Private multi-day tour · Multi-day from Tokyo
From Tokyo: 3-Day Joboji & Kuji Amber Customizable Tour
Try a lacquer workshop in Joboji, home of most of Japan's own urushi lacquer, and see ancient amber at the Kuji Amber Museum in Iwate.
Private · your group only◆3 days◆Up to 6 guests◆Pickup included
Road-day snapshot
This is your private tour, so the route is flexible: tell us if you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby.
The experience
A private journey, thoughtfully paced
Most Japanese lacquerware today is made with sap from abroad. But the small town of Joboji in Ninohe, Iwate, still taps most of Japan's own urushi, the sap of the lacquer tree. Its lacquer is used to repair National Treasures such as famous temples. Near the Pacific coast, the town of Kuji is known for amber, tree resin that has turned to stone over millions of years. This 3-day trip shows you both crafts made from tree sap.
On day 1 your driver-guide picks you up at your hotel in central Tokyo and drives north on the Tohoku Expressway, with rest stops. You reach Ninohe in the evening.
On day 2 you drive to Kuji in the morning and visit the Kuji Amber Museum. You see large pieces of Kuji amber, some with insects caught inside, and learn how amber forms. Then you return inland for a soba lunch, a local food of the Ninohe area. In the afternoon you visit the Joboji lacquer area. At the museum you see how sap is collected from the trees by hand, line by line, through the summer. Then you join a lacquer workshop and finish a small item with real Joboji urushi to take home.
On day 3 you drive back south to your Tokyo hotel, arriving in the evening.
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 lacquer workshop is closed on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead visit a Joboji lacquerware studio to see the craftspeople at work.
Day 1 Pickup in Tokyo, drive to Ninohe
Day 2 Kuji Amber Museum, Ninohe soba lunch, Joboji lacquer museum and lacquer workshop
Day 3 Drive back to your Tokyo hotel
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- Finish a small item with real Joboji urushi lacquer
- See how lacquer sap is collected from the trees by hand
- View ancient Kuji amber, some with insects inside
- Eat a soba lunch in the Ninohe area
- Learn two crafts made from tree sap in one trip
Said plainly
Ninohe is about 550 km from Tokyo. Day 1 and day 3 are mostly travel days Raw lacquer can cause a skin rash for some people. The workshop gives gloves. Tell the instructor if you have sensitive skin If the lacquer workshop is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead visit a Joboji lacquerware studio to see the craftspeople at work Your finished lacquer item may need time to dry. If so, it is packed for you to carry home
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
Finish a small item with real Joboji urushi lacquer
See how lacquer sap is collected from the trees by hand
View ancient Kuji amber, some with insects inside
Eat a soba lunch in the Ninohe area
Learn two crafts made from tree sap in one trip
What is covered
What you see is what you pay
Ours — included
- Private van and English-speaking driver-guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Tokyo
- All parking, fuel and road tolls
- Joboji lacquer workshop fee
- Joboji lacquer museum entry
- Kuji Amber Museum entry
- Soba lunch on day 2
Yours — paid on the day
- Hotel accommodation (you book your own hotel in Ninohe)
- Meals and drinks unless listed as included
- Gratuities, which are never expected in Japan
- Optional lacquerware and amber purchases
Good to know
Before you book
Languages
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Pickup
Pickup and drop-off at your Tokyo hotel or accommodation (23 wards).
Group and vehicle
Private for up to 6 guests. Enter adults, children, infants and child seats separately at booking.
Dietary and mobility needs
Halal, vegetarian, allergy, walking or other practical requests go in your booking notes and are planned before the day.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can we change the route on the day?
Yes. It is a private tour in our own van, so your driver-guide can skip, extend or add stops where time allows.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for your whole private group of up to 6 people, including the van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for an automatic full refund to the original payment method. Within 24 hours, contact us directly so we can help. If a typhoon or official weather warning stops the trip, we offer a new date or a full refund. For a GetYourGuide booking, the terms shown on that booking apply.
Somewhere else in mind?
Any destination in Japan
If this route is not exactly what you need, tell us the destination, dates and group. We confirm the plan and the exact price before any payment is taken.
Plan a custom journeyYour private Japan day
Ready to reserve?
Choose a live date and complete secure payment in a few minutes.
From¥268,000
Check dates