"Elijah was doing a great job explaining the craft. The workshop itself was held in a relaxing atmosphere. Would definitely come back! Cheers Adrian"
Whetstone sharpening in Asakusa · 40 minutes
Asakusa Knife Making Workshops: Sharpen a Japanese Knife and Take It Home
Traveling Tokyo's workshop puts a Japanese knife blade on the whetstone in front of you. Bilingual instructors show you the angles and the stones, you shape and refine the edge, and you leave with the knife and its handle. Nothing is forged here: you sharpen and finish a knife, in 40 minutes.
From
$91
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.9 / 5 419 Reviews
- 40 minutes Sharpen, Shape, Take It Home
- English, Japanese Bilingual Instructors
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the 40-Minute Knife Workshop Includes
From Traveling Tokyo's listing: the workshop and its tools, the knife blade and handle you take home, and bilingual English and Japanese staff. Payment is cashless only.
In the Operator's Own Words
- Shape and refine a handcrafted knife using traditional tools
- Gain insight into Japanese knife-making
- Take part in an authentic craft rooted in Japan's traditions
- No prior experience needed
- Leave with a handmade knife you created yourself
What's Included
- Use of the workshop
- Use of the tools
- Knife blade and handle
- Bilingual staff (English/Japanese)
Good to know: Payment: · Please note that this workshop is cashless only. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover. · Late Arrival Policy: · Guests arriving more than 15 minutes late may be asked to reschedule their experience, as late arrivals can affect subsequent reservations.
How the Asakusa Knife Workshop Works
Four steps from booking to walking out with a sharpened knife, including the late-arrival rule the operator sets.
Book a Time and Arrive Early
Pick a start time on the calendar; the workshop is in Asakusa and the exact place comes with your booking. Guests arriving more than 15 minutes late may be asked to reschedule, because late arrivals affect the next session. Payment on site is cashless only: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover.
Learn the Whetstone
Bilingual instructors, in English and Japanese, take you step by step through blade angles, stone technique and the basics of keeping a Japanese knife sharp. No experience is needed, and the workshop takes small and larger groups.
Sharpen, Shape and Pick a Handle
You refine the knife on traditional sharpening stones yourself rather than watching a demonstration. The blade and handle are included; recent guests mention a choice of handles and an engraving upgrade.
Take the Knife Home
The session runs about 40 minutes and you leave with the knife you worked on. Keep it boxed and wrapped on the way back, and fly it home in checked luggage, never in your carry-on.
Photo Gallery
The Workshop, in the Operator's Photos
Photographs from Traveling Tokyo's own listing of the Asakusa knife craft and sharpening workshop.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
The Three Main Asakusa Knife Workshops, Side by Side
Traveling Tokyo's 40-minute workshop, BAC's 1.5-hour workshop with engraving, and Taimatsu's two-hour sharpening class. None forges a blade; all three end with a knife you sharpened yourself. The 40-minute session is the short, well-reviewed pick; BAC adds ceremony and engraving; Taimatsu teaches the most. Prices as of October 2026.
| Feature | OUR PICK 40-Minute Workshop | 1.5-Hour Workshop, Engraving | 2-Hour Sharpening Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From about $91 on the platform; knife blade and handle included | From about $150 on the platform; usuba, deba and petit yanagiba cost extra | From about $177 on the platform; knife and tools included |
| Where It Starts | Asakusa; exact place with the booking | Asakusa; exact place with the booking | 1-9-8 Nishiasakusa, on the Kappabashi side |
| Length | About 40 minutes | About 1.5 hours | 2 hours |
| What You Do | Whetstone sharpening, shape and refine the knife, choose a handle | Knife history, choose a blade, sharpen, engrave the handle, hammer it on | Steel types, a demonstration, sharpen on several grits and test the edge |
| What You Take Home | The knife you worked on, with its handle | A standard multi-purpose knife, gift packaging and a key-holder | Your freshly sharpened knife |
| Extras Included | Tools and bilingual staff | Haori jacket, name badge in Japanese, snacks and drinks | Whetstone, stand, apron and towel to use |
| Group and Language | Small and larger groups; English and Japanese | English; watchers pay an observation fee | Up to 8 people; English |
| Access | Wheelchair accessible | Wheelchair accessible | Not for under 10s, wheelchair users or people with mobility or visual impairments |
| Payment | Cashless only: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, Diners, Discover | Booked on the platform; free cancellation 24 hours before | Booked on the platform; free cancellation 24 hours before |
| Reviews | 4.9 / 5 from 419 verified reviews | 4.9 / 5 from 503 verified reviews | 5.0 / 5 from 1 verified review |
| Check Availability | See This Workshop | See This Class |
Other Knife Workshops and Kappabashi Tours
More Knife Workshops and Knife Tours in Asakusa
Three more workshops, from a one-hour sharpening session to a two-hour class on the Kappabashi side, and four guided walks to the knife shops of Kappabashi. The titles are the operators'. Prices, ratings and review counts are the platform's own.
