Activities
Team building in Japan
SHINOGI DMC designs team building activities in Japan for groups of 10 to 500 participants in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka and Okinawa. Taiko drumming, urban rallies, treasure hunts, cooking workshops or beach challenges: each format is built around a clear team objective and run by bilingual facilitators and interpreters. We handle transfers, sub-group logistics and a wet-weather backup.
Tokyo · Kyoto · Osaka · Fukuoka
Japanese calligraphy workshop
A master calligrapher introduces the group to shodo: holding the brush, stroke order, then writing a kanji chosen to express a team value.
60 to 90 minutes · 6–150 pax
Fukuoka
Fukuoka yatai challenge
An evening in teams among Fukuoka's yatai street stalls in Nakasu and Tenjin: tastings, missions and conversations with stall owners, ending at a shared final venue.
2.5 to 3 hours, in the evening · 10–120 pax
Hakuba
Ski lessons by level and snowshoeing in Hakuba
A snow day where everyone finds their place: ski or snowboard lessons in small level groups with English-speaking instructors at the resorts of the Hakuba Valley, and a guided snowshoe walk through the beech forest for those who do not ski.
Half day (2.5 to 3 hours) or full day · 6–150 pax
From ¥18,000 per person
Kyoto
Group kimono experience in Kyoto
Professional kimono dressing for the whole group, men and women, followed by a walk and photo session in the historic lanes of Higashiyama, with a guide and an optional photographer.
About 2 hours · 4–60 pax
From ¥24,000 per person
Kyoto
Urushi lacquer kintsugi workshop in Kyoto
In a historic Kyoto house, a lacquer craftsman introduces the group to traditional kintsugi: mending a ceramic piece with urushi lacquer, then highlighting the crack with gold powder.
About 2 hours · 4–30 pax
From ¥39,000 per person
Kyoto
Forge your own Japanese knife in Kyoto
In a Kyoto blacksmith's workshop, each participant heats, hammers and shapes the blade of their own knife, then leaves with it, engraved with their name.
About 3 hours · 2–24 pax
From ¥45,500 per person
Kyoto
Kyoto pottery workshop
A private ceramics workshop in the Kyo-yaki tradition: each participant shapes a bowl or cup on the wheel or by hand, which the studio then glazes, fires and ships to the address of their choice.
About 2 hours 30 minutes · 4–50 pax
From ¥42,500 per person
Kyoto
Kyoto textile dyeing workshop
A private dyeing workshop in one of Kyoto's great textile traditions (stencil yuzen, indigo or shibori): each participant creates their own furoshiki or tenugui and takes it home.
About 2 hours · 4–40 pax
From ¥38,500 per person
Kyoto
Kyoto treasure hunt
A team treasure hunt through the lanes of Higashiyama and Gion, revealing Kyoto's history and customs through puzzles, artisan encounters and cultural challenges.
About 3 hours · 10–200 pax
Okinawa
Okinawa beach games
Team games on a west-coast Okinawa beach: relays, skill challenges, building tasks and games inspired by Ryukyuan culture, with facilitators, equipment and a weather backup.
2 to 3 hours · 20–300 pax
Okinawa
Dragon boat (hārī) racing in Okinawa
An introduction to hārī, the dragon boat racing of Okinawa's fishing communities, followed by timed heats between crews: a water-based team building activity where everything depends on synchronization.
2.5 to 3 hours · 20–200 pax
Okinawa
Sea kayaking and mangrove kayaking in Okinawa
Tandem kayaking with instructors: along the cliffs and coves of the Onna coast on Okinawa's main island, or through the Miyara River mangroves on Ishigaki at high tide. Accessible to beginners, it asks each pair to learn to paddle together.
1.5 to 3 hours depending on the route and tide · 4–80 pax
From ¥9,000 per person
Osaka
Chopsticks making workshop
With a woodworking craftsman, each participant shapes their own pair of chopsticks with a hand plane, chooses a finish (natural oil or lacquer) and leaves with a gift box engraved with their name.
About 2 hours · 6–50 pax
From ¥49,500 per person
Osaka
Japanese cooking class in Osaka
A private cooking class built around dashi and Osaka's home-style dishes, led by a Japanese cook and followed by a shared lunch or dinner of what the group has prepared.
About 2 hours, meal included · 6–40 pax
From ¥34,500 per person
Osaka
Osaka street food tour
A walking exploration of Osaka's specialties from Dotonbori to Shinsekai in small guided groups, with pre-booked tastings and an optional team challenge format.
2.5 to 3 hours · 10–150 pax
Osaka
Osaka sushi class: nigiri and oshizushi
With a sushi chef, the group learns the hand movements of nigiri, then Osaka's own speciality, sushi pressed in a wooden mould (oshizushi), before tasting what it has made.
