[Best Price] Book Asano Kajiya: Make Your Own Samurai Knife with a Certified Swordsmith in Gifu -Rakuten Travel Experiences

Overview

Book a samurai knife making experience with Rakuten Travel Experiences at the best rates online!* Make a Japanese knife at Asano Kajiya, the atelier of a genuine Japanese swordsmith. Based in Gifu Prefecture, Asano Taro is certified by the Japanese government, and one of the few artisans still practicing authentic Japanese sword forging today. Visit a Gifu sword making expert for the closest thing to forging your own katana in Japan in 1 day!

While you’re exploring Gifu Prefecture, be sure to take a breathtaking ride up the Shinhotaka Ropeway!

Highlights

Book online with us to secure one of the limited available dates and times for this experience
Bring your own materials for a more personalized experience
Learn 'kajiya,' the ancient art of the samurai blacksmith, with a certified artisan
Easily accessible at just about 30 minutes by bullet train from Kyoto

Key Information

Important Information

*As of July 2024, our price of 41,000–58,000 JPY per participant, 5,000 JPY for spectators, plus optional 20,000 JPY for private tour is equal or less than any other booking site. Please note direct bookings are not possible.

If you come up at a different time than you reserved, you will be charged an additional fee for the experience.
We will check your email from Rakuten to confirm your reservation time.
We accept only a limited number of people each month, so we recommend making your reservations early reservation
The "Add-on for Non-Participating Companions" option is not available for more people than will participate in the knifemaking experience. (e.g., 1 person to experience, 3 visitors, etc.)
Please arrive at Gifu-Hashima Station via Tokaido Shinkansen before 08:50
You will be greeted at the North Exit by someone holding a sign reading "Make Your Own Samurai Knife"
If you cannot arrive before 8:50, please contact emergency contact number. Please arrive before 10:00 at the latest. After that time, it will be automatically canceled
There is always a risk of getting burnt, so please be very careful. We cannot assume responsibility in case of an injury
To have this experience during holiday seasons a private charter booking is required: choose an option marked [Holiday Season] and the required add-on "Private Plan Upgrade for Holiday Season" — New Year holidays: December 28, 2023–January 3, 2024 — Golden Week holiday: April 29–May 5, 2024 — Obon holiday: August 10–20, 2024
*Please contact the host directly for any urgent matters, such as being late. (+81) 090-9944-1792 (ASANOKAJIYA)

Booking (4 steps)

1

Check availability and select date

2

Choose your option

3

Choose your start time

4

Select participants or quantity

Description

Learning to make a knife usually takes about 10 years of practiced apprenticeship — making a katana or samurai sword takes even longer. But on this Japanese knife-making experience at Asano Kajiya you'll get a crash course in the basics in just a single day! Learn and experience the traditional craft of Japanese bladesmithing for yourself; then, when you're done, you can take your newly forged knife home with you.

You will use the same tools used for Japanese sword making to forge a knife in the morning. Take a lunch break at the smithy, then complete the activity by shaping the knife in the afternoon. Below is a sample itinerary for this experience:

08:50 — Pick-up at Gifu-Hashima Station Samurai knife making 09:00–12:00 — Forge the knife at the atelier 12:00–13:00 — Lunch Shaping Samurai knife 13:00–14:00 — Shape the knife at the atelier Your own Samurai knife 14:00–15:00 — Complete the knife 15:00–15:30 — Experience ends; drop-off at Gifu-Hashima Station

Your host will prepare a lunch for you. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions. If you would like to eat something special, you can bring it with you.

The number of lunch options purchased should be equal to or lower than the total number of participants as lunch is included in the price of the knife-making activity. Please book the lunch-only option for those who will not participate in the knife-making activity.

Transportation Take the Shinkansen bullet train to Gifu-Hashima Station. A free pick-up service is available from Gifu-Hashima Station to transport you to the experience location.

See approximate times from major cities: Kyoto: 30 minutes Tokyo: 110 minutes Nagoya: 10 minutes Osaka: 50 minutes

If you're coming by car, exit highway at Meishin Highway Gifu-Hashima IC and drive for 3 minutes to the station.

[Best Price] Book Asano Kajiya: Make Your Own Samurai Knife with a Certified Swordsmith in Gifu