We connect curious travelers with Japan's living craft traditions — in rural towns, with real artisans, far from the tourist trail.
ta-ke-tom-bo
We named our program after a traditional propeller toy hand-made in wood or bamboo, dated as far back as the Nara or Heian period (8th century).
Our goal is to empower traditional crafts and let them take flight in the 21st century.
伝統工芸を発展させていくための新しい枠組みを提供し、
それを羽ばたかせていきたい「タケトンボ」には、そんな思いが込められています。
Japan's most comprehensive kintsugi workshop — in the region that produces Japan's finest urushi lacquer. Tap lacquer trees alongside master artisans. Learn traditional kintsugi with authentic urushi and gold, not epoxy substitutes. 8 days in rural Daigo, Ibaraki.
Learn more & reserve →
Daigo is also home to one of Japan's last remaining kozo (mulberry) papermaking traditions. Steam the bark, beat the fibers, form sheets by hand — the same process used for over a thousand years. A rare winter immersion in one of Japan's most meditative crafts.
Coming Soon — 2027
Koishiwara is a mountain pottery village in Fukuoka Prefecture with over 350 years of kiln history. Known for its tobe-kanna (flying plane) and hakeme (brush stroke) techniques, this is one of Japan's most distinctive regional pottery traditions — and almost entirely unknown outside Japan.
Coming Soon — 2027Japan's rural craft towns are home to traditions that took centuries to develop. Post-pandemic, while Tokyo and Kyoto overflow with visitors, these towns — and the artisans who carry their legacy — remain largely unseen.
Taketombo exists to change that. We create small-group, high-quality experiences that bring revenue, recognition, and genuine dialogue to the communities that need it most.
Read our full mission →Move travelers away from Tokyo and Kyoto toward smaller regional craft towns.
Bring new traffic, income, and visibility to aging communities through quality experiential travel.
Create genuine dialogue between global designers, creators, and Japanese craftsmen.
Sustain craft legacies by building "craft destination" identities that outlast any single visit.
You invest in meaningful experience, not possessions. You stay longer, go to fewer places, and leave knowing something real about where you've been.
Passionate about art, craft, and culture. You travel to gain new insight about humanity. Curiosity and adventure are in your DNA.
You've done Tokyo and Kyoto. You're looking for the Japan that isn't on any travel influencer's map — and you suspect it's the better one.
You're aware of the social and economic impact of tourism. Being able to give back to the community makes every trip more fulfilling.
"Crossing cultures as artists through open dialogue and mutual respect, I find that our commitment and dedication to our craft make us more alike than different."
Read Barbara's story
A city boy from Hong Kong who ventured beyond Tokyo for the first time — through Hokuriku winter, rainbow sightings, and the hidden UNESCO village of Gokayama.
Read Samson's story
"I not only experienced the culture hands on, but I was able to witness the dire needs for actions to be taken to sustain its heritage and shokunin skills in rural Japan."
Read Ayako's storyTaketombo is a social enterprise based in Fukuoka, Japan. We don't sell itineraries — we build long-term relationships with artisan communities and create the conditions for genuine exchange. Every program funds real craft preservation work.
About Taketombo
iF Design Award 2020
Good Design Award 2019