Authentic Knife Making Experience at a Blacksmith in Kyoto

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Your teacher, Mao, is a knife professional who has been sharpening knives for over 10 years. He will help you make your knives in an easy-to-understand way, even if you are a beginner. Some dangerous work is involved, but don't worry. The main event of the experience is “forging. The hot iron is struck repeatedly with a hammer. We will carefully teach you how to use the hammer correctly.

Video and photography are also available. If you have any questions about the experience, please feel free to contact us.

Children under 15 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

A set of tools used to make knives

Uniform

English Guide

Snacks

Private transportation

What To Expect

Through this experience, you will learn about “forging” in depth. You will learn how to use the tools and make a knife using the same traditional process as Japanese kitchen knives. It will be an experience you will never forget. This experience includes 1. dressing up in traditional costumes 2. learn how to use the tools 3. forging 4. sharpening a knife 5. polishing the knives. - Change into a traditional goldsmith outfit for an authentic experience! - Learn how to make a knife using the traditional process of making Japanese kitchen knives - Process of "forging" is the key in this experience so no worries even if you've never tried making knives! The size of the knife is approximately 13 to 15 centimeters. (Because it is handmade, it may vary depending on the person.) Bigger knives cost more time and money. For example, for a regular cooking knife, it usually takes more than 5 hours and costs more than $400. At studio NIN, we want as many people as possible to experience forging, so we offer a two and a half hour experience. Also, there are no wooden handles. This knife is made using a traditional and simple method, and the handle is also made of iron.

Options

Authentic Knife Making Experience at a Blacksmith in Kyoto

Reviews

4.80

41 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Not a great experience…
DavidH12931,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
The staff was friendly and helpful. Participants were offered options for their knife style. The forging process was handled well with safety equipment and helpful guidance. I thought the finished products were fairly basic and the lack of finished handles limited most people’s utility. I make handles and look forward to finishing my knife at home. I took a similar course in Nepal and in less time, and for less cost completed a beautiful knife far superior to what was produced here.
Amazing, insightful and rewarding experience
986zoem,
Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I booked this for my partner as he is a chef and have a lot of Japanese knives already stocked up. For him, this experience was really rewarding and I think gave him an even bigger appreciation for the knives he already owns. For me, this also made me appreciate the process but was also an insightful look into knives and a fun physically rewarding experience. The instructors / experts were knowledgeable, friendly, funny and super supportive in creating the best experience for us guests. The price of this definitely reflects the experience of being able to forge and refine your own knife! We had no issues bringing the knives back home when in our checked bags. I'd highly recommend this!
Awesome experience - highly recommend!
Brittany H,
Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This was awesome. Wife surprised me with this and man I can’t recommend it enough. Very fun, and legitimately awesome knife. The staff were wonderful and spoke great English. Definitely do this while you’re in Kyoto. We have only had 2 days there and are glad we spent the time doing this. Great for adults and kids.
Amazing!
L7132DAsaskiab,
Oct 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
An incredibly fun experience with amazing staff! They were so helpful and great fun! Everyone went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time and that we had really cool knives to take home!
Fun and unique experience
Tjaša O,
Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
We really enjoyed the authentic knife-making experience — it’s something truly special that you can’t easily find anywhere else. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the whole process was fascinating. The only thing I would have liked is a bit more detailed guidance on what exactly to do at each step, rather than just general explanations. They did fix things afterward themselves, so it turned out fine in the end. Just keep in mind that the knife you make is more of a souvenir than a fully functional kitchen knife, but it’s still a very cool keepsake. Also, the workshop is quite a bit outside the Kyoto city center, so make sure to leave early to get there on time.
A finely honed experience!
PeterJ633,
Sep 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The staff at the forge are very helpful, especially understanding that most of us have no prior experience blacksmithing or doing anything similar. They instructed us on what to do, and guided us with the goal that every participant will leave with a completed knife, and will finesse any imperfections created by us newbies. But, parts of this is hard work, for sure, and made harder by the fact that you are working alongside two very hot forges. This operation is all very focused on completing the work safely with proper protection provided. The studio is located a little off the beaten path, but well worth the effort to find them.
Fantastic experience
Tangye K,
Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
My daughter (13) participated and loved this activity. She got great guidance and despite the tight space she had a great time forging her knife. And yes, it's a proper and really sharp knife! 😅
A Knife experience that cuts your wallet.
Dog-onit101,
Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
You heat a piece of steel, flatten it with a hammer, and sharpen it on a belt sander. The end result is not a usable knife, more of a souvenir project. At $1,000 for a family of four, the experience was entertaining for a short while but ultimately poor value for money. The additional $50 charge per person for a basic wooden handle at the start set the wrong tone. Overall, while we had some fun, we left feeling the experience was overpriced and wouldn’t recommend it.
Fantastic experience
Karen E,
Sep 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
Fantastic staff who are knowledgeable and engaging. You spend approx an hour forging initial metal strip and they then cut knife shape youve requested. Its then upto an hour to sharpen it, etc on a sanding belt. Finished article is wrapped up and presented in a gift bag. Hold luggae only if travelling back to uk. Had no phone signal from train station so have a plan B for dire tions as its hidden away within a residential area. Only gripe is could have done with more guidance with the sanding belts and safety shoes rather than bare feet would have been good the number of times i dropped my knife. You also get a small photo as a momentum at no additional cost. Toilets and water onsite. Overall a great experience that i’d highly recommend
Real knife making
Kevyn A,
Sep 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This was awesome. This is you hammering out the metal for an hour . Then grinding out an edge. Much more than I expected, highly recommended. This is not a sit back and learn experience, this really is you making a knife. End product is fully functional once you glue handle into blade.