TOKYO, JAPAN
TRADITIONAL KIMONO MAKING + FABRIC DYEING
APRIL 11 - APRIL 19, 2024
(2 spots left)
(2 spots left)
Join Maaike Andriessen, founder of The Dressmakers Academy, in Tokyo, Japan for a deep dive experience into the art of traditional kimono making and the Japanese craft of dyeing fabric in real Indigo.
During this workshop you will learn to use traditional (hand) sewing techniques to sew your own summer kimono, the Yukata.
Next to sewing the Yukata, you will join a workshop in traditional Japanese Indigo fabric dyeing, shop for your kimono fabric in Tokyo's famous fabric district Nippori, and much more!
Trip highlights include:
-6 days of kimono sewing workshop:
During these six days you will learn all the ancient Japanese sewing techniques used for the construction of a kimono.
You will learn how to mainly hand-sew your own Yukata, which is a summer variant of the Kimono. In the process of sewing a Yukata, the same techniques are used as in making a traditional kimono.
-Indigo fabric dyeing workshop in a traditional Japanese dyeing atelier
During these six days you will learn all the ancient Japanese sewing techniques used for the construction of a kimono.
You will learn how to mainly hand-sew your own Yukata, which is a summer variant of the Kimono. In the process of sewing a Yukata, the same techniques are used as in making a traditional kimono.
-Indigo fabric dyeing workshop in a traditional Japanese dyeing atelier
Experience the craft of dyeing products in ai–real indigo–using the squeeze dyeing process. Fabric dyed in ai is said to deodorize, repel insects and help protect against sunburn. The beauty in this process lies in its unpredictability–you will not know what your design will look like until it is completed.
-Fabric shopping in Niporri fabric district.
The Niporri district has more than 80 fabric and sewing related shops. Here we will search for cotton tanmono, the fabric traditionally used for constructing the Yukata. Since you can spend here all day, we will dedicate the first day of the workshop to this on site visit.
The Niporri district has more than 80 fabric and sewing related shops. Here we will search for cotton tanmono, the fabric traditionally used for constructing the Yukata. Since you can spend here all day, we will dedicate the first day of the workshop to this on site visit.
-Accommodation in a lovely 4-star hotel in the city center,
-Having breakfast with a local family in Tokyo,
-Transportation to and from included activities and meals,
-all workshop materials,
-Workshop Japanese sweets making and tea ceremony in (your own) kimono style.
-Having breakfast with a local family in Tokyo,
-Transportation to and from included activities and meals,
-all workshop materials,
-Workshop Japanese sweets making and tea ceremony in (your own) kimono style.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day 1:
Welcome to Tokyo!
Arrive at Tokyo Narita or Tokyo Haneda Airport and transfer to the hotel in the morning or afternoon.
At night we will have a meet and greet welcome dinner.
Welcome to Tokyo!
Arrive at Tokyo Narita or Tokyo Haneda Airport and transfer to the hotel in the morning or afternoon.
At night we will have a meet and greet welcome dinner.
Day 2:
Maaike will start the day by giving an introduction to the Japanese kimono and Yukata.
Next, we will explore Tokyo's fabric district Nippori, with its 80 shops of fabric and sewing tools. Here we will search for the perfect fabric for your Yukata. We will have lunch in the district and a lovely dinner in the evening.
Day 3:
This morning you will start with preparing the fabric for your Yukata and Maaike will explain to you how to start with hand-sewing the sleeves.
After the lunch break, you will proceed in making your Yukata.
Dinner this evening is on your own, you might like to venture downtown or you may relax at our hotel.
Day 4: will be a whole day of sewing your Yukata including lunch and a nice group dinner.
Day 5: On this day we will head to a Japanese dye atelier where you will learn everything about the process of dyeing fabric with Indigo.
You can choose what you would like to dye; a t-shirt or a tot bag or your own fabric.
After lunch, we will proceed with sewing the Yukata.
The evening is yours to explore and dine where you like.
Day 6: This morning we will start with a homemade breakfast prepared by a local family.
The rest of the day we will work on the Yukata, the evening is yours to explore.
Day 7: The final day to work on your Yukata including lunch, the evening is yours to explore.
Day 8: we will have a fun workshop on making Japanese traditional sweets for tea ceremony.
We will have the tea ceremony afterward wearing your own Yukata or a borrowed Kimono from the venue.
The rest of the day is yours to explore Tokyo, and in the evening we will have a lovely goodbye dinner together.
Day 9: This is the departure day where we will say goodbye to Tokyo and each other after breakfast.
*The scheduled activities might change (a bit) in due course.
Maaike will start the day by giving an introduction to the Japanese kimono and Yukata.
Next, we will explore Tokyo's fabric district Nippori, with its 80 shops of fabric and sewing tools. Here we will search for the perfect fabric for your Yukata. We will have lunch in the district and a lovely dinner in the evening.
