though officially recognized as a designated handicraft by the Fukuoka Prefectural Government, only two artisans remain who continue to preserve and pass on this richly expressive regional tradition. Join one of these master artisans in her private workshop, observing an array of finished work ranging in size and image, before learning how to make your own Hakata okiage masterpiece. In your hands, and under the guidance of the master, a fading tradition is not only preserved, but brought vividly to life, one raised figure at a time.
Cancellation Policy
Please make your booking at least 14 days in advance. See cancellation policy here.
Tours will rarely be canceled or changed, even in cases of bear activity or bad weather.
