Traditional Craft Experience: Making a Knife in Osaka Sakai - Handle Attachment and Sharpening

Experience the Traditional Craft and Make a Real Knife

Would you like to experience making a knife with skilled craftsmen in Osaka Sakai, the city of blades? You can make a knife with the sharpest edge in the world. Here at Wada Shouten, you can...

・Confirm the actual sharpness of the knife!
・Experience sharpening the knife!
・Attach the handle in the final stage!

Experience the Craftsmanship at the Source and Use the Real Thing at Home

The knives used for the experience are mainly easy-to-use Ko-Deba knives, but you can also try using Santoku and other knives that you use in your daily life. Additionally, the knives for the experience are not B-grade products, so please make use of them in your daily cooking after taking them home! (The craftsman will make final adjustments.)

You can also learn how to sharpen the knife perfectly, so you can do maintenance by yourself.

Experience the sharpness (cut with Sakai cutlery)

Let's actually cut and compare the sharpness of a general-purpose knife and a Sakai cutlery. Is there anything you want to try cutting?

Sharpening experience (also learn maintenance)

When the sharpness decreases or rusts, you can learn how to maintain it by yourself at home.

Handle-fitting experience (mysterious process of fitting without flying off when struck)

Experience the artisan technique of handle-fitting! It's a mysterious process where the handle goes in without flying off when struck. You can choose the handle you like and fit it on the knife yourself.

Take the knife home with you

Finally, after the craftsman makes some fine adjustments, you can take the knife home with you. If you use it with care, it can last for easily 10 years!

For reservations and inquiries, please contact us here.

Experience Fees and Duration

Number of Participants: 2 to 20 people can participate in the experience. Small groups are welcome! (For groups of 10 people or more, please check the bottom right of the page.)

Fees: 8,500 yen (tax included) for the experience fee, including a Japanese knife.
Only the actual cost of the knife is charged.

Duration: The sharpening and handle attachment experience takes about 60 to 90 minutes (time adjustment is also possible by visiting the Sakai Blade Museum).

Available knives for the experience

Santoku/Petty/Deba/Sashimi knives
Other options available upon request.
As some customers prefer to have a higher quality knife as a souvenir, we can accommodate changes upon consultation.
*The smaller the blade, the easier the experience. It may be difficult to insert the handle straight with larger blades. (Please be assured that the craftsman will make final adjustments.)

Free personalized engraving service (Kanji only)
Engraving: You can have your knife personalized with free engraving.
Please let us know in advance, and we will prepare it for you.
It's perfect for "My Knife!" or as a gift!

Location and Access

Location: Sakai, Osaka (1-1-1 Kameidocho Higashi, Sakai-ku, Sakai City), 2 minutes walk from the Sakai Cutlery Hall.

By train: 30 minutes by Nankai Express from Kansai International Airport / 15 minutes by Nankai Limited Express from Osaka-Namba Station.

On foot: 15 minutes walk from Nankai Main Line Sakai Station / 15 minutes walk from Nankai Koya Line Sakaihigashi Station / 2 minutes walk from Hankai Line Komyocho Station.

By car: 5 minutes from Sakai exit on Hanshin Expressway Sakai Line / 10 minutes from Ohama exit on Hanshin Expressway Wangan Line / Along Sakai Odoori, 1 parking space available.

Special Offer! Choose your own knife and get free engraving service!

The knives used in the experience are all genuine Sakai cutlery sold in stores, not B-grade or demonstration knives. We hope you will continue to use and cherish them even after taking them home.
Furthermore, we offer a free engraving service!

Please use the following form to make a reservation or inquire about the experience.

We Make Together!

Ai Wada (90 years old)

Our company president and a skilled craftsman with over 50 years of experience in handle attachment. He is known as a living dictionary of Sakai cutlery and has dedicated his life to the art of Japanese knives.

Takaaki Wada (66 years old)

Our company representative and a true Sakai native who was born and raised in the city. He comes from a long line of knife makers and is dedicated to keeping the tradition alive.

Mitsuhiro Kashiwa (68 years old)

A skilled craftsman specializing in sharpening. He is the representative of Kashiwa Cutlery, which has a large rotary grinder for sharpening Japanese knives.

Fun Experience Photos So Far

Other Requests

You don't need to bring anything in particular. Please bring a camera or smartphone for commemorative photos.

* When returning from Kansai International Airport, please be sure to put it in your checked baggage when proceeding to the boarding procedure.

For Groups

We can also accept groups (up to 20 people).

In that case, it will be on a rotating basis, and you will be divided into groups of 5 to visit and experience at the Sakai Blade Museum.

* The museum is a 2-minute walk away.

* Please contact us for museum closed days.

Also, the experience takes 60 minutes, but it is possible to shorten it to 30 minutes in two places. Please consult with us.

Other: Large buses can stop and drop off passengers on the front road.

About Name Engraving

It is possible to engrave your name on the knife you take home. We cannot do it on the spot, so we will keep it and send it separately.

The name engraving fee is free, but we charge an additional fee of 600 yen for shipping.

For Foreign Visitors

We want as many people as possible to know about us, so we actively welcome foreign visitors. However, we cannot provide foreign language support, so we only accept visits accompanied by an interpreter.

The following is a natural English translation of the Japanese text:

Please contact us here to make a reservation or if you have any inquiries.

For inquiries about the Japanese knife sharpening experience, please contact us via email.