Day 3:
This morning you will start with preparing the fabric for your Yukata and Maaike will explain to you how to start with hand-sewing the sleeves.
After the lunch break, you will proceed in making your Yukata.
Dinner this evening is on your own, you might like to venture downtown or you may relax at our hotel.
Day 4: will be a whole day of sewing your Yukata including lunch and a nice group dinner.
Day 5: On this day we will head to a Japanese dye atelier where you will learn everything about the process of dyeing fabric with Indigo.
You can choose what you would like to dye; a t-shirt or a tot bag or your own fabric.
After lunch, we will proceed with sewing the Yukata.
The evening is yours to explore and dine where you like.
Day 6: This morning we will start with a homemade breakfast prepared by a local family.
The rest of the day we will work on the Yukata, the evening is yours to explore.
Day 7: The final day to work on your Yukata including lunch, the evening is yours to explore.
Day 8: we will have a fun workshop on making Japanese traditional sweets for tea ceremony.
We will have the tea ceremony afterward wearing your own Yukata or a borrowed Kimono from the venue.
The rest of the day is yours to explore Tokyo, and in the evening we will have a lovely goodbye dinner together.
Day 9: This is the departure day where we will say goodbye to Tokyo and each other after breakfast.
*The scheduled activities might change (a bit) in due course.
We will stay in a lovely boutique hotel in the center of Tokyo near various train- and metro stations.
You can choose for this week for a private room or a shared room.
The group size is a minimum of 8 guests and a maximum of 12 guests. All prices are in European Euros.
Pricing:
Option 1, SHARED ROOM:
The fee for this trip is Euro 2995 per person, paid in two separate installments. Deposit due immediately to secure your place on the trip: Euro 1595
Final Payment due January 15, 2024: Euro 1400
Room Notes: Shared rooms have two beds. You will share a room + bathroom with one other guest for the duration of the trip.
Option 2, PRIVATE ROOM:
The fee for this trip is Euro 3695 per person, paid in two separate installments. Deposit due immediately to secure your place on the trip: Euro 1595
Final Payment due July 15, 2023: $2100
Room Notes: You will have a private room for the duration of the trip.
What is included in this trip:
-hotel booking for 8 nights
-8x breakfast, 7x lunch, 4x dinner
-6 day workshop kimono making, workshop indigo dyeing, workshop Japanese sweets making and tea ceremony,
-1 day visit to Nippori town/fabric district.
-transportation during the 9 days from the hotel to our workshops/Nippori town
-tools for making your yukata kimono
Not included in this trip:
-airfare to -and from Japan, personal travel insurance, expences during free time, fabric for your yukata.
Cancellation policy: You may cancel your trip until December 15, 2023, and receive a full refund minus a $300 Euro per-person admin fee.
If you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances/family matters, please turn to your travel insurance company.
Travel insurance coverage is not included in the costs of this trip.
In the rare case we would have to postpone the trip due to unforeseen circumstances (covid outbreak, war, typhoons etc.) we will try and reschedule the trip. We will bank 100% of your paid fees as a credit to use for another trip date.
In case of cancellation by me, for any reason, you will get a full refund of your paid amount of money.
You can choose for this week for a private room or a shared room.
The group size is a minimum of 8 guests and a maximum of 12 guests. All prices are in European Euros.
Pricing:
Option 1, SHARED ROOM:
The fee for this trip is Euro 2995 per person, paid in two separate installments. Deposit due immediately to secure your place on the trip: Euro 1595
Final Payment due January 15, 2024: Euro 1400
Room Notes: Shared rooms have two beds. You will share a room + bathroom with one other guest for the duration of the trip.
Option 2, PRIVATE ROOM:
The fee for this trip is Euro 3695 per person, paid in two separate installments. Deposit due immediately to secure your place on the trip: Euro 1595
Final Payment due July 15, 2023: $2100
Room Notes: You will have a private room for the duration of the trip.
What is included in this trip:
-hotel booking for 8 nights
-8x breakfast, 7x lunch, 4x dinner
-6 day workshop kimono making, workshop indigo dyeing, workshop Japanese sweets making and tea ceremony,
-1 day visit to Nippori town/fabric district.
-transportation during the 9 days from the hotel to our workshops/Nippori town
-tools for making your yukata kimono
Not included in this trip:
-airfare to -and from Japan, personal travel insurance, expences during free time, fabric for your yukata.
Cancellation policy: You may cancel your trip until December 15, 2023, and receive a full refund minus a $300 Euro per-person admin fee.
If you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances/family matters, please turn to your travel insurance company.
Travel insurance coverage is not included in the costs of this trip.
In the rare case we would have to postpone the trip due to unforeseen circumstances (covid outbreak, war, typhoons etc.) we will try and reschedule the trip. We will bank 100% of your paid fees as a credit to use for another trip date.
In case of cancellation by me, for any reason, you will get a full refund of your paid amount of money.
Maaike Andriessen on Fuiji TV: