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Located a comfortable 20-30 minute walk from the ever-popular Narai post town, Kiso-Hirasawa has long been famous throughout Japan for its artisan lacquerware. And despite the boom in international tourism in recent years, this sleepy town has very much stayed off the radar, remaining one of Kiso’s best hidden gems.
On this tour you’ll wander the streets of this artisan town, and learn all about the history and techniques of a craft more embedded in Japanese culture than perhaps any other. You’ll visit the workshops of family businesses who have passed on skills and knowledge down the generations, and you’ll also have the chance to shop for the perfect keepsake (or massive fully lacquered dining table, if that’s more your thing – just don’t ask us to carry it).
And while a hands-on activity is by no means necessary to enjoy what Kiso-Hirasawa has to offer, those looking to really get a feel for this ancient craft have a choice of two traditional activities run by local artisans: a private hands-on session learning the Japanese art of kintsugi—the art of repairing broken pottery using lacquer and powdered gold—or a hands-on session painting with lacquer.
This tour has half-day and full-day options.
more details below
Contents:
Tour Information →
Accommodation – where to stay →
Highlights of the Tour →
Tour Options →
Recommended Follow-up Tours →
Travel Information →
Extra Information →
Google Maps Information →
Recommended seasons to visit:
Spring
・Quiet, relaxing activity away from crowds, even in the busier travel seasons.
Summer
・A laid-back indoor activity that keeps us away from the worst of the summer heat.
Autumn
・Lovely views of the autumn leaves in and around Kiso-Hirasawa.
・Quiet, relaxing activity away from crowds, even in the busier travel seasons.
Winter
・A cozy indoor activity to enjoy in colder months.
Tour Information:
- Starting & Ending at: Kiso-Hirasawa Station (or else Narai Station, Yabuhara Station, or your nearby accommodation) (see detailed travel info)
- Time Estimate: Half-day tour: 3-4 hours, Full-day tour: 5-7 hours
- Walking Difficulty: Very easy
(a light stroll around the town of Kiso-Hirasawa, with no climbing or difficult terrain)
Accommodation – where to stay:
The most convenient areas for this tour are: Narai and Kiso-Fukushima, or anywhere in the Kiso valley is just fine – it’ll just be a bit of a drive (up to an hour).
You can find more detailed suggestions for accommodation in and around the Kiso area here.
Highlights of the Tour:
・A hands-on activity exploring an ancient Japanese craft – one that is generally inaccessible to international travellers.
・The chance to meet a highly skilled (and very friendly) local craftsperson who is more than happy to discuss both their work, and life in rural Japan.
・A walk around the town of Kiso-Hirasawa, and a guided look inside a working lacquerware workshop.
・The chance to get away from the hustle and bustle (and undeniable crowds) of Japanese tourism, and go somewhere 99% of tourists visiting the Nakasendo will never even hear of.
・A unique souvenir to take home with you – either on the day (our kintsugi activity), or that will be shipped to you when ready (our lacquerware activity)
・(for those choosing our kintsugi activity) The chance to meet Pi-chan – the kintsugi artisan’s pet/mascot! (pictured looking very dashing just to the left)
Tour Options:
Half-day Course:
This tour start from ¥36,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
Full-day Course:
This tour start from ¥46,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
- The above fees don’t include any of your travel costs, museum entrance fees, or any meals you may buy on the day.
- Payment is required upon confirmation of your reservation – late payment may result in your tour date being cancelled. (also see our cancellation policy)
Half-Day Tour:
Hands-on Kintsugi Session
Our guiding fee: from ¥36,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
Additional fees: ¥14,000 per person for the hands-on kintsugi activity – a private session learning how to fix broken ceramics with a local artisan.
This option lets you learn all about the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi—using lacquer and powdered gold to repair broken ceramics in a way that leaves them more beautiful than when they were new. A local artisan will guide you through the practice in her picturesque home workshop located right alongside the Narai river. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to take your finished piece with you at no extra charge.
We’ll also spend some time exploring Kiso-Hirasawa itself. We’ll be able to stop in at several lacquerware shops, and take time for a special look inside an active lacquerware workshop to learn even more about the traditional techniques employed by generation after generation of craftspeople in Kiso-Hirasawa.
