From Tokyo: 2-Day Okuaizu Weaving Customizable Tour

Showa Village sits high in the mountains of Okuaizu, Fukushima. For hundreds of years, families here have grown karamushi, a plant also called ramie. They peel the stems by hand, make fine thread and weave it into a light, cool cloth. Showa Village is one of the very few places in Japan that still does this whole process. On this 2-day trip you learn about it and try weaving yourself.

On day 1 your driver-guide picks you up at your hotel in central Tokyo and drives north to Aizu, with rest stops. In the afternoon you enter the Okuaizu valley and arrive in Showa Village. At the Karamushi Weaving Village you see how the plant becomes thread and fabric. Then you join a hands-on weaving workshop and make a small woven piece to take home. In the evening you relax at a local hot spring in the valley.

On day 2 you drive along the Tadami River through Mishima and Kaneyama, two quiet mountain towns. You stop at river viewpoints and taste local mountain dishes for lunch. In the afternoon you drive back to your Tokyo hotel, arriving in the evening.

This trip runs from April to November, when the weaving workshop runs and the mountain roads are clear of snow.

This is a private tour. Only your group. One van, 1 to 6 guests, never shared with strangers. Your driver-guide speaks English, and also Hindi and Urdu. If the weaving workshop is closed on your date, you can receive a full refund for your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead visit the karamushi craft exhibits and watch the weavers at work.

Day 1 Pickup in Tokyo, drive to Showa Village, karamushi weaving workshop, hot spring bath

Day 2 Tadami River drive through Mishima and Kaneyama, local lunch, drive back to your Tokyo hotel