Tokyo Autumn Experiences: Workshops and Tours to Relish Fall
Enhance your autumn trip to Tokyo with a seasonal hands-on experience such as ikebana, aroma crafting, Japanese sweets making, hiking, and others.
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Ramona, English content editor at MATCHA since 2016, has been practicing ikebana flower arrangement (Ikenobo School) and tea ceremony (Omote Senke) since 2012. She arrived in Japan in 2012 as a graduate student with a focus on Japanese literature and performing arts. As a travel editor and writer, Ramona has visited and documented 40 of Japan's prefectures with a focus on art, history, traditional Japanese crafts, and performing arts.
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These carefully selected activities are offered by Wabunka, Japan’s leading provider of luxury cultural experiences.
Autumn Cultural Experiences in Tokyo
Arts and Crafts
1. Express Japan’s Four Seasons in Flower-Shaped Sweets
2. Kimono Photoshoot in a Beautiful Japanese Garden
3. Learn Ikebana in Sankeien Garden, Yokohama
4. Wagashi Confectionery and the Colors of Japan
5. Savor Japan's Seasons with an Aroma Craft Experience
Nature Walks
6. Hike the Old Tokaido Road in Hakone with Spectacular Views of Lake Ashinoko
7. Hike the Sacred Mt. Mitake to Explore Nature and Spiritual Culture
1. Express Japan’s Four Seasons in Flower-Shaped Sweets
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Experience the art of crafting seasonal flower-shaped confections at the Wanaha Art Food Association.
This exclusive lesson focuses on creating delicate, dairy-free, and gluten-free sweet bean paste flowers, offering a modern twist on traditional Japanese wagashi confections.
In autumn, participants create gorgeous seasonal blooms such as chrysanthemums, dahlias, cosmos, and others.
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
You’ll observe a professional instructor’s close-up demonstration of refined techniques and enjoy your handmade sweets with tea.
Held in a stylish space near Tokyo Station, the class provides a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in Japanese food culture. It’s an accessible and memorable activity, perfect for those interested in confectionery artistry and cultural exploration during their sightseeing in Tokyo.
Experience details
Location: near Tokyo Station
Duration: 100 minutes
Group size: 1 to 6 participants
Fee: from 38,000 yen/person
2. Kimono Photoshoot in the Japanese Garden of Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Immerse yourself in a traditional Japanese experience by dressing in a high-quality kimono within the historic Zangetsu tea ceremony house at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, a registered tangible cultural property.
Guided by renowned kimono stylist and model Hitomi Ito, who hails from the Kyoto Gion district, you will learn the art of kimono dressing and graceful movement.
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Afterward, the experience culminates in a professional photoshoot set in the hotel’s exquisite traditional garden, providing you with memorable photographs to cherish as a lasting keepsake of your time in Japan.
In autumn, Chinzanso Garden features art installations inspired by the Moon, along with its Tokyo Sea of Clouds, which enshrouds the garden in mist. If you visit in late November, you'll have a breathtaking background of red, orange, and yellow leaves, which enhance the charm of the garden.
Experience details
Location: Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo
Duration: 150 minutes
Group size: 1 to 5 participants
Fee: from 254,100 yen/group
3. Learn Ikebana in Sankeien Garden, Yokohama
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Experience the rich tradition of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, by creating a unique arrangement in the Kajiinomiya Goryu style, rooted in the historic Sanzen-in Temple in Kyoto’s Ohara area.
Ikebana arrangements always reflect the season. In autumn, you'll be arranging autumn flowers such as chrysanthemums, bellflowers, susuki (silver grass), and others.
Led by Isshosai Socho Fujiwara, the 21st iemoto (house headmaster) of the school, you will receive expert guidance in this revered art form.
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
After completing your arrangement, enjoy a professional photo shoot, followed by tea and sweets, and have a personal moment to converse with the headmaster.
The experience concludes with a relaxing walk through Sankeien, a scenic traditional garden in Yokohama, where you can appreciate its seasonal landscapes and historic buildings.
The entire session takes place in a private room at Kakushokaku, a cultural property normally closed to the public, offering an intimate setting to delve into Japan’s aesthetic heritage.
