This tour is part of the Toyota Green Life Experience series. Spend a day in the lush natural setting of Obara in Toyota City. Obara is known for its washi—or Japanese paper—culture, and you have the chance to create your own washi in an authentically bound booklet.
Learn the production process of washi in the surrounding natural paradise where the raw ingredients actually grow. Pound the inner bark of paper mulberry to kick off the papermaking process and add your own color and patterns to the front and back covers for a 100% unique booklet great for journaling, scrapbooking, or just jotting down memos.
Take a break at an eatery established in a traditional, rural Japanese-style folk house waiting to serve you fare with seasonal, local ingredients before you return to start binding your booklet with string.
This is no run-of-the-mill sightseeing tour. Get your hands dirty—well, not too dirty—as you delve into the depths of this ancient Japanese art which helped to further culture and fine arts in this island country. Take a journey into the lifestyles of Japan.
Depart from your hotel by private vehicle and head to the Obara district in Toyota City, a mountain town renowned for its 500-year-old washi paper tradition. Enjoy the scenic countryside on the way.
*For guests without the transfer option, the tour will begin here. Please meet at Obara Washi Art Museum at 10:00 AM.
Begin your day with an overview of Obara’s washi culture. Learn about the history, techniques, and natural materials that have sustained this craft for centuries.
Start with the essential step of preparing fibers from paper mulberry, the key ingredient in washi. Pound and soften the bark to ready it for transformation into durable handmade paper.
Form your own sheets of washi using a traditional bamboo screen. Experience the delicate process of layering fibers, pressing, and drying to create sheets with unique textures and character.
Enjoy a relaxing lunch at Obara-an, a retro folk house restaurant. Seasonal dishes prepared with local produce will give you a taste of the region’s natural bounty and home-style flavors.
Using the washi you created in the morning, learn traditional bookbinding techniques from a skilled craftsperson. Stitch your pages and covers together to complete a unique booklet you can take home as a personal keepsake.
Transfer back to your hotel by private car.
*For guests without the transfer option, the tour will end after the activity. The dismissal point is Obara Washi Art Museum.
Conclude your excursion with a comfortable ride back to your hotel.
With hotel pick-up options: Your hotel in Nagoya or Toyota at 8:30 AM
Without hotel pick-up option: Obara Washi Art Museum at 10:00 AM
This experience is available by reservation. Responses are made to requests within 3 days.
| Cancellation Date | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| No-show or cancellation after tour departure | 100% of the tour price |
| On the tour date | 50% of the tour price |
| 1 day prior to the tour date | 40% of the tour price |
| 2 to 7 days prior to the tour date | 30% of the tour price |
| 8 to 10 days prior to the tour date | 20% of the tour price |
| 11 or more days prior to the tour date | None |
Obara Washi Art Museum in Toyota
