SAORI Experiences
Throughout the year, we offer a variety of SAORI Experiences as one-day sessions as well as multi-day sessions, which include overnight accommodation. Only at our SAORINOMORI in Izumi, we offer Multi-Day SAORI Retreats. And at SAORINOMORI in Izumi, SAORI Osaka in Umeda and SAORI Ikebukuro in Tokyo, we offer 1-Day Visitors’ Classes.
We are not taking any reservations for classes or accommodations until further notice due to restructuring. We will make another announcement once we reopen bookings, but until then, the information below serves as reference only.
Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation.
ご理解とご協力をお願いいたします。
Multi-Day SAORI Retreats
(only at SAORINOMORI in Izumi)
Take a break from the busyness of everyday life to connect with your inner creative self and join us at SAORINOMORI in Izumi, Osaka for a 12-, 7- or 3-Day SAORI Retreat. Each retreat includes overnight accommodations in our conveniently located Weavers’ Condo and focuses on providing a relaxed and inspired environment as well as the support and resources for participants to immerse themselves in all aspects of SAORI. Here, weavers can discover and cultivate their unique sensibilities and to learn from and connect with others.
Retreats are limited to a maximum capacity of 2 people so that we can offer each participant enough individualized attention and a comfortable stay. We do not follow any set curricula but rather make preparations based on the information supplied by visitors and length of their chosen retreat. Upon arrival, we work closely with each participant to organically determine the experience of each day. They can learn about the SAORI philosophy, practice at their own pace through weaving, warping, clothes-making and interacting with other visitors and our staff, and enjoy the time and space within the studio as a whole. While retreat lengths will naturally affect the time available for hands-on learning, we hope to encourage participants not to focus on any finite expectations or results but instead be fully present to each moment and the quality of experience, no matter the length of time you are spending here.
The session fees cover hands-on guidance as well as access for participants to practice and weave on their own using all of the equipment, material and resources available at the studio. Some days may involve longer hours of hands-on guidance while other days may involve more free weaving and observation. Although such time may seem less hands-on, we believe it is also very important and valuable for developing new possibilities from the seeds of what we learn and cultivating our practices of SAORI.
All retreats are conducted by our English-speaking instructors as well as other instructors who do not speak fluently but are well-experienced and can communicate in basic English. We welcome all individuals who identify with the philosophy of SAORI and are interested in deepening, or even just beginning to explore, their own practices of self-discovery and self-innovation. In SAORI, we do not distinguish between levels of proficiency. While it may be 'easy' for one to start weaving, we believe that challenging and expanding our ways of thinking and nurturing our creative potential is an ongoing process of learning that requires continuous practice.
No previous experience with SAORI or weaving is required; only a positive attitude and an open mind and heart. Wherever you are in your journey with SAORI, we believe your practice and the possibilities for inspiration and transformation are endless!
2024 SAORI Retreat Dates & details
We determine each 3-Day, 7-Day and 12-Day SAORI Retreat schedule based on each visitor's preferences and travel plans. Please contact us with your preferable dates, and our team will get back to you with possibilities. Please understand that we cannot schedule Multi-day SAORI Retreats on the following days in the upcoming year. 1-Day Visitors' Classes may be available on some of the following days. We would be grateful if you could consider participating in the 1-Day Visitors' Class if you are traveling during the following periods.
Multi-day SAORI Retreats are NOT available on:
December 20, 2023 - January 14, 2024
February 1-15, 2024
March 10 - April 10, 2024
April 25 - May 10, 2024
May 20 - June 10, 2024
July 20 -September 10, 2024
October 1-10, 2024
December 1-10, 2024
Location: SAORINOMORI in Izumi
Retreat Start: 2pm on the first day of each session
Retreat End: 4pm on the last day of each session
Maximum Capacity per Session: 2 people
Minimum Participant Age: 18 years or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian
Held in Japanese & English
Check-In Procedure: Participants should arrive on the first day of their scheduled session and find their ways to the studio for check-in. We welcome participants to arrive between 10:00am and 2:00pm on that day to settle into their rooms and explore the surroundings. Please note that each SAORI Retreat and any weaving as part of the session will officially begin at 2:00pm so that we can introduce the session and take a moment for all participants and staff to meet and begin together.
Check-Out Procedure: We ask that participants check out of the accommodations and bring their keys to the studio during open hours by 4:00pm on the last day of their scheduled session when each SAORI Retreat officially ends.
Session Fees (including accommodations, excluding materials and tax*):
12-Day SAORI Retreat: JPY183,000 per person
7-Day SAORI Retreat: JPY110,000 per person
3-Day SAORI Retreat: JPY48,000 per person
Material Fees (excluding tax*):
Copy of the book SAORI: Self-Innovation through Free Weaving (English) if participant does not already own one: JPY3,600
Material costs are determined by weight and vary for each participant. The expected material weight per day is 100–200g based on our experience with previous visitors. Materials include cotton, wool, jute, silk, cashmere, linen and more and range in price, starting at JPY20 per gram.
*10% consumption tax (as of October 1, 2019) not included
If your timeline does not fit our scheduled days, special arrangements may be available for increased rates and additional fees. Please email us for different durations and possibilities.
SAORI Retreat accommodations
The SAORINOMORI Weavers' Condo is located just a few minutes walking distance from the studio. The space is meant to provide a convenient, home-like space for retreat participants so that although they may be traveling from far away, they can feel comfortable and also fully concentrate on and enjoy their time at SAORINOMORI.
