Learning Through Japan's Cultural Heritage

Japan's museums are not merely places to observe — they are environments for deep learning. The country's national and prefectural museums have invested heavily in education programs that bring history, art and craft alive through direct participation.

From school programs that introduce students to Jomon pottery and samurai armor, to adult workshops in calligraphy and ceramics, to the world's most rigorous lecture series on Buddhist art — Japan's museum education offerings are extraordinary.

City Baker House curates the best of these programs and makes them accessible to international visitors, schools and cultural organizations.

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Our Offerings

Education Programs

Curated learning experiences for all ages and levels of interest

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School Programs

Ages 6–18

Curriculum-linked guided visits and hands-on workshops for international and Japanese schools. Programs align with national curriculum requirements for art, history and cultural studies.

Half-day or full-day formats | Groups of 15–50

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Adult Workshops

All skill levels welcome

Hands-on calligraphy, ceramics throwing, woodblock printing and tea ceremony workshops led by master practitioners, available in English on selected weekends throughout the year.

2–4 hours | Groups of 8–16 participants

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Lecture Series

Monthly public lectures

Monthly lectures by Japan's established museum curators, art historians and cultural scholars. English interpretation available. Topics span ancient to contemporary, covering art, archaeology and living craft traditions.

90-minute talks | Held at partner museums

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Children's Programs

Ages 3–12

Designed to ignite curiosity about Japan's cultural heritage through storytelling, art-making and exploration. Includes family gallery hunts, sticker activities and special holiday events at partner museums.

1–2 hours | Available in Japanese and English

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Online Resources

Free access

Curated digital learning resources including exhibition guides, curator talks, virtual collection tours and downloadable lesson plans. All freely available through the City Baker House learning portal.

Self-paced | English & Japanese available

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Research Facilities

Academic access

Assistance accessing Japan's established museum research libraries and archives, including facilitated access to the Tokyo National Museum Study Room and the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.

By appointment | Academic credentials required

Hands-On Learning

Adult Workshops 2026

Learn directly from Japan's master craftspeople and cultural practitioners

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Shodo — Japanese Calligraphy

Learn the fundamental brushstrokes of Japanese calligraphy with a certified master. Write your own name in kanji and produce a framed piece to take home. No prior experience needed.

📅 Every Saturday⏱ 2.5 hours💴 ¥4,500

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Ceramics — Hand Building & Wheel Throwing

Create your own ceramics using traditional Japanese techniques, guided by a Mashiko-trained ceramicist. Pieces are fired and posted to your home address within 4 weeks.

📅 Weekends⏱ 3 hours💴 ¥6,500

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Chado — Tea Ceremony Experience

A complete introduction to the ura-senke tradition of tea ceremony: the preparation of the tea room, the making of matcha, and the mindfulness philosophy behind chado. Kimono rental available.

📅 Tue, Thu, Sun⏱ 90 minutes💴 ¥3,500

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Moku Hanga — Woodblock Printing

Carve and print your own ukiyo-e-inspired woodblock print using authentic tools and traditional Japanese washi paper. Your work will be guided by a third-generation Edo printmaker.

📅 Selected Sundays⏱ 4 hours💴 ¥7,500

Online Learning Resources

Access our growing library of free digital resources including 360° virtual tours of Japan's greatest museum galleries, curator video talks, digital collection databases and downloadable lesson plans for educators.

Our collaboration with the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage grants City Baker House users exclusive access to high-resolution images of over 50,000 works from the four national museums — the largest open-access art database in Asia.

Virtual Tours

360° tours of 15 major museum galleries, updated regularly with new exhibitions

Curator Talks

120+ video lectures by Japan's established museum curators and art historians

For Educators

Lesson plans, activity sheets and curriculum guides for primary and secondary teachers

Digital Archive

50,000+ open-access high-resolution images from Japan's national museums

Educational Programs