Take home what the crowds walk past — not another souvenir.
Guided by J.S. — 19 years in Japan, a PhD spent studying how meaning hides in symbols.
25 min. from Kyoto
90 min. activity
6 guests max.
HOW IT WORKS
①
Pick your workshop
Two ways in: choose a character that means something to you, or print a piece of the city almost no one else has the rights to.
②
Check availability
We’ll email you to finalize date, time, designs, payment.
③
Hand-print and take home
90 minutes, hands-on. Leave with a t-shirt, a furoshiki wrapping cloth, and a palm-size personalized stamp booklet.
Kanji Printing Workshop
For the traveler who wants a meaningful personal keepsake, not a knick-knack.
Choose one kanji character that means something to you, learn its origin — then practice with 気 (ki, energy) first, so there’s no pressure to get your real print right on the first try. You’ll leave with two ways to keep it: a t-shirt you’ll actually wear, and a traditional Furoshiki cloth to wrap, carry, or gift once you’re home.
¥15 000 per person
No payment required — just a quick request.
Manhole Cover Printing Workshop
For the traveler who wants a piece of urban subculture, and a truly unique experience.
Choose one manhole plate design, practice the tricky press-and-lift technique first, then print a second version of the chosen design. Take home a t-shirt you’ll wear right away, plus a Furoshiki wrapping cloth with a piece of the city most people walk straight past — an experience no other tour currently offers.
¥18 000 per person
No payment required — just a quick request.
A really informative workshop!
We absolutely loved this activity—which was both educational and fun—during our visit to Kyoto. We discovered the world of kanji and furoshiki, which the instructor shared with such passion!
Eric, Canada
Meet J.S.
Two months into teaching English through the JET Program, it hit me: I could use kanji — the character’s actual etymology — to design things. That one realization sent me back to grad school, down a rabbit hole of ‘meaning’ meets ‘creativity’ and ultimately led to this manhole covers’ fascination.
Imprint Japan is a slower, more personal way to see what is hiding in plain sight and take a piece of it home.
Quick FAQs
A traditional Japanese square wrapping cloth used to elegantly pack, carry, and transform everyday items and gifts. The ones we print on are about 50 sq. cm. – 2.7 sq. ft.
The earlier, the better — availability is naturally wider further out. If you’re booking close to your visit, evening slots tend to be your best chance at an open spot.
Imprint Japan is run by its founder — no team, no franchise, just one person who’s spent years researching kanji, Japanese manhole covers and built these workshops around what genuinely matters to him. It’s a young business, but every detail in it comes from real, personal work, not a template.
Booking through this site means your message goes straight to your guide, not a booking platform’s queue — so questions get personal answers, and your visit can flex around your schedule. We’re not yet set up for instant confirmation like some larger platforms offer, which is why every request gets a quick reply from a real person rather than an automatic booking.
Yes, and we have French too!
Full payment is required at the time of booking to secure your spot.
Late Cancellations & No-Shows: Because we custom-prepare materials and reserve studio space for each guest, cancellations made within 48 hours of the workshop or no-shows are non-refundable
Free Cancellation: You can cancel or reschedule your workshop up to 48 hours before your start time for a full 100% refund—no questions asked.
Another temple photo on Instagram fades in one day. This does not.
No payment required — just a quick request.