What is Local Experience TATAMI.works?
In this town of Ishikawacho, the neighborhood association, shopping district, local residents, and stores have come together to create the town’s charm and brand through the involvement of men and women of all ages. Local art can be enjoyed in the guesthouse rooms and receptions, and local people gather and interact with each other at the stores in the shopping district.
We want people to know more and more about this town.
At TATAMI.works, we will convey the goodness of this town while providing local experiences.
Recommended! Local Mochi Pounding Experience – Freshly Pounded Mochi in 9 Types
There are eight neighborhood associations in Ishikawacho. At New Year’s, each association holds a rice cake pounding event, using a large mortar and pestle, with the cooperation of the shopping associations. Everyone from babies to the elderly participate, and the rice cakes are dedicated to Suwa Shrine, the local deity. Freshly pounded rice cakes are exceptionally delicious!
We want everyone who comes to Ishikawacho to know about the rice cake pounding culture that has been preserved by the locals and this delicious taste, so we offer a mochi pounding experience conducted by the Ishikawacho locals regardless of the season.
Experience Flow：
- Reception at the Market Terrace Cafe
- Move to the experience facility (1 minute walk)
- Choose your favorite hanten (each neighborhood association’s hanten)
- Explanation of the history and charm of the town so far, the charm of Mochitsuki and how to make Mochitsuki (in Japanese or English)
- Now it’s time to go! Pounding Mochi!
- Freshly pounded hot rice cakes will be divided into small pieces.
- Tasting! 9 traditional Japanese flavors are available (anko, kinako, zunda, grated radish, sugar and soy sauce, white sesame, black sesame, natto, and zoni (with red bean paste)). You can sample them with Japanese tea.
- End
Date/time：Open all year round (reservations made at least 2 days in advance) 12:00~ or 15:00~ ※Limited to 1 couple per day
Program fee：8,000 yen per person from 6 persons (total amount of glutinous rice: 2 kg, for 6 persons, half as a tasting and half as a souvenir)
※For less than 6 persons, 48,000 yen per slot is available.
※If there are more than 7 people, each person can participate for an additional 2,000 yen, but the total amount of rice cake will remain the same (the amount of souvenirs will decrease).
- You can eat all the rice cakes you make until you run out! Any leftover can be vacuum-packed and taken home upon request (2 days later or delivered). Please inquire separately.
- 120 minutes, fully reserved. (Since the rice cakes cannot be dipped when cold, the rice cake pounding experience lasts approximately 20 minutes.
Reservations：Please make a reservation by filling out the inquiry form. Please write “Mochi Pounding Experience” in the subject line, and send the number of people and desired date. Our staff will contact you after checking the reservation status. ※Reservations must be made at least 2 days in advance to allow for the soaking of the glutinous rice.
Tofu Lunch with Tofu Lunch / Tofu Dinner & Sake
In Japan, there used to be many small tofu shops selling freshly made tofu. With the increase of supermarkets and mass merchandisers, their number has drastically decreased. In Ishikawacho, there used to be a tofu shop right here. This course is designed to preserve the scenery of the town, connect the history of the town, and experience the food culture.
Experience Flow：
- Reception desk in the Market Terrace Café
- Move to the experience facility (1 minute walk)
- Choose your favorite hanten (each neighborhood association’s hanten)
- Explanation about the town’s history, charm and tofu (in Japanese or English)
- Now it’s time to go! Handmade tofu from soybeans
- You can taste the tofu on the way!
- Meal
- Tofu Lunch / Handmade tofu, rice with okara soboro, soy milk sweets, Japanese tea
- Sake & Tofu Dinner / Handmade tofu, cheese curd marinated in miso, deep-fried tofu, inari sushi, 3 kinds of sake to compare
Date/time：Open all year round (reservation up to 3 days in advance) Lunch 12:00~ / Dinner 18:00~ ※Limited to 1 couple per day
Program fee：
- Lunch 7,000 yen per person from 2 persons (2 pieces of 150g tofu with lunch set)
- Dinner 10,000 yen per person from 2 persons (2 pieces of 150g tofu, tofu deli course and sake comparison)
Reservations：Please make a reservation by filling out the inquiry form. Please write “Tofu Experience & Lunch” or “Tofu Experience & Dinner” in the subject line and send the number of people and desired date. Our staff will contact you after checking the reservation status. ※Reservations required at least 3 days in advance.
