Tokyo: Asakusa Japanese Knife Craft & Sharpening Workshop

I was so lucky to get Rio as my teacher! so cool and kind and did extra nice things like good pictures and video for me. I'm so happy and grateful! thank you Rio & Japanese craft studio Zen!

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!

My 16-year-old son Nathan took a knife sharpening class at Zen Craft Studio in Asakusa with Instructor Alberto, and it was fantastic! Alberto was incredibly patient and taught the sharpening techniques in a simple, interactive way. The entire session was conducted in fluent English, making it completely stress-free for tourists. Taking home the Japanese knife he worked on is the ultimate practical souvenir, and the skills he learned will be very useful in our kitchen back home. Highly recommended!

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

Wonderful workshop sharpening and assembling a knife. We were the only ones in the workshop so it was very personal, and Kumiko was a lovely, friendly instructor and took great care in ensuring our knives were sharpened well! English friendly activity. Some handles and knives are an upgrade and cost more, however the included options for each are great.

100% recommend this experience. The entire process was fun, and also relaxing! It wasn’t hard and anyone can do it. Elijah was our instructor and he is so nice and friendly! He was very patient and helped us every step of the way. He was so nice to talk to and gave us restaurant recommendations. The knives are beautiful and they also engrave them. This was the highlight of our trip!

​An unforgettable hands-on experience in Japan! Taking this Japanese knife sharpening workshop was easily one of the best decisions we made on our trip. Learning the traditional art of sharpening on whetstones directly from an expert gave us practical skills we’ll use for years to come—and leaving with our own knife made it the most meaningful souvenir from Japan. ​A huge thank-you to our instructor, Ann! Her English is fantastic, and she made everything clear, engaging, and so much fun. She was incredibly patient with every step, making sure our technique and angles were spot on. ​If you are looking for an authentic, educational, and fun craft workshop, don't miss this. Highly recommended!

I came solo for a cutural experience without knowing what to expect. Hana and Elijah are awesome instructors. They were super insightful, and extremely patient! I had a fun time, and I’d recommend this experience to anyone who’s looking for a good cultural experience.

This was a great class to learn about sharpening & traveling care of Japanese knives while you make your own. Rio was great at assisting in the sharpening & very knowledgeable about Japanese knives, history & care. Great class & a great value