Authentic Knife Making Experience At A Blacksmith In Kyoto

An absolutely amazing experience. Would recommend going and selecting the handle option too. The staff very very helpful

This is a really cool activity. You get to Choose the style of knife you want to make and you actually make it from a piece of steel and carbon. I highly recommend.

This was an absolute must do in Kyoto. A great activity and one of a kind souvenir. I would not miss this for the world

The first part was forging the knife out of a piece of metal using a hammer, which demanded considerable strength. Then, we sharpened the knife to its final form and made the edge. You can choose one of a number of shapes to make the knife into. The knife came out looking great, and the experience was a lot of fun. The staff was very professional and helpful, managing the experience, giving advice and fixing our mistakes :) Overall, highly recommended!

It was a great experience! I am on the weaker side but staff was super helpful in helping me shape and forge my knife! Definitely recommend!

This had to have been one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life. My family are welders by trade and forging a knife from a piece of metal was out of this world. We started with a piece of High carbon steel and hammered away for a few hours to shape it into a knife. We then sharpened it and polished it as best we could. At the end we’re taking home a hand made knife my sons and I made. Couldn’t have asked for a better day. I do want to say. It’s not so easy to do but after it’s all said and done and your forearm is hurting from hammering away. You go away feeling proud you did it. Ako and Atsu were beasts hammering away and helping us. Just a great experience. Just an fyi. We then paid almost 200 dollars for Japanese knife so making my own for a bit over 100. Can’t get better than that.

The workshop was extremely enjoyable! The people were extremely friendly and skilled and we ended with genuinely useful and beautiful knives. Highly recommend!

Very fun and worthwhile experience in Kyoto. worth a visit if you have some time away from the sightseeing and getting to experience a guided traditional experience!

Like nothing other. A lot of hard work but really unique. My first time working with molten hot iron.

Probably a top 5 experience of my lifetime. Highly recommend!!! Very informative and made friends with other along the way. Made a knife with a handle.

Was a great time for 3 of us. Really enjoyed it and the staff was great!

This activity was really fun! We started with a metel bar, and the we turned it into a knife. We started with coal to heat it up, and used a hammer to shape it. After that, we sharpened the knife by using a sand machine. In the end we got a handel to put it on and how to maintain it. Great people helping us the whole way!!😃👍

This was a very unique experience. The staff, Ako and Take, were knowledgeable, helpful and very patient with our learning. Would definitely recommend this for anyone.

If you want to learn more about the history of knifemaking with a practical approach look no further. The staff is excellent and leading you through the process, nothing else than some will is needed to make your own knife. The experience took approximately 2,5 hrs, time well spent if you ask me.

Awesome experience, one of the many highlights of my Japanese vacation. Highly recommended. Talks was amazing and had a great energy and personality.. a total must do when you go to Japan

It was a wonderful experience in a beautiful part of kyoto. The staff were very helpful and patient with us. I loved every second of it. Also a very cool hookah bar upstairs called daruma with a gorgeous view. All and all very thankful.

Was a fun learning experience with a souvenir. Mao and staff were great, right there to guide you. Would do again.

The experience that we did at studio NIN is the knife making experience with upgraded wood handle, though they do have other experiences that look incredible! The workers here are absolutely amazing, our teacher Sawan was incredible, professional, and a ton of fun. The staff in general are all very engaging, easy to talk to, and knowledgeable. The experience is a full 3 hours and you will hammer the metal ingot into a knife, quench and sharpen it. The workers here speak english well and instructions were easy and clear and they help and guide you at every turn! There are quite a few choices of knife styles to choose from. One note is the wood handle will not be put on there but they give you instructions to do it at home. Very very highly recommended, this is a unique must do experience and I will absolutely be going back!