Facilities and amenities include:
Private bedrooms (Japanese-style and Western-style)
Fully equipped kitchen
Dining room
Living room with cable TV and DVD player
Toilet room
Bath/shower room (with shampoo and soap)
Laundry machine (with detergent)
Balcony with a nice view of SAORINOMORI
Towels and bedding provided
WiFi for light usage only (please let us know if you need help renting a personal router when making a reservation)
Our staff will check participants in at SAORINOMORI first and then show them to their rooms on the first day of their scheduled SAORI Retreat. We will also supply a brief guide to convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants and other points of interest located nearby to the Weavers’ Condo and generally assist however we can to provide guests with a comfortable stay.
*
We would be grateful if you could also read and understand the Condo Rules listed on Studio Policies page before booking a SAORI Retreat at the SAORINOMORI in Izumi.
1-Day Visitors’ Class Sessions
(at SAORINOMORI in Izumi, SAORI Osaka in Umeda and SAORI Ikebukuro in Tokyo)
At SAORINOMORI in Izumi, SAORI Osaka in Umeda and SAORI Ikebukuro (formerly SAORINOMORI Tokyo), we offer individual 1-Day Sessions, during which participants can join our Visitors’ Class and weave alongside other local and international visitors. The Visitors’ Class is a free-flowing, semi-private class held from 11:00am to 4:00pm at SAORINOMORI in Izumi, SAORI Osaka in Umeda and SAORI Ikebukuro on specified dates (reservations are required at all locations). During a 1-Day Session, visitors may choose from a range of our unique SAORI Ready-made Warps that are already set up on looms in the studio, available in black and various materials and colors.You will be able to start weaving immediately. We highly recommend a black warp to all weavers as it allows most colours of weft to stand out and frees a weaver’s mind. We also offer coloured warps to provide occasional opportunities for some experienced SAORI weavers to explore different possibilities at different times.
Participants are welcome to weave throughout the duration of the class and take consecutive 1-Day Sessions, depending on availability. Limited guidance is available in English. However, although all instructors may not be fluent in English, they are well-experienced and able to guide visitors through the philosophy of SAORI and demonstrate fundamental techniques so that they can explore and weave freely.
The session fees for the 1-Day Sessions booked through this website do not include the cost for materials. Available materials include cotton, wool, silk, organic cotton and cashmere. Availability of these other warp materials outside of black cotton may vary, depending on the studio location you are visiting and also the season, as our materials change depending on the time of year.
You may arrive at the time of your choice during the session hours (11:00am - 4:00pm), but we strongly recommend that you try to arrive before noon to allow 3-4 hours for you to play with a variety of fibers, without feeling rushed and to allow yourself enough time to explore. We also kindly request that you please avoid arriving between 12:00pm - 1:00pm during which time our staff are having their lunch break and will not be available to assist you.
IMPORTANT: Please note that during these sessions, our staff will provide basic hands-on guidance with weaving but not with more involved processes such as warping and clothes-making. For guidance in those areas, please book a SAORI Retreat at our SAORINOMORI in Izumi. In addition, overnight accommodations at our facilities are not available for those taking 1-Day Sessions and are available for longer visiting SAORI Retreat participants only.
2024 SAORI VISITORS’ CLASS dates & details
No availabilities until further notice due to restructuring.
Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation.
1-Day Visitors’ Classes are NOT available on/around the following days.
10th, 20th and 30th of each month
January 1 - 20
March 20 - April 10
April 25 - May 15
May 20 - June 10
August 10 - 31
December 26 - 31
*We may have other unavailable dates due to various reasons.
SAORINOMORI – Izumi
Class Hours: 11:00am–4:00pm (lunch break 12:00–1:00pm)
By appointment only
Maximum Capacity per Session: 6 people
Minimum Participant Age: 5 years or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian
Held in Japanese and English
SAORI Osaka – Umeda
Class Hours: 11:00am–4:00pm (lunch break 12:00–1:00pm)
By appointment only
Maximum Capacity per Session: 3 people
Minimum Participant Age: 5 years or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian
Held in Japanese and English
SAORI Ikebukuro – Tokyo
Class Hours: 11:00am–4:00pm (lunch break 12:00–1:00pm)
By appointment only
Maximum Capacity per Session: 3 people
Minimum Participant Age: 5 years or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian
Held in Japanese and English
Availability varies per location. Check the availability of the studio location you would like to visit on the booking website linked below.
A reservation needs to be made online at least 120 hours (5 days) before the start of the session.
After receiving an online reservation, we will book a spot in the class, and will send you a bill to finalize the booking for which we require prepayment for the session fees.
We will decline class participation without a reservation in advance.
Please contact us for making a reservation for a group exceeding our maximum capacity listed above.
Session Fee (excluding tax*): JPY4,500 per person per day.
Material Fees (excluding tax*): Material costs are determined by weight and vary for each participant. Materials include cotton, wool, jute, silk, cashmere, linen and more and range in price, starting at JPY20 per gram. For reference, the typical weight of a small tapestry is approx. 50–150g and a scarf or shawl weighs approx. 150–250g.
Please select the range of materials to weave with at the time of booking.
Standard Range (JPY 20 per gram) includes cotton, wool, jute and synthetic fibers
Expanded Range (JPY 40 per gram) includes silk, organic cotton, linen and special textured synthetic fibers in addition to the fibers of the Standard Range.
Premium Range (JPY 60 per gram) includes cashmere in addition to the fibers of the Expanded Range.
*10% consumption tax (as of October 1, 2019) not included
Note: Booking website is currently under preparation.
