Tokyo: Asakusa Japanese Knife Craft & Sharpening Workshop

Taku was a great knife sharpener guide! He was very knowledgeable and helped us with our class from beginning to end and answered a lot of questions my friends and I had. We had limited experience with knives, so this was very beginner friendly and now we know how to sharpen a Japanese santouka knife properly with a whetstone! I'd definitely recommend this experience for someone looking for a unique experience and lovely + useful souvenir.

Such a fun and unique experience!! We came in not knowing anything about knife making and left with our own custom knife 😭 The instructors (apologies if I misspell your name but aru?) he was super patient and made everything easy to follow. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip and something I’d recommend to anyone visiting Japan!

This was a cute activity. This is my last student summer so I’ve been trying to enjoy myself while still being productive finishing off a couple of projects (all that too say I’ve been stressfully-happily travelling) so this was a welcome calm and mindful moment. Sharpening then polishing the blade, choosing the wood for the handle and getting that engraved, and chatting with Alberto and Seia as they guided us was an enjoyable first workshop for me. We’re also very happy to have the knives as a souvenir. Also full disclosure I was told my engraving would be free with a review.

What a wonderful time we had! Our guide, Leandro, was so kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. We went a little over time but the staff did not rush us at all and always handled our blades with care. We all got engravings on the hilt, and they had four different wood options that we chose from. If you have a couple hours to take a break from Senso-ji, or want to check out the shopping center right outside, I highly recommend trying this out!

Highly recommend this workshop!! My fiance and I had a great time. Satoru was great. His instructions were easy to follow and guided us with each step. The pace was great. now we have an unforgettable souvenir. again, highly recommend

worth the experience! Muto-sensei and Makoto-sensei were good and patient teacher for the knife making class. they also offer engraving to personalize the knives. now we have knives from Japan that we personally made. highly recommend!

I had a really good knife-making experience at ZEN Craft Studio in Asakusa. The activity was hands-on, interesting, and felt very memorable from start to finish. The staff made the process easy to follow, even if you are new to this kind of experience. A special thank you to Ahn and Mato, who were both very helpful throughout the workshop. Their guidance made the experience much smoother and more enjoyable, and they helped create a welcoming atmosphere.

The class was really fun! I went with my wife for our honeymoon and we had to make a stop here. The instructor was very knowledgeable and patient with us! Muto was an amazing instructor. A must visit in Tokyo 10/10 recommend!

An eye opening experience to know that different kinds of knife have different angles to sharpen, guided by a very experienced instructors. Just a note that additional charges will apply if you choose another type of item, i.e. knife, handles, other that what's included in the workshop price. The knife that you sharpened (with your name engraved on the handle) is yours to take home.

The santoku style knife is included with the class, however 2 additional styles are available for an extra charge. same for handles: hinoki is included, 2 other woods are an additional cost. Muto is a great instructor. He shows you how to sharpen your blade and checks your progress often (although we were only a group of three - 6 maximum are taken). Leave them a review to get your name laser etched for free. This was a great experience and we now have useful souvenirs from this trip.