Experience details
Location: Sankeien Garden in Yokohama
Duration: 120 minutes
Group size: 1 to 6 participants
Fee: from 188,100 yen/group
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4. Wagashi Confectionery and the Colors of Japan
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Discover the artistry of traditional wagashi sweets with confectioner Makumi Suzuki, renowned for her delicate creations.
This experience explores the history of wagashi and its connection to Japan’s seasonal themes and elegant Heian-era kimono colors, reflecting the beauty of the four seasons.
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
After a hands-on lesson in crafting two types of traditional Japanese confections, you can enjoy your freshly made sweets and tea while observing a demonstration of the intricate hasami-giku (scissor chrysanthemum) technique, which creates detailed chrysanthemum petal designs.
Conveniently located near Shibuya and Harajuku, this session offers a relaxing and cultural immersion amid Japan’s seasonal beauty.
Experience details
Location: near Shibuya and Harajuku in Tokyo
Duration: 90 minutes
Group size: 1 to 8 participants
Fee: from 20,000 yen/person
5. Savor Japan's Seasons with an Aroma Craft Experience
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Explore Japan’s fragrance culture with aromachologist Yoko Kubota, who combines the art of scent with psychological insights.
In a private workshop at the Otonami Lounge Tokyo—located within Daimaru Tokyo near Tokyo Station—you will learn the history and modern science behind Japanese fragrances, and then craft your own unique scents, including a roll-on perfume and zuko incense powder.
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Guided by Yoko Kubota, you’ll experience the soothing power of these fragrances and take home your personalized creations as a memorable memento. This exclusive plan offers a deep, sensory connection to “the spirit of Japan” infused into daily life.
Experience details
Location: Otonami Lounge near Tokyo Station
Duration: 90 minutes
Group size: 1 to 8 participants
Fee: from 33,000 yen/person
6. Hike the Old Tokaido Road in Hakone with Spectacular Views of Lake Ashinoko
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Outdoor lovers can journey back in time with an exclusive walking tour of the Hakone Hachiri section of the Old Tokaido Road, once a vital route between Kyoto and Edo (the old name of Tokyo).
Led by an experienced local guide, you will traverse a well-preserved trail that reflects centuries of travel and hospitality in the Hakone region.
If enjoyed in autumn, this walking tour offers participants plenty of opportunities to enjoy the autumn colors in Hakone's forest.
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
Along the way, you’ll reach the Hakone Pass for breathtaking views of Lake Ashinoko with Mount Fuji in the background, and visit a traditional woodcraft museum and a 400-year-old roadside teahouse for unique insights into local culture.
Tailored to various fitness levels, this experience can include public transport or private car options, allowing you to immerse yourself in Japan’s historic journey with comfort and flexibility.
Experience details
Location: Hakone/Odawara
Duration: 420 minutes
Group size: 1 to 6 participants
Fee: from 130,000 yen/group
7. Hike the Sacred Mt. Mitake to Explore Nature and Spiritual Culture
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
This exclusive Wabunka guided retreat offers an enriching day of hiking and cultural exploration on Mt. Mitake, which stands 929 meters tall in western Tokyo.
You will visit Musashi Mitake Shrine at the summit, known as the "Shrine in the Sky," and experience a traditional lunch made from local ingredients at a historic shukubo managed by the shrine.
Picture courtesy of Wabunka
In the afternoon, you can explore the Rock Garden, an area that highlights Japan’s natural beauty throughout the seasons.
Led by a knowledgeable local guide, the journey provides insights into the mountain’s history, spiritual significance, and traditional customs, with opportunities for meaningful interactions, including a special lecture with a priest whose family has cared for the shrine for generations.
Routes may vary according to your chosen course, offering a personalized and authentic experience of Japan’s heritage and landscape.
Experience details
Location: Mount Mitake in Tokyo
Duration: 330 minutes
Group size: 1 to 6 participants
Fee: from 102,000 yen/person
Ramona, English content editor at MATCHA since 2016, has been practicing ikebana flower arrangement (Ikenobo School) and tea ceremony (Omote Senke) since 2012. She arrived in Japan in 2012 as a graduate student with a focus on Japanese literature and performing arts. As a travel editor and writer, Ramona has visited and documented 40 of Japan's prefectures with a focus on art, history, traditional Japanese crafts, and performing arts.
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