・Roughly 3-4 hours
Combining with Other Half-Day Tours:
The half-day version of this tour can be combined with a variety of other half-day tours. We’ve included some suggestions for good matches below, but other matches are also possible—feel free to check our other Walking Tours and Cultural Experience Tours.
Half-Day Tour:
Hands-on Lacquerware Painting Session
Our guiding fee: from ¥36,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
Additional fees: ¥6,000 per person for a hands-on lacquerware activity (see below for details)
(please note that this does not include the cost of posting the finished product to you. As the lacquer takes around two weeks to fully dry, international postage will likely be necessary – the price is variable based on destination and will be decided on the day at the workshop, but usually ranges ¥5,000-¥6,000 for a group of 3-4.)
This option includes a guided hands-on session learning traditional lacquerware painting techniques, before painting designs onto your own glass bowl.
We’ll also spend some time exploring Kiso-Hirasawa itself. We’ll be able to stop in at several lacquerware shops, and take time for a special look inside an active lacquerware workshop to learn even more about the traditional techniques employed by generation after generation of craftspeople in Kiso-Hirasawa.
・Roughly 3-4 hours
Combining with Other Half-Day Tours:
The half-day version of this tour can be combined with a variety of other half-day tours. We’ve included some suggestions for good matches below, but other matches are also possible—feel free to check our other Walking Tours and Cultural Experience Tours.
Full-Day Tour:
Both Sides of Kiso-Hirasawa
Our guiding fee: from ¥46,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
Additional fees:
・¥14,000 per person for the hands-on kintsugi activity
・¥6,000 per person for a hands-on lacquerware activity (see below for details)
This option allows you to try out both the kintsugi and the lacquerware painting activities. We’ll also spend some time exploring Kiso-Hirasawa itself. We’ll be able to stop in at several lacquerware shops, and take time for a special look inside an active lacquerware workshop to learn even more about the traditional techniques employed by generation after generation of craftspeople in Kiso-Hirasawa.
(please note that while the item you fix during the kintsugi activity can be taken with you on the day, the finished product from the lacquerware workshop will have to be posted to you. As the lacquer takes around two weeks to fully dry, international postage will likely be necessary – the price is variable based on destination and will be decided on the day at the workshop, but usually ranges ¥5,000-¥6,000 for a group of 3-4.)
・Roughly 5-7 hours
Combined Full-Day Tour:
Kiso Crafts Tour: Sake & Lacquerware
Kintsugi & Lacquerware Tour
&
Kiso Sake Tasting Tour
Our guiding fee: from ¥46,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
Additional fees:
・Sake tasting: ¥2,700 yen per person
・Sake Brewery Mini Tour & Talk: +¥10,000 per group
・¥14,000 per person for those opting for the hands-on kintsugi activity
or
・¥6,000 per person for those opting for a hands-on lacquerware painting activity
This option combines one of the half-day versions of our Kintsugi & Lacquerware tour with a visit to Yukawa Sake Brewery in nearby Kiso Village.
There we’ll enjoy a private talk discussing their history, their story, and their vision for the future. We’ll also be treated to a guided sake tasting session, where you can taste a number of their delicious sakes (including one that is sold 100% exclusively at their brewery bar and shop).
・Roughly 5-7 hours total
Combined Full-Day Tour:
Kiso Crafts Tour: Woodworking & Lacquerware
Kintsugi & Lacquerware Tour
&
Yabuhara Traditional Woodworking Tour
Our guiding fee: from ¥46,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
Additional fees:
・Woodworking: ¥4,000 per person
・¥14,000 per person for those opting for the hands-on kintsugi activity
or
・¥6,000 per person for those opting for a hands-on lacquerware painting activity
This option combines one of the half-day versions of our Kintsugi & Lacquerware tour with the half-day version of our Yabuhara woodworking tour for an in-depth look at Yabuhara’s crafts and culture. With a visit to a traditional Oroku comb workshop, you’ll talk with one of the skilled artisans who work there, and get the chance to try your hand at this centuries-old craft.
・Roughly 5-7 hours total
Combined Full-Day Tour:
Nakasendo Hiking & Lacquerware
Kintsugi & Lacquerware Tour
&
Torii Pass Walking Tour
Our guiding fee: from ¥46,000
– The exact price depends on the number of guests, as well as the season:
– Please see Our Pricing for more details
Additional fees:
・¥14,000 per person for those opting for the hands-on kintsugi activity
or
・¥6,000 per person for those opting for a hands-on lacquerware painting activity
This option combines one of the half-day versions of our Kintsugi & Lacquerware tour with our popular Torii Pass walking tour. First, we’ll spend the morning hiking the Torii Pass between Yabuhara and Narai post towns. Then, after lunch we’ll make our way a little further along the Nakasendo to Kiso-Hirasawa for one of our hands-on activities.
・Roughly 6-7 hours total
Recommended Follow-up Tours:
Many of our customers string together several of our day tours for a guided multi-day trip along the Kiso valley. We’d generally recommend 3-5 days to get the most out of the area.
Any of our tours are accessible from Kiso-Hirasawa, but we think the following are especially good for a follow-up tour (or for a tour the day before this one):
Akasawa Forest
Relaxation Tour
(Full Day)
This, more so than any of our other tours, is a chance to relax and take a well-earned rest. Alongside a qualified forest therapy instructor, we’ll take a laid-back stroll through this peaceful forest, as well as learn all about its history, its culture, and its deep connections to Japanese religion and spirituality.
Kiso Town Tour
(Full Day)
Kiso town is another one of the Nakasendo’s most popular destinations, and for good reason—it’s one of the best places to see and learn about the Kiso area’s history, culture, and food.
This tour focuses exclusively on Kiso town itself, with a variety of options: an active day full of hiking, a relaxing day spent eating, drinking, and soaking in the onsen, or a mix of both—we’ll tailor it to your interests!
Mt. Ontake Foothills
(Full Day)
Lying just off the Nakasendo trail, Mt. Ontake has long been the subject of spirituality, both in the Kiso valley and beyond.
On this tour we won’t summit the mountain itself, but we’ll follow in the footsteps of these pilgrims; visiting important shrines and holy sights in the foothills of Mt. Ontake, and connecting to a spiritual world far from the tourist spots of Tokyo and the tourist-packed shrines and temples of Kyoto.
Travel Information:
This tour can be done as a day trip from Shiojiri or Matsumoto, but we’d generally recommend staying overnight somewhere in the Kiso area—either before or after the tour (ideally both).
Where the tour starts:
This tour starts at one of the following:
– Kiso-Hirasawa Station
– Narai Station (or your accommodation nearby)
– Yabuhara Station (or your accommodation nearby)
– Kiso-Fukushima Station (or your accommodation nearby)
Alternatively, our guide can meet you at your accommodation further afield in Kiso (for example Nagiso) and accompany you to Kiso-Hirasawa (we’ll ask you to pay their travel costs in this case).
Our advice on getting to Kiso-Hirasawa
Our advice on getting to Narai
Our advice on getting to Yabuhara
Our advice on getting to Kiso-Fukushima
Where the tour finishes:
The tour finishes at one of the following:
– Kiso-Hirasawa Station
– Narai Station (or your accommodation nearby)
– Yabuhara Station (or your accommodation nearby)
Alternatively, our guide can accompany you back to your accommodation (again, we’ll ask you to cover their travel costs).
Kiso-Hirasawa Station:
– Very few accommodation options nearby
Narai Station & Kiso-Fukushima Station:
– plentiful accommodation options nearby
You can find Google Maps information for Kiso-Hirasawa, Narai, and Yabuhara below.
Extra Information:
Recommended places to stay:
You can find suggestions for accommodation in the Kiso area here. The most convenient spots for this tour are Agematsu and Kiso-Fukushima, but anywhere in the Kiso valley is just fine.
Cancellation policy & other info:
Please see our full cancellation policy, as well as other information, here.
How to get your luggage around:
You can find information on local luggage transportation companies here.
Travel insurance:
Please note that we do not provide travel insurance – we recommend you purchase your own.