Calligraphy experience and original calligraphy T-shirt printing (for foreigners only)
Many active calligraphy teachers live in Ishikawacho. There is also a facility that makes T-shirts and other goods that are indispensable for events in the town. Combining these two elements, we were able to create a wonderful experience!
Experience Flow：
- Reception at the “T-stock-design” experience facility
- Explanation about the history and charm of the town and calligraphy (Japanese or English)
- Calligraphy performance by a local teacher
- Choice of characters to be written
- Calligraphy experience (for foreign guests only)
- Print each work on a T-shirt
- Take home the T-shirt
Program fee：7,000 yen per person from 2 persons (including T-shirt fee)
Date/time：Open all year round (reservation up to 3 days in advance) 11:00-18:00 ※Experience time required: 90 min.
Reservations：Please make a reservation by filling out the inquiry form. Please write “I want to experience calligraphy” in the subject line and send the number of people and desired date. Our staff will contact you after checking the reservation status. ※Reservations required at least 3 days in advance.
The following experiences are available on request. Please consult with us using the reservation form.
Wagashi making experience (traditional Japanese sweets)
Authentic Japanese confectionery making experience under the supervision of “Kinpeidou Honten,” a long-established Japanese confectionery in Ishikawacho
Venue：Market Terrace Café
Date/time：negotiable
Program fee：JPY3,500 per person
Minimum participants：5,000 yen per person from 4 persons
Reservations：Please reserve via the contact form here. Please make sure to state “Wagashi making experience” in the form title along with the number of participants and preferred date/time. We will contact you with a confirmation. Reservations are required 1 week in advance.
Authentic Matcha Experience (Japanese tea ceremony)
Matcha teacher of Ura-Senke school of Japanese tea ceremony will join us to show you how to enjoy Matcha. You will be served Wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) with your Matcha. Relax and enjoy your teatime with us.
Venue：Market Terrace Café
Date/time：negotiable
Program fee：JPY5,000 per person
Minimum participants：4 or more participants
Reservations：Please reserve via the contact form here. Please make sure to state “Authentic Matcha experience” in the form title along with the number of participants and preferred date/time. We will contact you with a confirmation. Reservations are required 1 week in advance.
Wagashi making and Matcha experience
Experience both Wagashi making and authentic Matcha together in this special program with discount price. Our two most popular programs offer you a memorable and special Japanese experience.
Venue：Market Terrace Café
Date/time：negotiable
Program fee：JPY9,500 per person
Minimum participants：4 or more participants
Reservations：Please reserve via the contact form here. Please make sure to state “Wagashi making and Matcha experience” in the form title along with the number of participants and preferred date/time. We will contact you with a confirmation. Reservations are required 1 week in advance.
Suwa Shrine visit with Shinto priest costume
Have you ever tried on Shinto priest’s garments? Take a memorial photograph of yourself in real Shinto priest’s attire. The traditional garments can be put-on on top of your normal clothing. Your visit to the shrine will be a most solemn and memorable experience.
Venue：Suwa Shrine, 4-164 Ishikawacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama
Date/time：negotiable
Program fee：JPY5,000 per person
Minimum participants：4 or more participants
Reservations：Please reserve via the contact form here. Please make sure to state “Suwa Shrine visit with Shinto Priest costume” in the form title along with the number of participants and preferred date. We will contact you with a confirmation. Reservations are required 1 week in advance.
Prayer experience at Shinto shrine
Close to Guesthouse HACO. TATAMI. lies Suwa Shrine, a Shinto shrine in Ishikawacho. Experience full-scare Shinto prayer at this shrine, established during the Muromachi Period (1333-1573AD). The shrine is affectionately referred to as “Hama no Osuwa san” around the old town Ishikawacho area. How about taking the time for this thorough and careful prayer experience.
Venue：Suwa Shrine, 4-164 Ishikawacho, Naka-ku, Yokohama
Date/time：negotiable
Program fee：JPY5,000 per person
Minimum participants：4 or more participants
Reservations：Please reserve via the contact form here. Please make sure to state “Prayer experience at Shinto shrine” in the form title along with the number of participants and preferred date/time. We will contact you with a confirmation. Reservations are required 1 week in advance.