Amazing afternoon making my own knife with the crew from studio NIN and easy and clear instructions from rick made it almost passable hahah. Definitely fun. Try the ninja star game too

Honestly if you had asked right after I had this experience, I would say this is an amazing experience. I had fun and it was a great activity. Loved creating something I could use...but the question is, how much is your health worth? Back in Feb (almost 6 months ago) I created a paring knife and was planning on actually using it as one with food. I have a number of kitchen knives at home that I use and I put this knife with them to get sharpened from my knife sharpener. The great people who sharpen my knives ran a lead test on this knife and it came back dark red or in other words extremely positive (not just a smidgen of lead, but almost lead based). As such they wouldn't even sharpen this knife. They wrapped it, gave it back to me and basically told me to dispose of it. Or I could seal it and put it up somewhere as a decoration (since it has already been created). As they told me: A) it can hurt someone just by using it (in its intended manner). B) if they (or anyone else) were to sharpen it the lead can get in the air and hurt the people who breath it in. Since we all sharpened these knives in the enclosed space, I can only imagine how much lead we inhaled. So in short, if you plan on doing this activity, realize just by doing this you're going to be inhaling lead and if you actually use the knife you'll get lead residue into your food.

Trying to offer our kids a more active, exciting activity during our trip to Japan, we booked this experience at Studio NIN — and indeed, it turned out to be something unique and fun to do. The staff were very kind and helpful, and even in the Kyoto summer heat, the atelier remained bearable. Do not expect to come out of this activity as an expert metallurgist or knife connoisseur. The focus is really on the process itself—forging, grinding, and sharpening the knife. The atelier is right next to Yase Station, making it very easy to reach. It also brings you to a very interesting part of Kyoto, from where you can take nice walks, cool off with a dip in the local stream, or visit the nearby Mikage Shrine and the wonderful Shugakuin Imperial Villa with its beautiful gardens (about a 20-minute walk—reservations are technically required, but when we visited during high season, there were still plenty of spots available). All in all, it was a very interesting day, and one our kids will certainly remember. That said, I do find myself reflecting on the value proposition of the experience. For the price we paid to make four amateur knives, I wonder if a different format might have offered more lasting value. For instance, a workshop where a master blacksmith demonstrates the process while explaining in greater depth the nuances of steel quality, the differences between various forging techniques, or how to identify a truly well-made blade, could be equally engaging but more educational. Additional touches—such as the option to have your name engraved on the knife, or a more detailed explanation of the history and tradition behind Japanese blacksmithing—would also have added a nice personal and cultural dimension to the experience. As it stands, the hands-on aspect is certainly memorable, but those looking to walk away with deeper knowledge or a more polished keepsake might want to temper their expectations accordingly.

Amazing experience ! Very interesting , and Mits was very comprehensive and helped us along the way !

Extremely cool experience and our knives turned out great! Recommended by a friend and the recommendation did not disappoint! Thanks to Ako and Mao!

Amazing experience start to finish. This is actual knife making, not just a tourist trap. Place is super easy to get to and find and the people working there were helpful and thorough. It is actual work to get this done but well worth it. My 15y/o son has done a lot of things while in Japan and this was his favorite. I would not do this with smaller children.

Well worth the heat! Fantastic experience and explanations were great. Love my knife and I’ll use in the kitchen a lot.

Great Experience, everything was very well explained in english, very attentive guides. Great souvenir to take home

I felt this was a different travel experience than the typical guided tour. I truly enjoyed making my own kitchen knife and understanding the expertise required to make a world-class knife. Highly recommended!

Excellent experience for the whole family! Definitely a must on a visit to Kyoto.

Went with my son. What a great experience!!! Love, Love, Love!

Awesome experience; you work hard in each step in the process, but get direction the whole time.

This was probably the favorite activity for my two sons (15 and 17) and I! We were expertly guided through the process of taking a steel blank and turning it into a knife that we could take home as a souvenir! The staff provided robes to wear OVER our own clothing (IMPORTANT because it is HOT... wear light clothing when you visit) and explained the different knives that we could chose to create. We then spent an hour hammering the metal into the appropriate shape while it was repeatedly inspected and reheated by our instructors who then provided guidance on where to work the metal next. When this was finished, we were taken to a belt sander and instructed on how to shape/sharpen the blades. Once completed, the instructors gave the blades a final sharpening before providing us with decorative cloth bags for transport. The entire experience was both exciting and educational... even for teen boys. It was a lot of work, so come prepared! You will leave sweaty and exhausted, but it is so worth it!