1.5 HOURS, ENGRAVED HANDLEJapanese Knife Making Workshop (Sharpening, Engraving)
A 1.5-hour workshop in Asakusa: wear a light haori, hear the history of Japanese knives, sharpen a blade, engrave the handle and hammer it on, then take the knife home gift-packed.
2-HOUR SHARPENING CLASSTraditional Japanese Knife Sharpening Class in Tokyo
A two-hour sharpening class at 1-9-8 Nishiasakusa, near Kappabashi: steel types, a demonstration and whetstones of several grits, then sharpen and test your own knife and keep it.
1 HOUR, UP TO 10 PEOPLETokyo: Japanese Knife Craft Workshop (Sharpening)
A one-hour knife craft workshop in a Tokyo studio, up to ten people: learn the materials and tools, then shape and sharpen an edge. Guests report taking the knife home.
SENSO-JI, THEN KNIFE SHOPSAsakusa: Kitchen knife store visits after history tour
A 3.5-hour walk from Burger King Asakusa Azumabashi: Senso-ji, Nakamise and Hozomon with a certified guide, then an hour in Kappabashi's knife stores. Any knife you buy is yours to take home.
LUNCH INCLUDED, NO REVIEWSTokyo: Asakusa to Kappabashi Japanese Knife Tour
A three-hour walk from Kaminarimon: Senso-ji, Nakamise and a local lunch, then three or four Kappabashi knife stores with help choosing. Knives are not included; you take home what you buy.
PRIVATE VAN, UP TO 6Tokyo: Kappabashi Kitchen Town & Buy a Real Japanese Knife
A private four-hour Kappabashi tour with hotel pickup by van in central Tokyo: steel, bevels and shops explained, then help packing what you buy for checked luggage. Knives are extra.
TSUKIJI AND KAPPABASHIKappabashi Knife & Kitchen Town Tour with Licensed Guide
A private four-hour walking tour with a licensed guide, met in a set area of Tokyo: Tsukiji market, then Kappabashi's knife and kitchen shops, with Asakusa as an option. You take home what you buy.
An Independent Guide to Knife Workshops in Asakusa
Sharpen It, Finish It, Carry It Home
What a knife workshop in Asakusa actually involves, which of the four to book, what it costs against buying a knife on Kappabashi, and how to get the knife home legally.
The workshop to book in Asakusa is Traveling Tokyo’s 40-minute knife craft and sharpening session: rated 4.9 from 419 reviews and from about $91 on the booking platform in October 2026. You sharpen and refine a Japanese knife on whetstones with a bilingual instructor, choose a handle, and leave with the knife. It is short, cashless and easy to fit around Senso-ji.
What “knife making” in Asakusa really means
Nobody in these Asakusa workshops forges a blade. You start with a knife blade that has already been made, and the work you do is the finishing: you sharpen it on whetstones, set or attach the handle, and at some workshops engrave your name or a design. Then you take it home in a box.
That is not a letdown. Sharpening is the skill that keeps a Japanese knife cutting, and it is the one you will use at home for years. One guest in the Traveling Tokyo workshop wrote about “taking home our freshly sharpened custom japanese knives”; another summed it up as “New passion unlocked!” If you specifically want to heat and hammer steel, that happens outside Tokyo, and knifemakingtokyo.com covers the Tokyo-wide options and the day trips where a blade is forged.
The four Asakusa knife workshops, compared
| Workshop | From | Rating (reviews) | Length | Where | What you take home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traveling Tokyo craft and sharpening workshop | $91 | 4.9 (419) | 40 minutes | Asakusa | The knife you sharpened and shaped, with its handle |
| BAC knife making workshop (sharpening, engraving) | $150 | 4.9 (503) | 1.5 hours | Asakusa | A standard multi-purpose knife with an engraved handle, gift box and key-holder |
| Traveling Tokyo knife craft workshop (sharpening) | $88 | 5.0 (4) | 1 hour | “Tokyo” in the listing | Reviewers say they took a knife home; the listing does not say |
| Taimatsu traditional knife sharpening class | $177 | 5.0 (1) | 2 hours | Nishiasakusa, the Kappabashi side | Your freshly sharpened knife |
Prices, ratings and review counts from our October 2026 data check; operators change prices, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.
