MANGA DOJO Retreat NAEBA

This program is a collaborative project between MANGA DOJO and Naeba Prince Hotel.

🗾 Venue: Naeba Prince Hotel (Niigata, Japan)

👨‍🎨 Instructors: Taught directly by professional manga artists

Session Dates

Session	Dates
Session 1	Sep 28 (Mon) – 30 (Wed), 2026
Session 2	Oct 13 (Tue) – 15 (Thu), 2026
Session 3	Nov 3 (Tue) – 6 (Thu), 2026

Why Join MANGA DOJO Retreat NAEBA?

Experience real “completion” in just 3 days — From character design to story, storyboard, draft, and finishing touches, you go through the entire process in one go. No more half-finished projects that get abandoned partway through.
Direct instruction from professional manga artists — Learn techniques and a professional perspective you simply can’t get on your own.
Total immersion, away from everyday distractions — Step away from daily life and your phone, and spend three full days focused purely on drawing, in a truly special setting.
Naeba’s own special experiences — Between lessons, enjoy a natural hot spring, a hearty buffet dinner, and a starlit night at the HOSHIZORA Terrace, 1,500m above sea level. Creativity and relaxation, side by side.
Meet fellow manga lovers — Spending three days with people who share your passion is energizing, and a great boost to your creative motivation.
Small-group instruction, tailored to you — With a low student-to-instructor ratio, you’ll get advice suited to exactly what you want to create.
A sense of accomplishment you can take home — On the final day, you’ll receive a certificate of completion, along with your finished work as proof of what you achieved.

📋 3-Day Schedule

Day 1 – Character Design Fundamentals

4 hours | 13:00–17:00 | Dinner included

Starts with a welcome from a professional manga artist and an introduction to becoming one. After a warm-up exercise, you’ll take your own character from rough sketch through inking to screentone finishing — completing an original character all your own.

Day 2 – Building Your Story & Scenario

3 hours | Breakfast included

Learn the basics of writing a manga scenario, then build your own story by filling in the blanks of the folktale “Momotaro.” From that scenario, design a matching character and composition. Then solidify your story by learning and practicing the basics of 4-panel manga.

Day 2 (continued) – 4-Page Manga: Storyboard to Draft

3.5 hours | Dinner included

Using your story and character, sketch a simple storyboard while learning panel layout and composition. Then complete a full 4-page storyboard and pencil it onto manuscript paper (finishing touches come later).

Day 3 – Dynamic Action Drawing

2.5 hours | After checkout | 10:00–12:30

Learn to draw dynamic action poses using reference material, from rough sketch to inking. Add sound effects and speed lines for a frame-worthy finished piece, turn your camp memories into a 4-panel manga, then wrap up with a certificate ceremony.

Price per Person

USD prices are approximate (as of June 21, 2025; 1$ ≈ ¥161.3). All charges are billed in Japanese yen.

Guests	Room	USD (approx.)	JPY
1 Guest	1 Room	$1,228	¥198,000
2 Guests	1 Room	$1,023	¥165,000
3 Guests	1 Room	$899	¥145,000
4+ Guests	2 Rooms+	$744	¥120,000

You can view photos of Naeba Prince Hotel here:

https://www.princehotels.com/naeba/photogallery/

⇩Restaurant at the hotel (breakfast and dinner are included)

room image
you can enjoy dinner
restaurant
hot springs is also included
room picture during your stay

📌 Please Note

The price above does not include transportation to Naeba.
https://japanspecialists.com/getting-here/naeba
We can guide you from Tokyo Station, but transportation costs are not included and remain each guest’s own responsibility.
You’re also welcome to make your own way directly to Naeba Prince Hotel.
A free shuttle bus is available from stations near the hotel.
Instructors may vary by session and are not always Maekawa-sensei of MANGA DOJO Tokyo. All instructors are professional manga artists.

📧 Book Now

Ready to take your manga skills to the next level in the beautiful mountains of Niigata?
Contact us at manga.dojo.tokyo@gmail.com