JAPANESE CRAFT WORKSHOP KUROMAMEDO くろまめ堂 - Shinjuku City, Tokyo

Hannah Speer

I attended the craft workshop with a friend and we had a great time creating Maiko bookmarks. Tomomi-san was super helpful and kind, and it was a lot of fun to create the bookmarks in a relaxing atmosphere. The way Tomomi-san explained everything and helped you when you get stuck was very easy to follow and made it accessible for people without great crafting talent as well.

We also got to enjoy green tea and some sweets that were kindly provided.

Khuyen Nguyen

Highly recommend this for a unique and unforgettable experience in Japan! Tomomi-san is a wonderful teacher, so sweet and passionate about sharing Japanese culture and art. I'm that person where one side of my eyeliner looks good and the other looks nothing like it so I was hesitant, but she was so encouraging and patient and I'm glad I did it after all. I'm so excited to wear the earrings and be able to say I made them myself in Japan!

Naomi Musto

My friends and I went on the weekend for a DARUMA crafting session. Tomomi-san was wonderful, providing us with clear guidance on how to reach the location of the store.
We came in and everything was already set up for us to start! She has a variety of already prepared items that can be purchased as souvenirs for friends and family at a splendid price, too!
We began with understanding the meaning of DARUMA (symbol of luck), and picked our patterns. There was so much to choose that some of my friends decided to create a mix of patterns available, all made from WASHI paper. She began explaining how to make the DARUMA, as we stuck our WASHI paper down to create the kimono of the doll. Then, she provided us with a plastic sheet that had a variety of DARUMA face designs we could inspire ourselves from.
Some of us had some difficulty sticking things down, but she was readily available for all the help needed, and guided us step to step while still allowing us to unleash our creativity.
Mid-way through our crafting, she provided us each of us with a cup of fresh tea alongside some popular snacks! They were so delicious! We had some nice Japanese jams in the background that really created a wonderful vibe to the session.
She explained to us that if there is a specific wish you may have, to just draw the left eye of the doll. Then, when it comes true, we could finally complete the other eye. I really hope my dream comes true?!
At the end, I made a DARUMA with a face design inspired by an existing one, but with some personal touches! Once completed, we picked the pillow on which our DARUMA will sit, so that it can be safely kept as an ornament.
At the end, we tested our luck on the gacha machine, and we all got some rubbers in the shape of Japanese foods, they were so cute. My friend found the lucky DARUMA inside, and was able to get a free item from the gift shop! He was so surprised and couldn’t stop smiling ahah
Overall, the experience was absolutely fantastic and it felt incredibly therapeutic. Moreover, I find it a wonderful way for us tourist to be able to fully appreciate Japanese culture, especially its crafts. Make sure to come here in your next visit to Tokyo?

戦場ヶ原敬

外国人としての一番乗りでした。彼女と二人のアイシングクッキーをチャレンジしてみました。接客はとても親切でした。穏やかな雰囲気のなかで、2時間とても楽しく過ごしました。

这家店的老板娘非常温柔，我们是第一组到这里体验点心的外国人。除了点心以外，这里还可以做不倒翁和日本的有趣物品。老板娘还有日语教师资格证书，她的语速适中，可以和她闲聊哦！：）

Aiko Akiyama

We went here to make our own Daruma and Mizuhiki earrings and keychain. It was so much fun and it really brought out our creative side! It was such a great idea for a date (couples activity) and it’s a great bonus that we get souvenirs from our fun day. We also had very good tea and Japanese snacks while doing the activity so it’s such a great deal!

The owner is very patient in teaching us how to make the Daruma and also how to tie a Mizuhiki knot. We were really newbies when it comes to making our own Japanese crafts but she was so nice and very encouraging which made us want to do more activities!

Overall such a good experience! Definitely a must when visiting Tokyo! Also a good activity to do with your significant other or with friends.

Amina

My husband and I had a wonderful time at this workshop. The host was welcoming and informative, even providing us with tea and small snacks while we worked on our crafts. We spent two enjoyable hours being creative, escaping the hustle and bustle of the busy city center. Bringing home a handmade souvenir at the end added to the fun. We would definitely recommend this workshop!

Hannah Jia

workshop在新宿御苑的旁边，离metro railway出站口仅需一分钟，Tomomi老师非常温柔，我们交谈非常愉快，手作达摩和书签非常有意义，欢迎大家来体验~~可以给老师发邮件预约~

Tarkan Dahi

This was one of the most relaxing and fun activities I have done with my time here in Japan! We came here for the Daruma Craft lesson, where I was able to make my own patchwork Daruma using a large variety of the washi-paper designs. Making Darumas can be seen as a sign of good luck, and it was good luck that I was able to find this place!

Drinking tea, eating snacks, and painting Daruma was a very peaceful way to spend my afternoon after getting lost in the noise of the city, and so I would highly recommend this activity for anyone looking for a nice break from all the commotion that can occur in Urban Japan. What made this experience even more fun was trying my luck with the Gacha machine at the end. And here once again the Daruma brought me a little bit of luck as I won the special prize of adorable chopsticks, capping off this amazing activity for me!