"We had a fantastic time! It was so much fun getting to pick out what to wear, and learning the steps using the samurai sword. We also loved getting to do the performance at the end! I highly recommend this activity we had a blast and it was one of the highlights of our trip!"
The Katana, Not the Armour · ~2 Hours · From $63
Samurai Sword Class in Kyoto
If the kendo lesson is about armour and sparring, the sword class is about the blade. You are dressed in traditional training attire, handed a sword, and taught to draw, cut and sheathe it under instructors trained in the traditional arts. 825 reviews at 4.8. It is the quieter, more precise of Kyoto's two big lessons, and for a lot of people the more beautiful one.
#1 selling workshop or class
From
$63
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 825+ Reviews
- ~2 hrs Lesson plus sparring
- $101 Kendo with full armour
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What This Experience Includes
From the operator's own listing.
Highlights
- Attend a samurai lesson in Kyoto
- Learn from a samurai master how to bow,
- how to draw a sword, and strike with stylized movements
- Enjoy a photo session in your costume and receive a completion certificate
What's Included
- English-speaking instructor
- Photo shoot
- Tenugui" towel (traditional towel from Japan)
- Completion certificate
How the Sword Class Runs
Attire, the stance, the draw, cutting technique, then the cutting demonstration — about two hours.
Decide Lesson or Show First
Kyoto sells two different things under one word. The lessons — kendo, sword class, forging — put a weapon in your hand for two hours. The Kembu show sits you down to watch sword dancing with a short hands-on section at the end. The lesson is what the 1,100-review product is; the show is cheaper and shorter. Most groups want the lesson.
Put On the Armour
The kendo experience starts with a short lecture from an English-speaking instructor, then you are dressed in the full kendo armour — the helmet, the chest protector, the gauntlets. This takes longer than people expect and it is part of the experience rather than a preamble; the armour is heavy, hot and the point.
Learn the Strikes, Then Spar
Basic footwork and the main strikes with the bamboo shinai, then a match against each other in armour. This is the part every review mentions and the reason to bring a group — sparring with a stranger is fine, sparring with your brother is the story you tell afterwards.
Allow About Two Hours, and Book Ahead
The listing runs about two hours though actual practice time varies with group size. Sessions are small and the better-rated ones sell out in cherry-blossom season and autumn. Book for your whole party in one go — the operators price per person but the experience is built for groups.
Photo Gallery
In the Dojo
Blades, armour and the training floor.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation — free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Five Things Called a Samurai Experience
Same phrase, four different afternoons. The price is the giveaway.
| Feature | BOOK THIS Kendo Lesson | Sword Class | Weapon Forging | Kembu Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | $101 | $63 | $145 | $31 |
| What You Do | Full armour, learn the strikes, then spar | Katana handling and cutting technique | Forge a ninja weapon yourself | Watch sword dancing; a short hands-on section after |
| How Long | About 2 hours | About 2 hours | Longer — you are making something | Shorter, mostly seated |
| Best For | Groups and families who want to DO it | Anyone who wants the blade more than the armour | A keepsake and a unique afternoon | A rest day, or anyone who does not want to sweat |
| Depth of Evidence | 1,147 reviews at 4.8 | 825 reviews at 4.8 | 636 reviews at 4.8 | 473 reviews at 4.5 |
| Check Availability |
Every Kyoto Option
Every Kyoto Sword and Samurai Option
Real prices, ratings and review counts from the booking platform.
SWORD CLASSKyoto: Samurai Sword Class by Experts in Traditional Arts
FORGE A WEAPONKyoto: Ninja Weapon Forging Experience
MUSEUM TOURKyoto: Samurai Ninja Museum guided tour
THE SHOWKyoto: Samurai Kenbu Traditional Sword Dancing Show
CRAFT WORKSHOPKyoto: Craft Your Own Ninja Weapon/ Shōgun Mask Workshop
Kendo or Sword Class — the Actual Difference
Kyoto’s two big lessons are often booked interchangeably and they are not the same afternoon.
Kendo ($101) puts you in full armour with a bamboo shinai and ends in a match. It is loud, physical and sweaty, and it is the one with 1,147 reviews. See the kendo experience.
The sword class ($63) puts a katana in your hand in training attire and teaches the draw, the cut and the sheath under experts in the traditional arts. It is quieter, more precise, and the thing people describe afterwards as beautiful rather than exhausting. 825 reviews at 4.8.
If you want to fight, kendo. If you want to handle the sword, this.
What Happens
- You are dressed in traditional training attire.
- The stance and the grip — more time on this than you expect, because everything else depends on it.
- Drawing and sheathing, which is its own discipline and the part most people find hardest.
- Cutting technique — the angle, the follow-through, the stop.
- A demonstration, and usually a photo in attire.
About two hours, though practice time varies with the group.
Who It Suits
- Adults who want precision rather than exertion
- Anyone who has done kendo elsewhere and wants the blade
- Couples — this works well as a pair where kendo wants a bigger group
- Photographers, since the attire and the katana frame far better than kendo armour does
Less suited to small children, who tend to want to hit things; send them to the kendo lesson instead.
On Safety
Cutting technique is taught on a real blade. Instructors are strict about it — that is the point of paying experts — and the class is structured so that you are never swinging near anyone. Follow the instruction exactly and it is safe; it is also why the session cannot be rushed.
Guest Reviews
What Guests Say
4.8/5
from 825 verified guests
"Was a super cool experience! Fun and professional at the same time"
"This was one of our highlights for sure! Loved learning the routine, and wearing the traditional outfit with sword was amazing!"
"An incredible experience! Our instructor Hoga and his team were very kind and great teachers. We learned about the history and art of the samurai for young and old. A great activity."
"A great experience to discover the art of the Samurai and Kenbu!"
"It was a magical experience, definitely worth doing. The best of our trip!"
"Very good , thanks you Julia Sensei , Arigatō Gozaimasu 🙏"
"Very enjoyable experience learning about the art of kenbu!"
Read all 825 verified reviews
See All ReviewsThe Blade Lesson
Kyoto's samurai sword class, rated 4.8 by 825 verified guests, from $63 — katana handling and cutting technique taught by experts in the traditional arts, in the attire to match. Starting from $63 per person.
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Sword Class FAQ
The blade lesson, and how it differs from kendo.
Kendo is armour, a bamboo shinai and a match; the sword class is training attire, a katana and cutting technique. Kendo at $101 is physical and loud and ends in sparring — it suits groups and anyone who wants to fight. The sword class at $63 is quieter and more precise, about handling the blade correctly, and suits pairs and anyone who wants the katana rather than the armour. Both run about two hours and both are genuine lessons rather than photo sessions.
Yes, cutting technique is taught on a real blade, which is why the instruction is strict and the class cannot be rushed. The session is structured so you are never swinging near another person, and you follow the instructor's commands exactly. That discipline is a large part of what you are paying experts in the traditional arts for. It is safe if you do as you are told, and it is not suitable for young children who want to swing freely — send them to kendo.
Entirely — it assumes nothing and spends most of its time on the stance, grip and draw before any cutting. 825 reviews at 4.8 is a beginner-heavy sample. The instructors are used to people who have never held a sword and the structure reflects it. If you have done kendo or iaido before you will move faster through the basics, but the class is built for first-timers.
Still have questions? Email us at info@samuraiexperiencekyoto.com