japanese furoshiki workshop

learn the sustainable way to wrap your xmas presents

Furoshiki is the Japanese art of wrapping with cloth — a single square of fabric that becomes a gift wrap, a bag or a bottle carrier, with no tape or ribbon needed. It dates back over a thousand years, from wrapping the imperial court’s valuables in the Nara period to the bathhouses of Edo-period Tokyo, where it takes its name (furo, “bath”, and shiki, “to spread”). Today, it’s a beautifully sustainable way to wrap your Christmas presents — no wrapping paper, no waste, just a reusable cloth your team gets to keep. In this workshop, each guest learns a few classic folds and knots, then wraps a gift to take home.

How to organise a furoshiki workshop –

format

Our furoshiki workshops suit groups of any size. Each guest works through a few classic wraps and knots with an instructor guiding them step by step, then wraps their own gift to keep. It’s an easy, hands-on activity that works equally well as a quick add-on or the main event.

price

Our basic price is £65pp, which includes cloths and gift boxes for three different types of wrapping. For a more festive touch, our deluxe option adds a carefully sourced Japanese-themed present for each guest, so everyone wraps — and takes home — a genuine gift. Get in touch for deluxe pricing.

venue

This workshop can be held anywhere with tables and chairs, or run standing with access to a flat surface — it’s flexible enough to fit most event spaces.

DURATION

The full workshop runs for 1 hour, opening with an interactive cultural Q&A and closing with a surprise prize draw to make it even more exciting.

Why Choose our Furoshiki workshop –

cultural team building

Furoshiki works brilliantly as a team activity — everyone learns side by side, swaps tips on their folds, and ends up with something to show for it. It’s hands-on, low-pressure and genuinely sociable, with just enough friendly challenge to get colleagues talking. And because it’s rooted in real Japanese history and etiquette, your team leaves with more than a wrapped gift — they leave having learned something too.

perfect for xmas events

This workshop was made for the festive season. It opens with an interactive Q&A to get everyone warmed up, moves into hands-on wrapping, and closes with a surprise prize draw — all wrapped up (quite literally) within the hour. Whether it’s your office Christmas party or a client thank-you event, guests leave with a beautifully wrapped gift and a proper festive moment together.

one stop shop event partner

Our full time team are experienced event organisers. We bring together event facilitators and craft instructors, so you don’t need to source multiple suppliers yourself. On the day, we handle setup, materials and introductions end to end — you just need to book the room.

furoshiki 風呂敷

Furoshiki literally means “bath spread” — the cloths take their name from Edo-period bathhouses, where guests used them to bundle up their clothes while they bathed. Long before that, in the Nara period, similar cloths were used to wrap and protect the imperial court’s valuables, and by the Edo period, wrapping gifts, books and food in furoshiki had become everyday practice across Japan. With no tape, ribbon or packaging waste, it’s as practical today as a reusable, endlessly reworkable way to wrap.

Workshop Snapshot

  • Welcome & Q&A
    An interactive cultural Q&A to kick things off
  • Cultural Learning
    The history and etiquette of furoshiki wrapping
  • Discover The Craft
    The folds and knots behind furoshiki wrapping
  • Wrapping
    Hands-on practice wrapping your own gift
  • Prize Draw
    A surprise prize draw to keep things exciting
  • Final Touches
    Take your beautifully wrapped gift home

£65pp

all material included

£75pp

for deluxe gift included version

£600

Minimum charge for any private event

Trusted by teams across london

From global firms to growing teams, companies across London choose Dear Asia for their culture-led team events, some many years in a row.

Furoshiki Workshop FAQs

Organising a furoshiki workshop for your event? Let us help you.

We use good-quality furoshiki cloth in a range of colours and patterns, and you’ll wrap a gift we provide — plus you keep your cloth afterwards. Let us know if you’d like a particular look for your event.

That depends on the format you choose. We usually cover two or three classic wraps and knots in a session, enough to comfortably wrap your gift and take the technique home with you.

Yes — the furoshiki cloth is yours to keep, along with the gift boxes that we offer for you to wrap.

It works well either way. Most guests wrap individually, side by side, which makes for a relaxed, sociable activity — but we can also turn it into a quick paired or team challenge if you’d like more of a group element.

Depending on your event, we can bring in additional elements — like Japanese food tasting or other arts and crafts — for a fuller cultural immersion. Just share your event idea with us, and we’ll advise on what’s possible.

Yes. Dear Asia holds public liability insurance for all workshops, and we’re happy to share our risk assessment and insurance documentation for your internal approval process — just let us know when you enquire.

Yes. Furoshiki is a seated, table-based craft (or easily run standing), making it easy to adapt for guests with mobility needs — just let us know what would help when you enquire.

More about Japanese Arts & Crafts

Furoshiki is one of Japan’s most practical traditions — explore more from our blogs about Japanese arts, crafts and traditions.

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Want to Organise a Furoshiki workshop

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