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Shamisen Experience: Kyoto's Cultural Soundscape
5.0
60 Ratings
Kyoto
Discover Kyoto’s cultural heart with a hands-on shamisen lesson near historic temples. Perfect for beginners seeking an authentic Japanese musical experience.
Discover Kyoto’s cultural heart with a hands-on shamisen lesson near historic temples. Perfect for beginners seeking an authentic Japanese musical experience.
Duration:
1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
11-8 Murasakino Nakakashiwanochō - Experience Shamisen lessons in English, making this facility a unique treasure in Kyoto.
During the session, participants can savor Japanese tea while engaging in pleasant conversations with the owner, who is a skilled Shamisen musician. The curriculum is carefully crafted to be accessible for beginners, ensuring…
- 11-8 Murasakino Nakakashiwanochō - Experience Shamisen lessons in English, making this facility a unique treasure in Kyoto.
During the session, participants can savor Japanese tea while engaging in pleasant conversations with the owner, who is a skilled Shamisen musician. The curriculum is carefully crafted to be accessible for beginners, ensuring that even newcomers can enjoy learning the Shamisen effortlessly.
The highlight of the lesson is the jam session with the owner, utilizing traditional Japanese scales. The professional musician will accompany participants, providing guidance and encouraging them to freely play melodies and express themselves through the Shamisen.
This innovative program has been acknowledged by experts in the Shamisen community. Don’t miss the chance to experience something truly exceptional—come and join us!
Additionally, left-handed Shamisen are available for left-handed players.
What's Included
- Souvenir: Take home a small, unique souvenir to commemorate your experience.
- Rental Shamisen and Accessories
- Samue: Wear traditional samue to further immerse yourself in the experience.
- Photo/video session
- Tea and coffee
- Demonstration by a professional instructor
- A demonstration performance by the instructor
- Souvenir: Take home a small, unique souvenir to commemorate your experience.
- Rental Shamisen and Accessories
- Samue: Wear traditional samue to further immerse yourself in the experience.
- Photo/video session
- Tea and coffee
- Demonstration by a professional instructor
- A demonstration performance by the instructor
Additional Information
Gain direct instruction from a seasoned Shamisen player boasting 20 years of expertise.
Finding Shamisen lessons conducted in English in Japan is exceptionally uncommon.
In only 30 minutes, you will be able to perform a famous traditional Japanese tune! Additionally, you can enjoy a meditative Shamisen experience while soaking in the ambiance of a…
Gain direct instruction from a seasoned Shamisen player boasting 20 years of expertise.
Finding Shamisen lessons conducted in English in Japan is exceptionally uncommon.
In only 30 minutes, you will be able to perform a famous traditional Japanese tune! Additionally, you can enjoy a meditative Shamisen experience while soaking in the ambiance of a traditional Japanese home.
Anticipating a wonderful session at the Shamisen Dojo!
Location
11-8 Murasakino Nakakashiwanochō
If you find a red vending machine, turn right into the small alley just before it, and you'll
find the Shamisen Dojo about 50 meters ahead.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(60 Ratings)
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Journey12564079626
May 17, 2025
It was an amazing experience! - Recently, I was curious about the sound of Japanese instruments, so I looked for a museum that dealt with that kind of “wa” and came up with this shamisen experience.
I had never played a musical instrument before in my life, so I was a little nervous, but I applied with a lot of energy.
I thought there would be some foreigners on the day, but luckily for you? It was just me, so I was able to spend some time one-on-one with the teacher.
Starting with how to hold the plectrum, how to hold the shamisen, how to play the strings, talk about scales, and practice,
I was impressed by the fact that the tones can have many different expressions with just three strings, and that I was able to create those sounds with my own hands.
I had zero experience, but they explained it to me in detail and it was a very pleasant time.
I also listened to the teacher perform.
Not only was the tone beautiful, but it was powerful (my expression was not enough, ), and I felt that it was worth the change just to be able to see it up close.
In between, I was able to get Taiwanese tea, talk about the shamisen, the teacher, and so on, and I think that made the experience even more vivid.
It was a field that I was not familiar with, so I thought it would be good, but I'm glad I had the courage!
Thank you very much.
If you are interested, please feel free to contact us!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
654tracil
May 14, 2025
A wonderfully surreal experience. - My husband and I are both musicians, and I have a degree in ethnomusicology, so we wanted to try out a traditional Japanese instrument. Sensei Jack was fantastic and started the lesson by teaching us a traditional Japanese scale. After we got that down, we played the folk song Sakura.