About 2 hours 15 minutes, tasting included · 6–40 pax
From ¥39,000 per person
Tokyo · Kyoto
Samurai experience
An introduction to Japanese sword arts in a dojo, led by an experienced practitioner: etiquette, handling a training sword, kata and a reflection on bushido.
90 minutes to 2 hours · 6–80 pax
Tokyo
Shibuya / Ginza urban rally
A team rally through Shibuya and Ginza, run via tablet or smartphone, combining puzzles, encounters, photo tasks and cultural challenges, on foot and by subway.
3 to 4 hours · 12–300 pax
Tokyo · Kyoto · Osaka
Sushi and washoku workshop
In this sushi workshop in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka, a Japanese chef introduces your group to sushi rice, fish cutting and the basics of washoku, followed by a shared meal of what each team has prepared.
2 to 2.5 hours, including the meal · 8–100 pax
Tokyo · Kyoto · Osaka · Fukuoka · Okinawa
Taiko team building
An introduction to taiko, the Japanese drum, led by professional players, building in under two hours to a collective performance by the whole group.
90 minutes to 2 hours · 10–300 pax
Tokyo
Make your own chopsticks from Japanese wood
In this chopsticks making workshop in Tokyo, each participant shapes a pair of chopsticks from Japanese wood with a woodworker, using a hand plane and sandpaper, then takes them home in a gift box.
About 1.5 hours · 6–40 pax
From ¥41,000 per person
Tokyo
Ikebana workshop in Tokyo
A Japanese flower arrangement class led by an ikebana teacher: composition principles, a demonstration, then each participant creates their own arrangement with seasonal branches and flowers.
About 1.5 hours · 4–40 pax
From ¥43,000 per person
Tokyo
Kintsugi workshop with an artisan
In this kintsugi workshop in Tokyo, a lacquer artisan explains the Japanese art of repairing ceramics with gold, then guides each participant through the repair of a small piece they keep as a souvenir.
1.5 to 2 hours · 6–40 pax
From ¥44,000 per person
Tokyo
Sumi-e ink painting workshop in Tokyo
A Japanese ink painting workshop with an artist: brush handling and ink gradation, exercises on classical motifs, then a personal painting mounted on board to take home.
2 to 2.5 hours · 4–40 pax
From ¥34,500 per person
Tokyo
Wagashi making class in Tokyo
A Japanese confectionery class with a professional confectioner: a demonstration, each participant shapes two or three seasonal wagashi, then tastes them with a bowl of matcha.
About 1.5 hours · 6–60 pax
From ¥21,500 per person
Why team building works so well in Japan
Japan naturally puts participants in an unfamiliar setting: a new language, different codes and a culture where collective precision is expected everywhere. That mild disorientation is exactly what good team building needs. Teams have to listen, split roles and commit to a method.
Many traditional Japanese disciplines are also built on shared rhythm and repeated movement. A taiko ensemble or a hārī boat race in Okinawa only works when everyone moves together, so the leadership message lands without a speech.
Formats by city
- Tokyo: Shibuya / Ginza urban rally, taiko, sushi workshop, Tokyo Bay cruise.
- Kyoto: treasure hunt through Higashiyama and Gion, calligraphy, leadership session in a Zen temple.
- Osaka: street food tour in Dotonbori and Kuromon, team cooking challenges.
- Fukuoka: yatai challenge in Nakasu and Tenjin.
- Okinawa: beach games and dragon boat (hārī) racing.
Planning and logistics
Above 30 participants, we split the group into teams of 6 to 10, each with a facilitator or interpreter. Start times are staggered by a few minutes to avoid queues on the street and on public transport.
Every outdoor activity has a pre-approved backup: an indoor venue, a shortened route or a replacement activity. Coaches and timings are aligned with the overall meeting schedule so that team building never cuts into the plenary session or dinner.
Indicative budget
As a guide, a facilitated team building activity in Japan usually ranges from about €80 to €250 per person depending on format, duration, group size and transfers. Premium formats (samurai, sumo, private Zen session) sit higher. We always provide a detailed quote based on your brief.
Frequently asked questions
What group size works for team building in Japan?
We run programs for 10 to 500 participants. Above 30 people, the group is split into teams of 6 to 10, with staggered starts and a facilitator or interpreter per team.
Are activities run in English or French?
Yes. Briefings are given in English or French by our facilitators, and Japanese instructors (taiko masters, chefs, monks) work alongside professional interpreters.
What happens if it rains or a typhoon hits?
Every outdoor activity has a backup plan approved before departure: an indoor venue, an adapted route or a replacement activity. During typhoon season (August to October, especially in Okinawa), we monitor forecasts and make the call no later than the day before.
How far in advance should we book?
Ideally allow 3 to 4 months for groups of 50 or more, and longer for Kyoto in spring (cherry blossom) and autumn (foliage). For small groups, 6 to 8 weeks is often enough.