Terms and Conditions

The enrolment fee is ¥24,000, payable when you begin the Basic Course. No enrolment fee is required if you take only the Beginners Course. It is not charged again when you progress to the Advanced or Bespoke Course.

Students with no previous shoemaking experience may begin with either the Beginners Course or the Basic Course. Completion of the Beginners Course is not required before joining the Basic Course.

Students who have studied elsewhere or have professional experience may be permitted to begin with the Advanced Course, following a consultation and assessment of their skills. We determine the appropriate starting level by examining shoes they have made or observing them at work, rather than on the basis of years of experience alone.

There is no fixed requirement for moving from one course to the next. The point at which you move on is agreed in conversation, taking account of your progress and of what you would like to make.

As a guide, students usually complete around two pairs in the Basic Course before taking the Advanced Course, and around two pairs in the Advanced Course before taking the Bespoke Course.

Progress varies from student to student. The session counts given for each course are guides, not limits.

No course has a set number of sessions. If you need more than the guide suggests, you continue at the same rate of ¥8,500 per session.

Tuition does not include materials, last hire or tool costs.

Materials for the Beginners Course cost ¥36,000, including uppers materials, sole materials and last hire. Please select your design (Oxfords or plain-toe Derbies), size and leather when you visit.

For the Basic Course and beyond, materials and last hire costs vary according to the shoes and materials. We will provide an estimate in advance.

Once we have confirmed your enrolment and payment, we will prepare the uppers, lasts and other materials. Please allow approximately a month. Your first session will be arranged once everything is ready. If you cancel your enrolment after materials have been ordered or arranged, the materials cost cannot be refunded.

Tuition is payable on the day of attendance or when purchasing a session pass. Enrolment, materials and last hire fees must be paid by the first day of your course. We accept cash and credit cards.

Sessions generally run every day from 9:30 to 16:00. We may close on certain days due to instructor availability. Closures for the following month will be announced during the preceding month. All sessions require a reservation. Please let us know your preferred dates for the following month by the last day of the preceding month. We may be unable to accommodate your request if a session is full.

If we cancel a session due to an instructor's sudden illness, equipment failure, a disaster or similar circumstances, no tuition will be charged and no session will be deducted from your pass. We will contact you separately about an alternative date.

Unused sessions expire when a pass reaches its expiry date and are not refundable. We do not normally extend validity periods. However, please contact us if unavoidable circumstances, such as a prolonged illness or injury, affect your attendance.

Session passes are generally non-refundable once purchased. However, if circumstances on the Workshop's side make it impossible for you to continue attending, we will refund unused sessions.

Session passes may not be transferred or resold to another person.

Shoes in progress, lasts on loan and tools you have purchased will be kept in a designated area within the Workshop.

If you have not attended for three months or more, we may ask you to collect your stored belongings. If you do not respond within three months of our request, we may dispose of them.

Students returning after a break will not be charged another enrolment fee.

We cannot accept liability for damage to stored items caused by circumstances beyond our control, such as fire, theft or disasters.

You may use materials you have sourced yourself. However, we may ask you to change them if we consider them unsuitable for the work. We cannot accept liability for defects arising from materials you bring.

The Workshop provides basic tools and equipment for use, including cutting tools, sewing machines and leather skiving machines.

Welting and sole-stitching awls are consumable tools. If one breaks during use, you will be asked to purchase a replacement at cost. Please be aware that these awls can break during normal work.

If you damage other equipment on loan through intent or gross negligence, you may also be asked to cover the actual cost.

We also sell tools for those who would like to have their own.

Depending on the Student's level of proficiency, an instructor may carry out the following technically demanding stages, where a mistake could affect the entire piece:

 • Lasting
• Welting (hand stitching the welt)
• Heel building
• Edge finishing

As a general rule, Students carry out all other stages themselves. Students will also gradually take on the stages listed above as their skills develop.

The finish of the completed shoes will vary according to the Student's level of skill. The Beginners, Basic and Advanced Courses use standard lasts provided on loan by the Workshop; these are not a perfect match for the Student's feet. Lasts shaped to your own feet are made in the Bespoke Course.

The Courses do not guarantee any particular qualification, employment or the ability to establish an independent business. We are happy to discuss your plans where we can, but cannot promise introductions to employers or work opportunities.

Shoemaking involves cutting tools, machinery, adhesives and other materials. The Workshop seeks to maintain equipment properly, teach safe working methods and provide a suitable working environment so that Students can work safely.

 • Follow your instructor's directions while working.
• Wear suitable clothing and an apron.
• If you are unsure about using any equipment, stop and ask your instructor for help.
• Please do not attend if you are unwell.

If you are injured during a session, tell your instructor immediately. We will provide first aid and direct you to a medical facility if necessary. The Workshop holds liability insurance. Injuries attributable to the Workshop will be handled within the scope of that insurance. We cannot accept liability for injuries caused by a Student's own carelessness, failure to follow instructions, or tools or materials they have brought.

We recommend that Students take out their own personal accident insurance to cover injuries during sessions.

Copying, distributing, republishing or selling teaching materials, patterns or reference materials provided by the Workshop is prohibited.

You are welcome to photograph your own work and process and share them on social media or elsewhere. Always obtain consent from any other Students who appear in your images. Please do not systematically record and publish the Workshop's instruction in a way that amounts to creating teaching materials.

We may publish images of workshop activities and work on our website or social media. Please let us know in advance if you do not wish to be included.

We may refuse further attendance in the following circumstances. In these cases, unused sessions on a pass will be refunded.

 1. Fees remain unpaid after a payment reminder.
2. A Student fails to follow instructions and is considered to pose a safety concern.
3. A Student behaves in a way that causes a disturbance to others.
4. A Student commits a serious breach of these Terms and Conditions.

We may amend these Terms and Conditions with prior notice. The revised terms will be made available through a notice in the Workshop and publication on our website.

These Terms and Conditions are governed by Japanese law. Any dispute relating to the Courses shall be subject, in the first instance, to the jurisdiction of the court with jurisdiction over the Workshop's location.