Tokyo Samurai Experience: Honest Review & Guide

So, you’re maybe thinking about trading your everyday shoes for some samurai sandals in Tokyo? I went to that ‘Tokyo Samurai Experience with Lunch and Guided Tour’, and thought I should give you the real lowdown. That way you’ll know just what to expect, before you book.

First Impressions: Gearing Up for Glory, Sort Of

That location is in a pretty easy-to- reach spot in Tokyo, that much is true. From the start, that vibe is neat. It sort of has that ‘historic meets modern’ feeling Japan is pretty famous for. I’ll start here. The instructors did make things very clear with their guidance and safety stuff too. I had no concerns on safety.

I think a highlight here is that dressing up part, and it has a special appeal. Seriously, who does not feel just a little cool getting into samurai armor? Maybe not exactly combat- ready, but still. The set provided a great backdrop for those keepsake pictures too.

Sword Training: Finding Your Inner Warrior (or Just Trying To)

Okay, that sword training is really where that rubber meets that road, or blade meets that bamboo in this case. That instructors take their job seriously, and that much is obvious. So, you’ll get all those basic stances, how to swing a sword, and some basic moves. Don’t worry, that level is fine if you are like me: Not really the most naturally coordinated person.

You have to appreciate it, though. I learned a lot on that amount of respect for their craft that the samurai really possessed. Still, after all that chopping and slicing, I started getting pretty winded. Turns out being a samurai takes stamina. Who knew?

The Guided Tour: Peeking Behind the Samurai Curtain

A tour can really enrich their understanding about that history too. Instead of just wielding swords, they are walking where the samurai walked, maybe in a way. Guides shared interesting stories which aren’t necessarily what they teach in school. Which means, it’s much more compelling, in a sense.

A great example of something compelling involved just walking around their former training locations. Hearing those stories, those famous battles, and of key people involved can really put a lot of stuff in their context, I do think.

Lunch: Fueling Up Like a Samurai (Hopefully with Better Chopsticks Skills)

Their lunch is actually a real highlight, in a way. So, maybe not ‘Michelin-star worthy’ in a dining sense, but very tasty and also very welcome after sword swinging. Food quality itself has to do with the ingredients and presentation. The care with presentation that those people put into preparing this food actually made me smile, as funny as that sounds.

Maybe an additional positive point I’ll make is that this offers a really chill opportunity to relax. You get to converse with their fellow trainees, that is for sure.

The Verdict: Is That Tokyo Samurai Experience Worth It?

So, is it worth it? Yes, I think. Especially if it matches what you want. Anyone even remotely interested in Japan, or history, or wants to just try out a different kind of cultural thing will enjoy it. Plus, all that picture taking gives you some great memories too.

Anyone super hardcore serious about martial arts might feel the instruction is slightly light. But for a really fun, insightful, half- day type of thing, it is hard to beat that experience. To the curious travelers of Tokyo, grab a sword. (Figuratively). Do this tour.