Real armour on a walk to the river, new-made armour in a studio, or a kimono and a sword fight on video.
The short answer
For real armour, book the Daimyo samurai walk on Kiyamachi: you wear heavy armour for an hour and a half and march to the Kamo river for photos, from age 5. Shogun Studio near Saga-Arashiyama dresses you in new-made armour for a private photoshoot with 10 edited photos per person, and GOATtrip films you in a kimono in a staged sword fight. None of them is a sword course.
Pick a day, or the first and last day of your stay in Kyoto. We check the booking calendar of every session and show which ones still have places.
Type: Samurai walk in real armour
Type: Sword-fight film session
Type: Armour photoshoot
If the picture is what you are after, three sessions in Kyoto are built around it. Daimyo takes you outside in real armour, Shogun Studio photographs you in a studio with a fog machine, and GOATtrip films you in a staged sword fight. Only the first two put you in armour, and none of them is a sword course.
| Photo | Experience | What you wear | You take home | Setting | Min. age | Duration | Reviews ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
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Samurai Walk with Matcha and Calligraphy Daimyo | Real armour, fitted by staff | War fan with your calligraphy; photos online | Studio on Kiyamachi, then the Kamo riverbank | 5 | 1.5 h | ★ 5.0 (147) | $94per person | Book now |
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Samurai Action Film Experience GOATtrip | Rental kimono, no armour | Your own video and a photo download | Dojo at Myokaku-ji temple | 5 | 1 h | ★ 4.9 (100) | $126per person | Book now |
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Samurai Photoshoot Shogun Studio | New-made armour, sword, spear and bow | 10 edited photos per person, plus RAW files | Studio near JR Saga-Arashiyama, fog machine | Not stated | 1 h | ★ 4.8 (13) | $133per person | Book now |
Per-person prices are loaded from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees. Paid extras such as the kunai at the forging class are not part of the price shown.
Each session with the same facts, so age limits, location and what you actually do can be read across. Tap a session to see its programme, venue and house rules.
Real armour, calligraphy on a war fan and matcha, then a walk to the Kamo river for photos.
Daimyo dresses you in real samurai armour in its studio on Kiyamachi near Sanjo. You write calligraphy on a war fan, drink matcha and then walk in armour to the bank of the Kamo river for photos.
There is no sword training, and the armour is heavy. Children can join from 5.
Takase Building 5F, Kiyamachi near Sanjo.
Details as the studio lists them on its booking page; points it leaves open are marked as not stated in our tables.
Chambara sword fighting with professional actors in a temple dojo, and an action video of your own.
In a dojo at Myokaku-ji temple you learn chambara, the staged sword fighting of Japanese period films, with professional actors, and shoot an action scene that you keep as a video. Groups are capped at 6.
The temple is a little out of the way, and latecomers can be turned away. Children can join from 5. Damage to costumes is charged.
Dojo at Myokaku-ji temple.
Details as the studio lists them on its booking page; points it leaves open are marked as not stated in our tables.
Armour, weapons and a fog machine near Saga-Arashiyama station, with 10 edited photos per person.
Shogun Studio dresses you in samurai armour with weapons and photographs you with a fog machine. You receive 10 edited photos per person. Sessions are private; groups of 7 or more enquire in advance.
Some reviewers waited longer than expected for their photo download link.
About 3 minutes on foot from JR Saga-Arashiyama station (south exit).
Details as the studio lists them on its booking page; points it leaves open are marked as not stated in our tables.
The session starts on the fifth floor of the Takase Building on Kiyamachi. You write your name or a motto in kanji on a war fan, which you keep. Staff then choose and adjust a suit of armour to your size, and you drink matcha in a hall lined with about 20 suits of armour. The group marches with a battle cry to the bank of the Kamo river near Sanjo for individual and group photos, which are shared online afterwards.
The armour is real and heavy for some guests. Children from 5 can join; babies under 1 cannot. The visit ends in a shop with swords, clothing and armour, and buying is optional.
Shogun Studio is three minutes on foot from the south exit of JR Saga-Arashiyama station. Each guest wears a suit of armour, made new for the studio rather than an antique, and poses with sword, spear and bow while a fog machine runs. Sessions are private, and groups of 7 or more ask in advance.
You receive 10 edited photos per person, with a cap of 40 per group, plus the RAW files, through a Google Drive link within 24 hours. One reviewer could not open the link at first, and the studio answered by resending it to both e-mail addresses. Check your spam folder before you write to them.
GOATtrip puts you in a rental kimono, not armour. Professional actors teach chambara, the choreographed sword fighting of period films, including the vertical makkogiri and diagonal kesagiri cuts, and you perform a short scene. You may film on your own camera, and a photo and video download is part of the session. Groups stay at 6 or fewer.
The dojo is on the left after the main gate of Myokaku-ji temple. Arrive on time, because latecomers may not be able to join. Damage to swords or costumes can be charged. The session is not suitable for children under 5, pregnant women, people with back problems or other pre-existing conditions, or anyone over 95.
The two-star guest at Shogun Studio could not open the Google Drive link with her photos. In its reply on the product page the studio says it sent the link again to both e-mail addresses and asked her to look in the spam folder. At GOATtrip the three-star guest had not expected to act in the fight scene herself, and the one-star guest found the session made for show and for children. The session is a staged film fight with practice swords, without sword training in the martial sense.
“They guide you on what kind of armor you want to wear, making sure you are ready for battle! You get to learn about samurai armor, tea ritual, and taking epic pictures with your armor as you walk.”
“Our guides were very enthousiastic and could tell us alot about the history and how the samurai used to live. Would recommend!”
“The photoshoot was so much fun! Everyone on the team was incredibly friendly and made me feel comfortable.”
“The girls hosting the session were amazing—super friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. … The photo shoot was super fun and the pictures look top quality.”
“The activity and the couple who assisted us were very friendly and helpful. However, we've been waiting for the photos from the session for three days. They sent a Google Drive link that we can't open, and we've contacted them, but haven't received any response.”
“This was an absolutely brilliant experience played out in an incredible setting, making it totally unique! To add to this, what made our session extra special were our two instructors who explained everything about what we needed to do and how to do it via some very skilful demonstrations!”
“Activity was not what we expected, but that’s on us for not reading it properly before booking. Activity starts with a performative short demonstration of samurai sword fight. No real samurai swords. Then they take you through a series of moves with your own faux sword. Then they record you in a ‘movie’ style fight scene. …”
“it should have said that it was only for show and actually for children. we did not like it at all and left early. …”
Reviews written by guests after their session, from GetYourGuide.
On the Daimyo samurai walk, which starts on Kiyamachi near Sanjo and ends with photos on the Kamo riverbank. Shogun Studio near Saga-Arashiyama also dresses each guest in armour, made new for the studio.
No. You wear a rental kimono and learn staged sword fighting with professional actors.
Ten edited photos per person, up to 40 per group, plus the RAW files, sent through a Google Drive link within 24 hours.
Daimyo and Shogun Studio use swords as props for photos. GOATtrip teaches a few film sword moves for the scene. For a sword course, look at the kenbu class or the Kendo Experience session.
Daimyo takes children from 5 and notes that the armour is heavy. Shogun Studio states no minimum age, so ask through the booking page.
The full table with format, minimum age and area.
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