Samurai Dojo & Shinto Shrine Experience
Duration: 8 hours
Overview
An inside look at Japanese culture through the ages: Learn sacred rituals from a Shinto priest, sword-fighting at the dojo that choreographed “The Last Samurai,” and the secrets of crane game mania at a Guinness-record arcade.
Included
- Priest-led prayer ritual and private access to the treasure hall at Okunitama Jinja
- Cultural tour of Taito Station Fuchu Kururu, recognized by Guinness World Records
- Sword-fighting instruction at the dojo where “Shōgun” star Anna Sawai trained
- A kimono and hakama to wear as you perform your choreographed fight sequence
- A local guide to lead your group through each experience, providing expert cultural insights along the way
- Private transportation to and from your hotel and between all sites with a professional driver separate from your guide
Important information
When will my booking be confirmed?
This private experience is available on request. After you complete your booking online, we’ll confirm availability with our local team. You’ll receive an email within 72 hours either confirming your booking or letting you know if that date is unavailable. If we’re unable to proceed with your reservation, you’ll receive a full refund.
What are the hotel pickup areas?
Pickup and drop-off to hotels in Tokyo are included.
Is this tour good for kids?
Yes, this experience is family-friendly, and your guide can tailor it for your group to make sure kids are included. Children under 4 don’t count toward the group size.
What is the cancellation policy?
We understand plans change. We offer a 100% refund up to 14 days before the tour.
Is this experience accessible?
Unfortunately, the tate training in the dojo isn’t accessible for wheelchairs.
Is this experience run by ExperienceFirst?
No, it’s run by one of our trusted and vetted partners.
Highlights
More information
Fuchu is not the Tokyo most visitors see. Thirty minutes west of Shinjuku, this quiet former provincial capital is where sacred ritual, samurai heritage, and offbeat pop culture sit side by side, and this full-day private experience links all three together.
Your morning begins at Okunitama Jinja, one of Tokyo's five great shrines, founded in 111 A.D. and once the spiritual seat of Musashi Province, an ancient region that encompassed much of modern-day Tokyo, Saitama, and Kanagawa. A Shinto priest walks you through the shrine’s prayer ritual — how to bow, how to clap, how to approach the haiden — then opens the shrine's treasure hall for a private viewing of samurai swords and rare handwritten artifacts from the shogunate era. Outside, a sacred ginkgo tree over 1,000 years old rises behind the main hall, and the shrine's 500-meter approach is lined with zelkova trees first planted by warriors in the 11th century.
From there, the day shifts gears. Enter Taito Station Fuchu Kururu, a basement arcade that was recognized by Guinness World Records in 2020 for the most crane game machines at a single venue. Your guide walks you through this wall-to-wall wonderland of color and sound, explaining the national obsession behind these games and how to actually win at them.
After a break for lunch, experience the calm of a traditional tate dojo. Tate is the art of Japanese stage combat, rooted in Kabuki theater from the Edo era and refined for film. At Geido Tate Hatoryu Takase Dojo, you dress in kimono and hakama, take up a practice katana, and learn cinematic sword-fighting techniques from instructors who have trained stars like Tom Cruise and Jean Reno and whose choreography has shaped films like “The Last Samurai” and “Wasabi.”
By the end of the session, you’ll be able to perform a short choreographed sequence yourself. It’s the kind of moment you’ll be reliving (and retelling) long after you're home.
A private car carries you between each stop and returns you to your Tokyo hotel.