Activities & Experiences · Asakusa / Senzoku

Wanariya (Indigo Dyeing & Weaving) 和なり屋

A friendly Asakusa-area workshop where you hand-dye a handkerchief, tenugui, T-shirt or stole in natural indigo, watching the cloth turn from green to deep 'Japan blue' as it oxidises.

About

Wanariya was founded by young craftspeople to keep aizome (indigo dyeing) and hand-loom weaving alive, and it has become one of the best-loved craft workshops in Tokyo. After a short explanation of how fermented indigo works, you fold, twist, clamp or bind your fabric to resist the dye, then dip it repeatedly into the vat; the magic moment is pulling it out yellow-green and watching it turn blue in the air. Small items take about an hour, T-shirts and stoles 90 minutes, and you leave with your piece rinsed and ready to wear. There's also a weaving experience on traditional looms. Staff speak English and are relaxed with kids. Your hands may stay faintly blue for a day, gloves are provided, but most people end up with a souvenir tint anyway.

Highlights

• Natural indigo vats and the green-to-blue reveal
• Choose a handkerchief, tenugui towel, T-shirt or stole
• Shibori-style folding and binding techniques
• Hand-loom weaving experience also available
• English-speaking young craftspeople

Tips

• Book online in advance, especially for T-shirts and stoles; walk-ins are possible for small items when there is space
• Wear dark clothes you don't mind splashing
• The studio is about 8 minutes from Iriya Station or 15 from Senso-ji, combine with Kappabashi
• Wash your piece separately the first few times; indigo continues to release dye

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Sushi Oku (Asakusa)Sushi & Seafood · 190 m away
• Tourist Information Desk AsakusaLuggage Storage · 330 m away
• Akasaka CameraCamera Store · 360 m away
• Asakusa HanayashikiTheme Park · 410 m away
• Musashi Ninja Clan DojoActivities & Experiences · 430 m away
• Ganso Shokuhin Sample-ya Kappabashi (Food Sample Workshop)Activities & Experiences · 440 m away
• Otori Shrine (Asakusa)Shrine · 460 m away
• Tsubaya Hochoten (Cutlery Tsubaya)Unique Store · 470 m away