Japanese Whetstones and Knife Sharpening Factory Tour in Tokoname

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5 hours (approximately)
Offered in: English

Discover why Japanese whetstones are prized by chefs and sharpening enthusiasts worldwide.
Step inside the factory of King Whetstone, a renowned Japanese sharpening stone maker.
Follow the month-long process behind the making of Japanese waterstones.
Learn knife sharpening directly from a fourth-generation craftsman in a hands-on workshop.
Explore Tokoname’s historic Pottery Path, shaped by over 1,000 years of ceramics.

What's Included

Factory tour
Knife sharpening experience
Professional, English-speaking guide
Train and taxi transportation during the tour
Transportation to the meeting point
Personal purchases

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point
Nagoya Station Tourist Information Center

Meet your professional, English-speaking guide at the Nagoya Station Tourist Information Center and travel together to Tokoname by train.

End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 5 hours (approximately)
  • 1
    Tokoname

    1. Explore the Historic Tokoname Pottery Path Walk through the heart of Tokoname, a pottery town with more than 1,000 years of ceramic history. Follow the atmospheric Pottery Path past historic brick chimneys, climbing kilns, the famous Clay Pipe Hill, and small workshops and galleries where the town’s ceramic heritage remains part of everyday life. 2. King Whetstone Factory Tour & Knife Sharpening Workshop Visit King Whetstone, one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of synthetic sharpening stones, and explore the factory with fourth-generation craftsman Toshiro Watanabe. See how ceramic manufacturing expertise is applied to the production of Japanese waterstones. Follow the process from blending and shaping the raw materials through firing and finishing, with each whetstone taking approximately one month to complete. After the factory tour, join a hands-on knife sharpening workshop led by a craftsman. Learn how to sharpen a blade using a Japanese waterstone.

    3 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • This package tour includes statutory accident compensation in accordance with Japan’s Travel Agency Act. We also recommend that travelers purchase their own travel insurance for broader medical and travel-related coverage.
  • A Mandarin, French, Spanish, German, or Korean-speaking guide may be available. Please contact the supplier in advance to check availability.
Supplied by Tourism Designers Co., Ltd.

Tags

Day Trips
Half-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Private Sightseeing Tours
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
Rail Tours
Car Tours

Cancellation Policy

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

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