【Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture】6 activities that you can experience in Tomioka, the town of Tomioka Silk Mill, a World Heritage Site!

• Table of Contents
• Experience ① Tomioka Retromance photo tour
• Experience 2: It can also be used as a lampshade! Make your own silk thread frame decoration
• Experience ③ Relax with Tomioka Silk beauty treatment
• Experience ④ Make your own herbarium using cocoons from Tomioka
• Experience ⑤ Make delicious crepes containing Tomioka Silk
• Experience ⑥ Tomioka downtown guided tour

Experience ① Tomioka Retromance photo tour

The women who worked at the Tomioka Silk Mill, pulling thread from cocoons, were called "Kojo (factory girls)". In the early Meiji period, factory girls wore a trousers-like kimono called "hakama". After changing into a factory girl-style hakama, we will take you to a photo spot in Tomioka. This is a tour where a professional photographer will take pictures of you. (Advance reservation required)

https://tomioka-tasuki.jp/experience/phototour/

You can freely stroll around Tomioka Silk Mill.

Ichinomiya Nukisaki Shrine features a very distinctive architectural design with a long stone staircase descending to the main hall (photo service included).

For an additional fee, you can wear a kimono designed by Natsuki Otake, a dyeing artist from Tomioka City. Some of the kimonos are upcycled.

Social Education Hall, a modern Japanese-style building registered as a nationally registered tangible cultural property (photo service included).

Experience 2: It can also be used as a lampshade! Make your own silk thread frame decoration

Inside the Tomioka Silk Mill, you can try your hand-reeling at making real raw silk from cocoons grown in Tomioka. hand-reeling, which was common before the spread of mechanical silk reeling, involves pulling out thin thread from the cocoons that have been boiled and softened, then stirring the pot with the right hand and turning the handle with the left. The left and right hands pick up the thread rhythmically, making different movements. It is a very mysterious experience where you can get beautiful silk thread from the silk worm cocoon.  (Advance reservation required)

https://tomioka-tasuki.jp/experience/itowaku-kazari/

The person in charge will give you detailed instructions.

You can take home the thread frame you made.

Experience ③ Relax with Tomioka Silk beauty treatment

A 120-minute beauty treatment using 100% Tomioka Silk sheets. Can be used for both facial and body treatments. It corrects fine wrinkles and rough skin caused by dryness and balances sebum, leading to beautiful, healthy skin with plenty of freshness. (Advance reservation required)

https://tomioka-tasuki.jp/experience/esthetic/

Tomioka Silk produced at the Tomioka Silk Mill was a driving force behind Japan's modernization through trade with various countries, enabling a stable supply of high-quality raw silk, the raw material for silk products. Tomioka Silk, which connects history and tradition with Tomioka Silk Mill, is still used in various ways.

Experience ④ Make your own herbarium using cocoons from Tomioka

Create a herbarium by choosing cocoons grown in Tomioka and beautiful colorful flowers and placing them in a jar of your choice. Please display your memories of Tomioka as wonderful interior decoration in your room. (No reservation required, confirmation of event date required)

https://tomioka-tasuki.jp/experience/herbarium/

Experience ⑤ Make delicious crepes containing Tomioka Silk

Tomioka Silk Mill was established by the Meiji government under the guidance of a French engineer. Tomioka became a place of exchange with France, and French culture was adopted in Tomioka, and Tomioka City and France are connected by silk threads dating back to the early Meiji period. You can experience making such a French gourmet crepe in Tomioka. (Advance reservation required)

Crepe dough made with Tomioka silk can be topped with seasonal fruits, fresh cream, etc. You can not only eat them, but also enjoy making them yourself. Don't worry, the owner will carefully teach you how to make it. You can spend a wonderful time with delicious chewy crepes and coffee that you can only find at a long-established sweets shop.

Experience ⑥ Tomioka downtown guided tour

Tomioka Silk Mill was established in 1896. In some places, historic buildings still remain as they were back then. The surrounding streets, which flourished along with the Tomioka Silk Mill, still has a comfortable, second-home atmosphere that makes you want to stay forever, with stylishly renovated properties where you can feel pride in its history. We offer gourmet food that is unique to Tomioka, while showing you the nostalgic back alleys of the retro townscape, the highly designed buildings designed by Kengo Kuma and other famous architects, and the temple with the graves of  factory girls. Enjoy walking in town with a friendly and experienced guide. (Advance reservation required)

https://tomioka-tasuki.jp/experience/tomioka-guidetour/

Summary

In this article, we introduced recommended experiences for those visiting Tomioka. There are many more experiences that we haven't been able to introduce here, so please also take a look at the official website.

Book a special experience unique to Tomioka

Also, please read the following article for more information on Tomioka Silk Mill, a World Heritage Site.