Picture this. It’s December. Your wedding anniversary is coming up so you and your partner decide to celebrate in Tokyo.
You usually fly economy and stay at Airbnbs but you want to make this trip a little more special. You upgrade to premium economy, maybe even business class, and book a room at a four-star hotel in Shinjuku.
For the night of your anniversary, your hotel helps you score a reservation at that Michelin-starred omakase restaurant you learned about on Tabelog. It costs JPY 33,000 a head but you don’t give it a second thought because you’ll be celebrating your anniversary with the best sushi you’ve ever had in your life.
Sounds perfect right?
It is, but what if I told you there’s a way you can make it even better?
What if I told you about a company that offers only private luxury experiences in Japan? Exclusive experiences like enjoying a private Noh performance or practicing pottery with a Michelin-starred chef?
What if you and your partner can do something truly unique, something you can do only in Japan, to make your anniversary trip even more memorable?
Enter Wabunka.
WHAT IS WABUNKA?
Wabunka is an online booking platform that offers private luxury experiences in Japan. They provide experiences mainly in Tokyo and Kyoto but they do offer a few in Osaka and other Japanese cities as well.
What sets Wanbunka apart from other booking platforms is the exclusivity and uniqueness of their experiences. Many platforms offer group tours but Wabunka only offers private experiences. They’re more immersive than your typical sightseeing tour and give visitors a chance to enjoy a deeper and more authentic cultural experience in Japan.
Peruse Wabunka’s curated list of experiences and you’ll find unique activities like forging your own kitchen knife with Tamahagane steel, making a traditional parasol at Kyoto’s last wagasa shop, or enjoying a kaiseki-course meal at a historic 250-year-old restaurant.
If you’re looking to do something a little more exclusive and culturally enriching in Japan, then Wabunka is a great place to start.
Wabunka was established in 2019 and is owned and operated by Japan Culture and Technology (J-CAT). J-CAT also runs Otonami, an online booking platform in Japanese for the domestic market, and Wabunka Enterprise, an organizer of bespoke cultural experiences for groups and corporate events.
PRIVATE LUXURY EXPERIENCES IN TOKYO
Featured in this article are just a few of the many interesting experiences you can book in Tokyo through Wabunka. Be sure to visit Wabunka for more.
Enjoy a Private Tea Experience With a Geisha
Even if you’ve never been to Japan, there’s a good chance you’ve at least heard of geishas. Like samurai and Sumo, they’re among the most iconic and fascinating cultural symbols of Japan.
Geishas are highly skilled artisans who have been entertaining guests with their mastery of music, dance, and conversation since the Edo Period. An often misunderstood profession in the eyes of non-Japanese, geishas provide a sophisticated (and dying) form of entertainment that few foreigners get to witness.
In this experience, you’ll get to enjoy a private tea session with a geisha at Onnoza, a cultural salon in Arakicho.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Learn Kintsugi and Breathe New Life Into Broken Pottery
Kintsugi refers to the Japanese art of repairing fragmented or chipped ceramics with lacquer and powdered gold. Instead of hiding the cracks, it aims to highlight them, transforming the object into something even more beautiful and unique than before.
In this experience, you’ll learn a simplified version of kintsugi at Mutoh, a dealer of ceramics and traditional craftware that’s been open for over a hundred years. You’ll choose which ceramic to repair and then take it home with you.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Forge Your Own Kitchen Knife Using Traditional Tamahagane Steel
Japanese knives are among the finest in the world. If you’re adept in the kitchen, then what better souvenir to take home than a knife forged with your own hands?
In this experience, you’ll work with a married couple of master bladesmiths to craft a knife using tamahagane, the same steel traditionally used in high-grade Japanese swords. The knife you create will be personalized with an engraving of your choice and then shipped to you.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Learn to Make Sushi With a Master Chef
Sushi is arguably the most well-known dish in Japanese cuisine. From kaitenzushi to three-Michelin-starred omakase restaurants, you can enjoy a wide range of sushi experiences in Tokyo, but how about getting a private sushi-making lesson from a master chef at his own restaurant?
In this experience, you’ll get a hands-on lesson in sushi-making from Chef Kenichi Hirai. Step behind the counter at his restaurant Sushi Hazan to learn about the finer aspects of making Edomae-style sushi.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Enjoy Rare Sake Pairing With Edo-Style Cuisine
The Japanese take their sake seriously. It’s ingrained in their culture and considered an important part of ceremonies, family gatherings, and social interactions.
It isn’t hard to find places that offer sake tasting, but how about sampling rarer types of sake that aren’t widely available to the general public?
