Writing the City creative writing workshops
Monthly workshop series fusing creative writing and the urban. Tokyo (and cities in general) are full of wonder and weirdness that writers of any persuasion can learn to see, feel, and bring to life on the page.
Workshop format:
Each month there will be a series of four 2-hr afternoon workshops, each on a theme involving the city.
The first hour is dedicated to a short lecture by either Joy or Brian on that workshop’s theme then various writing exercises the participants can do to heat up their creative energy.
The next 30 minutes will be a guided or independent walkabout into the neighborhood surrounding the workshop’s venue, where the participants will be able to use all their senses, even perhaps their sixth sense, to give them additional inspiration to enhance what they have been thinking and processing during the previous hour.
The final 30 minutes will be dedicated to creating a draft of whatever format the participant chooses from the exercises and city walkabout. Whoever would like to share their creation is welcome to do so (either to the whole group or smaller groups).
You'll leave with one or a combination of:
A fresh angle on something that's been sitting too long
The beginnings of a first draft of something you didn't even know you needed to write
A new scene, image, or character pulled straight from one of the most atmospheric cities on earth
The first lines of something that will actually lead you to a finished piece of work
These are creative writing workshops, but all creatives are welcome to join and brainstorm and/or get inspired for your next project!
There workshops are meant to be chill and for you to become inspired. They are NOT critique-based workshops, so no pressure.
Each workshop is limited to 8 participants, so secure your space!
May 2026 Writing the City Workshop Series
Remaining Workshops:
Workshop #3 23 May (Sat. 14:15-16:15): Conbini as Sacred Space - Joy Waller
Workshop #4 31 May (Sun. 14:00-16:00): Ensouling the City - Brian Wood-Koiwa[1
Workshop #3 — Conbini as Sacred Space with Joy Waller Sat. 23 May 2026
14:15—16:15 in Takadanobaba
A creative writing workshop led by Joy Waller, co-founder of Moon Hotel Press, co-host of Drunk Poets See God, editor at Tokyo Poetry Journal, and co-founder of Writer the City Workshops. Author of poetry collections Pause :: Heartbeat and Cosmic Nervosa.
Come discover the holy symbols and rituals of devotion that elevate the conbini from mere convenience to a personal sanctuary of worship.
The conbini is a ubiquitous presence in Tokyo: always open, always stocked. Always there. But what if these neon-lit establishments offered not just coffee and snacks but also literal portals to the divine? In this workshop, we’ll enter the conbini as pilgrims rather than customers. Through guided exercises, a group visit to a nearby conbini, and dedicated writing time, you’ll leave with new writing that crafts a sacred experience in the most ordinary corner of Tokyo life.
Note that this workshop will include a brief walking portion.
Workshop #4 — Ensouling the City with Brian Wood-Koiwa Sun. 31 May 2026
14:00—16:00 in Takadanobaba
A creative writing workshop led by Brian Wood-Koiwa, co-founder of Writing the City Workshops and author of the UrbanWeird serial novels Flowers Wilt, Weeds Thrive and Conspiracy of False Citizens, and literary and technical editor. He is also a photo walk guide here in Tokyo.
In this workshop, we will focus on the premise that cities, especially megalopolises like Tokyo, are living entities who begin life as a creation of humanity but mature into their own being-ness.
We will imagine ourselves in conversation with Tokyo by asking ourselves questions such as what personality does this city, or any city you have experience in, possess; what are its fears and desires; and anything else your imagination can conjure—with the help of this mega-being muse we call Tokyo (would it even call itself that?).
Note that this workshop will include a brief walking portion.
Next Monthly Workshop Series Coming Soon!
Meet Your Hosts
Joy Waller
Joy was raised in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada and spent her young adulthood on Vancouver Island. She currently resides in Tokyo, Japan, where she serves as an editor at the Tokyo Poetry Journal and co-hosts the long-standing open mic series Drunk Poets See God. She is also the co-founder of Moon Hotel Press and the monthly Writing the City creative writing workshop series. Her fiction & poetry have appeared in numerous publications, including Best Canadian Stories 2021, and she is the author of poetry collections Pause :: Heartbeat (2019) and Cosmic Nervosa (2024).
Visit www.joywaller.com for more info.
Brian Wood-Koiwa
Brian was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania in the US but knew he really belonged in cities—the bigger the better. He was thus destined to settle in the megalopolis of Tokyo over 20 years ago. He is the co-founder of the monthly Writing the City creative writing workshop series; author of the serialized UrbanWeird dark fantasy novels Flowers Wilt, Weeds Thrive and Conspiracy of False Citizens; literary and technical editor; and founder of Tokyo Photo Explorations.
Visit the following for more info:
UrbanWeird Chronicles (fiction); BWK Editorial Services (editing); Tokyo Photo Explorations (photo walks)
Past Workshops
Workshop #1 - Mythologizing Tokyo with Joy Waller Sat. 9 May 2026
14:15—16:15 in Shibuya
A creative writing workshop led by Joy Waller, co-founder of Moon Hotel Press, co-host of Drunk Poets See God, editor at Tokyo Poetry Journal, and co-founder of Writer the City Workshops. Author of poetry collections Pause :: Heartbeat and Cosmic Nervosa.
Come explore and create the myths & symbols that make up your own personal version of the world's most intoxicating city.
Tokyo is already a myth—layer upon layer of story, symbol, and meaning embedded in every neighborhood, every shrine, every neon-lit backstreet. In this workshop, we’ll learn to read these layers and write our own. Through guided exercises, a treasure hunt in the surrounding streets, and dedicated writing time, you’ll leave with the beginning of your own personal Tokyo mythology.
Note that this workshop will include a brief walking portion.
Workshop #2 - Weirding the Urban Mundane with Brian Wood-Koiwa Sun. 17 May 2026
14:00—16:00 in Takadanobaba/Okubo
A creative writing workshop led by Brian Wood-Koiwa, co-founder of Writing the City Workshops, author of the UrbanWeird serial novels Flowers Wilt, Weeds Thrive and Conspiracy of False Citizens, and a literary & technical editor. He also offers guided photowalks in Tokyo.
Come and get a bit weird with the mundane. Not everything in The City is neon psychedelic, rumbling trains, and the constant hubbub of the human mass.
In this writing workshop, we will slow down a bit and appreciate the mundaneness of The City. However, the mundane does not have to be boring. Far from it.
We will practice weirding the mundane through our writing by learning how to skew our perspective.
Note that this workshop will include a brief walking portion.