The two big workshops are the 40-minute Traveling Tokyo session and BAC’s 1.5-hour one, each with 400 to 500 reviews at 4.9. They differ in length and in how much ceremony comes with the knife. BAC gives you a light haori jacket to wear, a name badge in Japanese, tea or soft drinks, a talk on the history of Japanese knives and swords, a choice of up to five blade types, engraving of sakura leaves or your name in Japanese on the handle, and a traditional hammer to attach the handle. Traveling Tokyo is the short version: the whetstone, the edge, the handle and out. Which Asakusa knife workshop to book lays out all four.
Book by what you want from the hour:
Short and well reviewed
40-Minute Craft and Sharpening Workshop
Whetstone sharpening, shaping and a handle, then the knife is yours. Cashless only.
Check dates →The full ceremony
1.5-Hour Workshop with Engraving
Haori jacket, knife history, a hand-engraved handle fixed with a hammer, gift packaging.
See this workshop →Learn to sharpen properly
2-Hour Sharpening Class
Steel types, several whetstone grits and a test cut, in a group of at most eight.
See this class →Who each workshop suits
A first visit to Tokyo with a busy day. The 40-minute Traveling Tokyo workshop. It fits between Senso-ji in the morning and lunch, it is wheelchair accessible, and the review count is large enough to trust.
A gift or a keepsake. BAC’s workshop. The engraving, the gift packaging and the key-holder make the knife feel like a present, and the 1.5 hours give you time to ask questions. Friends who only want to watch pay an observation fee on site.
A cook who wants the skill, not the souvenir. Taimatsu’s two-hour class covers steel types and stones of several grits before you sharpen and test your own knife. It has a single review so far, and it is not suitable for children under 10 or wheelchair users. The sharpening class guide compares it with the shorter sessions.
Someone who wants to buy a better knife. Do a workshop, then walk to Kappabashi, the kitchen-tools street about ten minutes from Senso-ji. Japan Guide says most shops there open at least 10:00 to 17:00 and many close on Sundays and public holidays. Four guided tours on this site walk you round the knife shops with someone to translate. Kappabashi knife shops explains what to look for.
What it costs
The workshops run from about $88 to $177 a person on the platform. Three of the four state that the knife is included; the $88 one-hour listing does not say. BAC charges extra for its bigger blades (usuba, deba and petit yanagiba). Buying a knife outright is a different sum: Tokyo Cheapo puts Kappabashi prices anywhere from about ¥5,000 for a small paring knife to ¥500,000. Asakusa knife workshop prices puts the two side by side.
Practical: getting there, paying, getting the knife home
Getting there. Asakusa is on the Ginza and Asakusa subway lines. The workshops give the exact meeting point with your booking; Taimatsu’s class starts at 1-9-8 Nishiasakusa, and Kappabashi’s nearest station is Tawaramachi on the Ginza Line. A half day with Senso-ji, the workshop and Kappabashi puts it in order.
Paying. The Traveling Tokyo workshop on site is cashless only. On Kappabashi, carry some yen: one of the guided walks tells you to bring cash for purchases.
Carrying the knife. Japan’s Swords and Firearms Control Law makes it an offence to carry a blade longer than 6 cm without a legitimate reason. Taking a knife you just bought or made back to your hotel or the airport counts as one, as long as it stays boxed and wrapped. Since 2019, unwrapped knives have also been banned on Japanese trains. On the flight, knives go in checked luggage only. Bringing a Japanese knife home has the detail, including the tax-free change on 1 November 2026.
Asakusa Knife Making Workshop is an independent visitor guide. It is not affiliated with Traveling Tokyo, BAC, Taimatsu, any Kappabashi shop or any tour operator named here. Tours are sold by GetYourGuide.
Guest Reviews
What Guests Say
4.9/5
from 419 reviews
"We had a lot of fun and instructor Rio was very helpfull and very kind and friendly!"
"Alberto was fantastic. The class was great and the knife looks great. thanks"
"Krish was so lovely and helpful wit the knife workshop. He made the whole process simple to follow. I would highly recommend this activity!!"
"Had a wonderful experience taking home our freshly sharpened custom japanese knives. Variety of handle options available for selection. Engraving upgrade totally worth it. Our instructors Hana & Krish were extremely friendly and helpful. We had a great time! Highly recommended 😊"
"Really great knife-sharpening experience + engraving as a bonus. Thanks to Akey for his patience and his teaching skills. New passion unlocked!"
"Awesome Akey was a very knowledgeable and patient instructor!!!"