Our family of 2 adults and 2 teens enjoyed this experience a lot. The two hosts spoke English very well. Despite the potential danger of working with very hot metal, the steps were very orderly and created a safe environment. As others have said, it is hard work, but the guides helped when needed. Our whole family really enjoyed this experience.

This was truly one of the most interactive experiences I've done anywhere in the world. You start with a small price of metal then forge it at over 1500 degrees. The forge area was obviously hot but not too uncomfortable so. The work was somewhat hard but very manageable and the staff will help as much or as little as you need. The sharpening and polishing part also so cool to see your knife really take form. The staff all spoke great english and was very good at their jobs. Beautiful location on the river and also great swords on sale for a reasonable price. Thank you

Lots of manual labor, but worth it. Not easy to access, but organizers were very gracious and patient.

This was an incredible experience. We started by changing into our uniforms before heading downstairs to the forge. After a quick intro, we got to see them heat up the fire and heat the metal. We hammered the iron for about an hour before proceeding to sharpen them for another hour. Whenever we needed assistance or got tired, the staff was there to help and they were very friendly. It was fun taking part in a traditional Japanese knife making experience.

Instructors were very knowledgeable on the history of Japan knife and sword making. Great activity, I’m amazed we were able to turn the metal stock into a piece of art and a great tool. Instructors were very skilled and patient, highly recommend!

This was a fun and educational experience. Can’t wait to use my knive in the kitchen. The blacksmiths were very knowledgeable and fun.

It was my husband, daughter and I and we all truly enjoyed this experience. They were very helpful in guiding the group and you end up with a wonderful keepsake of your trip to Japan. Be prepared to work hard and sweat.

Overall experience, loved everything about it, the history, the end product, it was unique attraction, recommend to everyone who likes unique souvenir

My 13 year-old son and I really enjoyed this activity. The staff was supportive and helpful. It was very interactive. Conveniently located next to the train station. Completely worth your time.

Overall a nice introduction into the process of forging a knife. The metal used is pretty soft, and the blade will be thin. Water quenched, so not sure blade is even hardened. The staff is very accommodating and speak and understand English fairly well.

It was fun, a bit challenging and very rewarding

This was a great experience. Wife booked this for my son and I as a surprise. We really enjoyed it, learned a lot and would recommend. I would advise that kids be on the older side when doing this at is physically demanding and kids will get a little restless and there is no place for them to run around so would highly encourage parents to think twice before signing up young kids (12 and under ). Otherwise, this was a well organized event and we really enjoyed the facility and the staff. Learned a lot and have a great souvenir that I can proudly display on my office wall with a great story to go along with it . Memories were made.

Great experience for our family ... very professional treatment, high focus on safety, high quality gear and finally fantastic service by the staff ... they helped our family a lot...

What an amazing experience from start to finish. The staff and instructors are very helpful and enthusiastic in sharing their expertise with you. The forging can be a little tiresome for younger participants. Can’t recommend enough!

A very interesting and satisfying way to spend an afternoon. It was great to learn about traditional smithing techniques and the forging itself was very well handled. The instructors were friendly, patient and knowledgeable - giving us just right level of assistance. Like many have mentioned before, this is quite a physical activity. You are going to be hammering pieces of metal on and off inside a hot smithy for a good while. While it wasn't quite as strenuous as I expected, you are going to feel tired and sweaty when it is done. I suggest bringing water and a snack to recharge afterwards. In the end I walked away with a very personal sashimi knife and a great feeling of having done an honest days work!

100% worth it! Learned so much, with hands on learning and engaging stories and history along the way. I highly recommend whether you’ve never forged before in your life or if you’re just a blacksmith learning to expand your experience.

This was so much fun! It was a once in a lifetime experience that I’m super happy to have been apart of! It took quite a bit of effort to complete, but the results spoke for themselves. The staff was super helpful and supportive to making sure you got what you wanted!

This was a great experience and memory from Japan. The class was super organised and well set up. Ako and Mao were great fun guides and know their stuff. Process was fun and everyone made a cool knife. I loved how mine turned out.