What to Expect from Your Exclusive Knife Making Experience in Japan
Embark on a rare cultural journey that blends heritage, precision, and luxury. Your exclusive knife making experience begins with a private introduction to Japan’s time-honored swordsmithing traditions, guided by master artisans in Tokyo or Kyoto.
Hands-On Forging with Japanese Swordsmiths
Learn from renowned craftspeople who have mastered the ancient art of tamahagane steel forging—the same technique used to create legendary samurai swords. You’ll heat, hammer, and shape your own blade under their close supervision.
Choose Between Knife or Kozuka
Craft a full-sized knife or a kozuka (small blade), each made entirely from authentic tamahagane steel. This decision is yours, depending on your interest and travel time.
Fully Private, Personalized Setting
Each session is conducted in a private setting—no other guests, just you (and your invited companions) and the artisan. English-speaking guides and interpreters ensure seamless communication.
Take Home a Masterpiece
Your completed blade will be polished, engraved with your name, and either presented on-site or delivered to your home—a personalized, functional work of art you’ll treasure for life.
Premium Locations: Tokyo or Kyoto
Choose between Ome City, Tokyo (near the mountains), or central Kyoto or Kameoka—each offering a unique environment and master swordsmith. Both options are fully accessible from major luxury accommodations.
Forge your own legacy with a private knife-making experience in Tokyo or Kyoto. Guided by master swordsmiths, you’ll delve into the ancient art of blade forging, working with legendary tamahagane steel to create a unique masterpiece. From witnessing traditional techniques to actively shaping your own knife or kozuka, each experience offers a rare glimpse into a revered heritage. Take home a tangible memory of your unforgettable immersion in Japanese craftsmanship.
TOKYO
HIRATA SWORDSMITH – TAMAHAGANE KNIFE FORGING EXPERIENCE (OME CITY, TOKYO)
Hirata Swordsmith is a traditional forge located in Ome City, a suburb of Tokyo, run by the husband and wife team of Suhei Hirata, who has 13 years of training, and Wakana Hirata, one of the world’s rare female “Murashita” (furnace guardians of the tatara furnace)They forge blades using ancient techniques with their homemade tamahagane steel .. Participants can challenge themselves to create an original knife using the same tatara steelmaking technology as samurai swords. The finished knives will be engraved with the participant’s name by the craftsmen and mailed at a later date.
- Location: Ome City, Tokyo (approx. 1 hour 20 minutes by train from Shinjuku)
- Duration: Approximately 3 hours (may vary depending on the number of participants)
- Price: Approximately ¥221,100 (tax included) per person and up (basic fee for the first person; ¥204,600 additional per person for the second person onwards)
- Reservation Method: To ensure your spot, please make a reservation by contacting us directly. We highly recommend booking in advance due to the popularity of this experience.
- Privacy: Private charter (up to 4 participants per group). You will not be with other groups. English guidance and interpretation services are available.
- Take-home: Yes. The knife forged during the experience will be polished and engraved by a craftsman and mailed to you later as a finished product ready for practical use.
- Cancellation Policy: Free cancellation up to 11 days in advance. Date changes or cancellations after that will incur a prescribed fee. Full payment is required at the time of booking for this small-group special experience.
HIRATA SWORDSMITH – TAMAHAGANE KOZUKA (SMALL JAPANESE SWORD) FORGING EXPERIENCE (OME CITY, TOKYO)
This is a private experience held at the workshop of Kanetaka Hamono, a long-established forge operating since the Edo period, located near the Oike intersection in central Kyoto. After closely observing a demonstration of Japanese sword forging by a craftsman, you will adjust the furnace fire yourself and forge a knife blade by hammering red-hot steel. This is a valuable opportunity to experience traditional techniques, from the dynamic forging process with sparks flying to the sharpening. The finished knife will be engraved with your name and mailed to you later, so you can receive it after returning home from your trip empty-handed.
- Location: Ome City, Tokyo (Hirata Swordsmith’s forge)
- Duration: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
- Price: Approximately ¥129,000 (tax included) per person and up (varies depending on the number of participants)
- Reservation Method: This is by appointment only. Kindly reach out to us directly to reserve your spot..
- Privacy: Private charter (up to 6 participants). English guidance or interpretation is provided for peace of mind.
- Take-home: Yes. The forged kozuka will be engraved with your name and finished with your preferred handle before being mailed to you later. Shipping within Japan and internationally is available.
- Cancellation Policy: Free cancellation up to 11 days in advance. Cancellations after that will incur a prescribed cancellation fee.
KYOTO
KANETAKA HAMONO – KNIFE MAKING EXPERIENCE AT A LONG‑ESTABLISHED FORGE (KYOTO CITY)
This is a private experience held at the workshop of Kanetaka Hamono, a long-established forge operating since the Edo period, located near the Oike intersection in central Kyoto. After closely observing a demonstration of Japanese sword forging by a craftsman, you will adjust the furnace fire yourself and forge a knife blade by hammering red-hot steel. This is a valuable opportunity to experience traditional techniques, from the dynamic forging process with sparks flying to the sharpening. The finished knife will be engraved with your name and mailed to you later, so you can receive it after returning home from your trip empty-handed.
- Location: Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City (Oike area)
- Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
- Price: Approximately ¥55,000 (tax included) per person and up (minimum fee of ¥110,000 for single participant)
- Reservation Method: This private experience is by appointment only and limited to one group. We recommend contacting us directly to book your desired date well in advance.
- Privacy: Private charter (up to 4 participants per group). English guidance and interpretation are supported.
- Take-home: Yes. The knife made during the forging experience will be sharpened and engraved by a professional after the experience and shipped to your specified address upon completion.
- Cancellation Policy: Free cancellation up to 4 days in advance. Cancellations after that will incur a partial fee.
MASAHIRO TANTO SHO – KOZUKA FORGING EXPERIENCE WITH A SWORDSMITH (KAMEOKA CITY, KYOTO PREFECTURE)
This is a private experience where you can forge a kozuka (tanto) using the same traditional methods as Japanese swords, under the guidance of Yuya Nakanishi (Swordsmith Masahiro), a young swordsmith with a workshop in Kameoka, a suburb of Kyoto. Over approximately 4 hours, you will heat and hammer tamahagane steel to create a blade, completing a one-of-a-kind kozuka with a hamon that you designed yourself. After quenching, the swordsmith will engrave the blade with your name, and you can take home the sword you forged on the same day. This intensive experience, which also includes explanations of Japanese sword culture and history, will allow you to feel the essence of craftsmanship up close.
- Location: Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture (approx. 60 minutes by car from central Kyoto City)
- Duration: Approximately 4 hours
- Price: Approximately ¥55,500 (tax included) per person and up
- Reservation Method: To secure your preferred date, please contact us directly to book an appointment. We advise early inquiries as the availability can be limited.
- Privacy: Private charter (up to 4 participants per group). While generally private, there may be rare occasions where it is held jointly with other groups. English guidance and explanations are supported.
- Take-home: Yes. The forged kozuka will be engraved with your name on the day of the experience and can be taken home with a sheath (leather sheath, etc., as an option).
- Cancellation Policy: Free cancellation up to 8 days in advance. Cancellations after that will incur a cancellation fee. (Although it is stated that it may be a mixed group depending on the reservation status, it is basically offered as a private experience.)
This is more than a luxury activity—it’s a transformative cultural rite. Whether in the mountains of Tokyo or the artisanal heart of Kyoto, forging your own knife or kozuka is an unforgettable encounter with Japan’s soul. Secure your private appointment now, and return not just with memories—but with a masterpiece.