"I love how friendly the people and guides were, making small conversations to help you feel welcome and very calm and understanding when instructing. I really enjoyed it and would really recommend to others!!"
Read all 419 verified reviews
See All ReviewsBook the 40-Minute Knife Workshop
Traveling Tokyo's whetstone workshop in Asakusa: learn the angles, sharpen and refine a Japanese knife, and take it home with its handle. Rated 4.9/5 from 419 reviews, from about $91 on the platform in October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Cashless payment only. Starting from $91 per person.
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More tours nearby from the booking platform. Check each one's cancellation terms before you book.
Asakusa Knife Making Workshop FAQ
What people ask before booking a knife workshop in Asakusa or shopping on Kappabashi, answered in the first sentence. Prices are the booking platform's, checked in October 2026.
No blade is forged: you sharpen and finish a knife that has already been made, and take it home. Depending on the workshop you sharpen it on whetstones, shape and refine the edge, fit or hammer on the handle and engrave it. Guests rate the two big workshops 4.9 from 400 to 500 reviews each. Which workshop to book
In Tokyo, the easiest place is Asakusa, which has four knife workshops on the booking platform from about $88 to $177. They are sharpening and finishing workshops of 40 minutes to two hours, and every one except the one-hour listing (which does not say) ends with a knife to take home. Forging a blade from steel happens outside Tokyo, at smithies in places such as Tsubame-Sanjo. Compare the Asakusa workshops
From about $91 a person for Traveling Tokyo's 40-minute workshop, with the knife included, on the platform in October 2026. BAC's 1.5-hour workshop with engraving is from about $150, and Taimatsu's two-hour sharpening class from about $177. BAC charges extra for its bigger blades. Asakusa knife workshop prices
Kappabashi Dougu Street, the kitchen-tools street between Asakusa and Ueno. It runs about 800 metres with roughly 160 to 170 shops, several of them knife specialists. Japan Guide puts it about a ten-minute walk from Senso-ji. Kappabashi knife shops
Kitchen equipment for restaurants: knives, pots, ceramics, lacquerware and the plastic food models seen in restaurant windows. Kama-Asa, one of its knife shops, traces its history on the street to 1908. Most shops open at least 10:00 to 17:00, and many close on Sundays and public holidays. What to know before you go
From about ¥5,000 for a small paring knife to ¥500,000, according to Tokyo Cheapo's knife-shopping guide. For an everyday stainless santoku, the Japanese Knife Lab guide paid ¥17,800 to ¥23,100 at Kappabashi shops in April 2026. Size, steel, shape and finish drive the price. Workshop versus buying a knife
Kappabashi, next to Asakusa, puts several specialist knife shops on one walkable street. Tokyo Cheapo names Kama-Asa, Kamata and Tsubaya as its big three. Go on a weekday, decide stainless or carbon steel before you walk in, and carry some yen. Kappabashi knife shops
Yes: knives must go in checked luggage, never in your carry-on. ANA's rules say taking a knife on board breaks Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act, and the US TSA asks that sharp objects in checked bags be sheathed or securely wrapped. Pack it in its box, in the middle of the case. Bringing a Japanese knife home
Yes, in checked baggage: the TSA allows knives in checked bags but not in carry-on bags. In Japan, carry the knife boxed and wrapped, straight from the shop to your hotel or the airport, because carrying a blade over 6 cm without a legitimate reason is an offence. From 1 November 2026, do the tax-free customs step before you check the bag. The rules, stage by stage
Only some are: traditional knives such as the yanagiba, deba and usuba are single-bevel, which allows very thin, precise cuts. The trade-off is that they take technique and suit one hand. The gyuto and santoku most visitors buy are usually double-bevel, like a Western knife. What to decide before you buy
Tokyo Cheapo reports that the Kamata shop on Kappabashi resharpens knives from around ¥1,000. Learning to do it yourself costs more once: the Asakusa workshops run from about $88 to $177 on the platform and include a knife. Taimatsu's two-hour class is the most thorough. The sharpening class
Every few months for most home cooks, or simply when the knife starts to feel dull. The knife maker Hasu-Seizo suggests every four to six months if you cook a few times a week, and two to four months if you cook daily. Dry the blade straight after washing, especially carbon steel. Learn to sharpen in Asakusa
Partly: many Kappabashi shops close on Sundays and public holidays, so go on a weekday if you can. Senso-ji never closes, so on a Sunday do the temple and a workshop and leave the knife shops for another day. A half day in Asakusa
Still have questions? Email us at info@asakusaknifemakingworkshop.com