In this experience, you’ll taste five rare sake brands paired with Edo-style cuisine at the Moromiya restaurant in Nihonbashi.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Enjoy Shojin Ryori With Sake and Wine Pairing
Shojin ryori is traditional Buddhist cuisine. Meaning “devotion cuisine”, it refers to a vegetarian cooking style that was introduced to Japan with the arrival of Buddhism in the 6th century. It’s the type of cuisine you’ll be served on a temple stay in Koyasan, one of the most sacred places in Japan.
In this experience, you’ll enjoy a more modern version of shojin ryori served in a kaiseki-style course meal at Sougo. Each course is paired with sake, wine, and local spirits carefully selected by Chef Daisuke Nomura, a leading chef in the global plant-based movement.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Practice Calligraphy With Wine Tasting
For the Japanese, calligraphy isn’t just about the beauty of written characters. It’s a way to express one’s inner self and spiritual state through the meditative movement of brush and ink. For centuries, it’s been viewed as a way of developing mindfulness and mental discipline.
In this experience, you’ll learn to express yourself through artistic calligraphy, a concept pioneered by your instructor Garan Sato. Enjoy wine at The Cellar Toranomon while summing up your thoughts and feelings in kanji.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Learn About Noh, the World’s Oldest Stagecraft
Noh refers to a traditional form of Japanese theater where actors tell stories through highly stylized forms of dance, music, and poetry. Focused on supernatural themes like ghosts and tragic events, it’s been performed since the 14th century and is considered the world’s oldest surviving form of theater.
In this experience, you’ll be introduced to the world of Noh by Ujin Sakurama, the 21st head of the acclaimed Sakurama Noh family.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Enjoy a Tea Ceremony With Cha-kaiseki Cuisine, Sake, and Cocktails
The significance of tea ceremonies is lost on many foreigners but it’s an immensely important practice to the Japanese. It’s essentially a manifestation of omotenashi – the art of wholeheartedly looking after guests – and creates an atmosphere of mindfulness and connection between host and guest.
In this experience, you’ll experience a tea ceremony preceded by cha-kaiseki cuisine and sake at Yobanashi Sahan tea room. The experience will then be followed with cocktails crafted by a bartender who’s also a master of the Sowa-ryu school of tea ceremony.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Experience a Private Morning Sumo Practice
Sumo is the national sport in Japan, with a long history dating back to the 8th century. You can watch three Sumo tournaments in Tokyo every year – in January, May, and September – but how about getting a behind-the-scenes look at active rikishi (Sumo wrestlers) in training?
In this experience, you’ll be escorted by a private guide to a Tokyo Sumo stable to attend an early morning practice session.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Craft Your Own Chopsticks at a Woodworking Shop Founded in 1912
Having a pair of personalized chopsticks is a fun way of commemorating your time in Japan. But how about crafting your own pair of chopsticks at an Edo sashimono woodworking shop that’s been open for over 110 years?
In this experience, you’ll craft your own pair of chopsticks at Mogami Kogei under the guidance of a master craftsman. To make them even more special, you’ll take your chopsticks home in a handmade artisanal box made from the highest quality Aizu paulownia wood.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
Learn Flower Arrangement and Enjoy Matcha With an Ikebana Master
Ikebana refers to the Japanese art of flower arrangement, but its significance extends to more than mere aesthetics. It’s a way to cultivate mindfulness by emphasizing the connection between humans and nature through principles of harmony, simplicity, and respect for the natural world.
In this experience, you’ll practice ikebana with Shinsui Fuse – a professor at Japan’s oldest school of ikebana – before moving to a tea room to enjoy matcha and wagashi.
CLICK HERE for more information and to book this experience on Wabunka.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WABUNKA
“Yes! We actually did the latter experience [candlelit tea ceremony experience with kaiseki meal and cocktails] and enjoyed it because we learned a lot about tea ceremonies and customs. However, the food was average and the restaurant venue where it was held gets mixed reviews at best (under 3.5* on Google). So I’d recommend only booking if you can research their partner / venue beforehand to ensure it’s totally worth it. They also have a punitive cancellation policy – 1 week (or less) in advance, if you want to cancel you don’t get any refund.”
– No-Throat-3629 (Reddit, 2025)
“We booked the Experience Noh with Actor Keizo Nagayama – Private Show & Practice for 2 persons in Tokyo back in May 2024. It was worth it.“
– AmbitiousReporter516 (Reddit, 2024)
“My girlfriend signed us up for a Kintsugi class when we were in Kyoto – it was a great experience! An interesting mixture of calming but very exacting and requiring precision – and it was especially interesting as there’s nothing like it in the US. We each got to take home two pieces – a little nervewracking trying to keep them intact but we succeeded.”
– ianperera (Reddit, 2023)
Disclosure
This article on luxury experiences in Tokyo contains affiliate links which will earn us a small commission if you make a booking at no extra cost to you. As always, we only recommend products and services that we use ourselves and firmly believe in. We appreciate your support as it helps us make more of these free travel guides. Arigato gozaimasu!
Images courtesy of Wabunka