I had mentioned to him earlier in the lesson how much I love a certain J-rock band, and turns out that he is also a fan! Since we ended up well ahead of schedule, he quickly figured out how to play my favorite song and taught us! It felt very surreal. This was such a great experience and has been both my husband's and my favorite activity on our Japan trip so far.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Voyage62087582135
May 14, 2025
Best Shamisen Experience in Kyoto - I loved every bit of it! Jack is a great instructor and I learned a lot even if the lesson was 90 minutes long. I would 100% recommend it to whoever is interested in Japanese culture and wants a unique experience: It's a great opportunity to fall in love with a wonderfu but sadly not so popular instrument.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M2324mdjuand
May 6, 2025
Unique and interesting experience - I was an amazing experience!! I learned a lot in the session and had a lot of fun playing. The teacher is an amazing musician and has a very good way of teaching.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bnyberg01
May 1, 2025
Absolutely amazing! - Where does one even start? Through and through it was such a great experience.
Jack is a very good teacher and is able to adapt to your level of playing on the fly with ease. It makes the session feel very natural and not tense. He’s really patient and wants to make sure you understand and is very encouraging.
I have some guitar experience but I can truly recommend this to anyone regardless if you have music/instrumental knowledge or not.
Will definitely go again, probably with friends next time I am in Japan again.
Thanks so much for the amazing session!
ありがとうございます😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tmanm2022
Apr 25, 2025
Great First Shamisen Experience! - I always wanted to try the Shamisen so I found Jack on YouTube and decided to do his lesson the Kyoto Shamisen Experience. Jack was very personable and friendly he spoke good English so it was very easy to understand his clear instructions. In the lesson I was able to learn the Sukura Sukura song in just 1 hour. We had a good Jam at the end which was very fun too.
Thank you Jack, keep up the good work!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ben
Apr 21, 2025
Unforgettable Experience! - This was a truly unforgettable experience, and one of the highlights of my trip to Japan. I am a professional musician and music teacher from the United States, and I just knew this activity would be a great way to experience traditional Japanese culture while also getting introduced to a new instrument. However, the private lesson with Jack was even more fulfilling than I could’ve ever imagined.
Jack is an incredible teacher, and is able to tailor each lesson to the student’s skill-level and goals. Upon learning that my friend and I were more experienced musicians, Jack allowed us more time in the latter-half of the lesson to improvise and experiment. This was of course *after* walking us through the fascinating form, fundamentals, and history unique to the Shamisen.
Jack is also diligent about documenting the experience, taking videos and photos so that you can share the memory later on. He was super hospitable as well, offering tea in the middle of the lesson and — perhaps most helpful of all — providing my friend and I with a local English-speaking contact in Kyoto.
My buddy and I left Jack’s dojo, having gained not only new knowledge and skills, but also a new friend. I would highly recommend this class to anyone visiting Kyoto, whether you’re a music lover or just looking for a memorable lesson in Japanese culture!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I8811ksashleyk
Mar 28, 2025
Great experience! Highly recommended. - My Husband just completed our shamisen experience and it was so much fun. Jack is a great instructor and very patient when giving the lesson. We would recommend this experience even if you aren’t musically talented it is still such a wonderful time. :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Do9berry
Mar 23, 2025
An Unforgettable Shamisen Lesson with Jack - What an inspiring and deeply fulfilling experience!! Jack took the time and care to understand my musical background and preferences, tailoring a bespoke shamisen lesson that truly made a dream of mine come true — learning to play Nada Sou Sou, my favourite Japanese song.
I really appreciated how he started by teaching me the proper form and stance, laying a solid foundation before moving on to techniques like strumming and sliding. His teaching style was thoughtful and intuitive. He even created a custom chart for the song that was incredibly easy to follow — even for someone with no background in music theory. It reminded me of the visual cues in rhythm arcade games, which made the learning process feel accessible and fun.
This was more than just a music lesson — it was a meaningful and memorable experience. I left not only with a new skill but also with a sense of joy and connection to the music I’ve always loved. I can’t recommend Jack’s lesson highly enough, whether you’re a complete beginner or a music enthusiast looking for something special in Japan. I’ll treasure this experience always, and I’m excited to keep building on the foundation Jack helped me lay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J7827rdjudithg
Mar 21, 2025
Highlight of our Kyoto Trip! - We had an awesome experience playing the Shamisen and highly recommend it! It was our first time and we booked the 1,5 hour Shamisen beginner course, but were there 2 hours in the end, having learnt to play a beautiful traditional song. Jack is a great teacher and explained everything very well! He was also extremely encouraging and made us feel really comfortable. We had a lot of fun, good laughs and will definitely come back when we are in Kyoto again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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