Forge a Samurai Knife at Asano Kajiya, a Distinguished Blacksmith's Workshop in Gifu

The host was amazing and really knows his craft. Not to mention he allowed me to have a souvenir that I craft with my own hands. Absolutely amazing. 10/10 👏🏾👏🏾

E.W. United States

All aspects of the experience were excellent and well worth the price. Learning from Taro was amazing. He was very patient with all of us and encouraged us to try more than we were initially comfortable with. The pacing was great and I feel very accomplished with the knife I made.

T.Y. United States

The host was profesional, informative and experience. The host is a lovely person, sensitive and cheerful. he took care in explaining the different steps. Our impression was that he put a lot of passion and pride in his work which encouraged us to do our best to forge a knife, even if it was our first time, that respected the standard of the host. Amazing experience if you like to dirty your hands a little and test your skills. We wish all the best.

M.B. Switzerland

It was fantastic. One is a life, that I will recommend to friends visiting Japan.

C.S. New Zealand

The experience was exceptional, and exactly what i was hoping for. Being able to learn more traditional Japanese blacksmith techniques in a traditional-style forge from a master bladesmith like Taro Asano was illuminating. Definitely planning to come back again in future to learn more from Taro san. Loved the experience, thank you!

M.D. Australia

Excellent. Taro was a great and knowledgeable teacher and an all round nice guy. We were very happy with what we learned as well as the end product. The lunch was lovely as well!

J.S. United Kingdom

Taro is a master of his craft. He is an amazing, patient teacher. Getting to spend the day with a master swordsmith was a dream come true.

T.T. United States

I think everything was very nice. Must try! Forging part of the knife where I could hammer the metal and see the knife come into shape via my own hand and testing the knife was exciting. I have a much higher appreciation for blacksmiths now and also really opens my eyes to Japanese blacksmith culture. It really lives up to its name as it’s very famous in Canada Vancouver for knife enthusiasts.

S.X. Canada

Just an overall amazing experience.

A.K. Romania

Amazing! A must do. No Japan trip would be complete without this experience. Our day exceeded all expectations. We are still talking about it 7 hours later. Taro and his wife were so kind and engaging. He is a great teacher and very encouraging as he corrects.

K.N. United States

An unforgettable experience. We had the most amazing day with Taro. He is kind, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable. We learned so much, and his craftsmanship made the experience truly special. This experience deepened our appreciation for Japan’s rich cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. It was a perfect mix of learning, culture, and personal connection!

G.K. New Zealand

A once in a life time chance to have a master of their craft teach you. You spend a day together learning so many new things, all while being amazingly well looked after by all the staff involved. I have no fault whatsoever with the experience - I particularly want to draw attention to the 'interpretation service', as Mr Taro spoke with us in perfect English, so we had no issues at all in communicating. I don't know another way I would have been able to have this opportunity. This experience reinforced my view of Japan and it's care of traditional crafts, particularly the desire to keep these techniques going into the next generation.

E.M. New Zealand

I don’t think I could have had a better day in Japan. Everything about what Taro has set up for the guests is nothing short of an amazing experience.

D.G. Australia

It was an amazing experience, and glad we done it. It is a must do on your list when visiting Japan.

E.Z. Netherlands

It was everything that I hoped to experience and more. Easy to recommend this to friends and I already have. A historical location to learn hands on about the long history as and tradition of knife and sword making.

A. A. Canada

Everything was even better than expected. We learned so much about the process of making knives and feel really proud of our work. Taro was an excellent teacher. He made the experience more personal, not only remembering our names but also getting to know us while sharing such a wealth of knowledge. I love how things don’t feel rushed. It’s away from the hustle bustle of Tokyo. Setting is beautiful and you really feel like you are being immersed in the culture.

D.L. United States

It was an amazing experience for me! A experience I will never forget! The time went past so fast. A once in a lifetime experience!

R.R. Switzerland

The instructor was checking frequently to sure we were ok in the heat and generally- we appreciate that concern. I loved the transformation of the base metal piece through to the final knife with its unbelievable sharpness and the fact that I could do it, but clearly the best instruction was indispensable. We felt we had been taken back in time to samurai culture. We will treasure the experience for the rest of our lives - probably also the highlight of our trip (and there many others but not as special). I would also say it was like stepping back in time to the basic use of fire on metal to advance our capabilities. In detail the process of bending and transforming the metal with fire and manual hammering, followed by sharpening and the the quenching and hardening process, completed with whetstone sharpening to a razor thin edge- that’s what potential samurai knife making will be like. We love going off the beaten path and this was truly it! We felt very welcome and included in your cultural experience that forging represents. You were excellent hosts along with your workers.

A.B. United States

A must do! Customer service would be a 5. Everything about the knife making was awesome! There is no one stand out portion.

A.S. United States

Everything was great, even the high price was worth it. The most memorable part of my trip.

M.K. Iserael

It was an experience that you get to take away your knife with while learning all along the way. Mr Taro's English was also very good. Him and his family are very welcoming. Watching the knives in use after a sharpening session was memorable. It was nice to see the results of the days work.

M.M. United Kingdom

A amazing and must try experience. This experience was wonderful and i’m seeking to learn more about this culture. U think its a fair price and worth the money to spend on the experience. I’m looking forward to return in the future again.

T.A. Switzerland

The overall experience was very good. The Master, his wife and assistants/ apprentices were all very helpful and courteous. Master did a good job of explaining each step and the techniques in English. The shop was great having multiple forges allowing multiple people to be working at the same time. Lunch was excellent. The entire experience and the final product (the knife) is a great memory with a keepsake.

M.H. United States

A very positive experience. An exceptional experience that you absolutely must book. It was nice to observe the process and receive the very friendly teaching from Taro. The knife hardening process was the most memorable. I think because of the dramatic contrast between darkness and the fire.

B.H. Netherlands

Very pleased with everything. Price is always a factor but I was happy to pay the $400+. Great hands-on experience of the entire knife make process from forging through annealing. Taro was a patient and well organized instructor and obviously at the top of his game.

P.A. United States

The experience itself was an incredible insight into a timeless profession. Doing the knife quenching ourselves with our instructor guiding us. The intensity of the forge and culmination of the manual work and effort we had done that day was extremely rewarding. The experience brought us to an area of Japan that we wouldn't have otherwise visited, we got to see and learn more about a whole new area.

M.P. United Kingdom

Amazing, informative and a must do on anyone’s list of experiences in Japan. I loved the workshop space. It is timeless. Our host and instructor was personable, patient and informative, very likable. This experience reaffirmed the richness and the depth of the culture in Japan that I have experienced throughout the country.

C.M. Canada

Super satisfied and happy with the experience. It allowed me to see the unique smithing culture, and experience it for myself.

J.L. United States

Different exciting interesting and worth it big time . Everything was perfect except that as a vegetarian the lunch box wasn’t right for me but I have to say I never told them of my food restrictions so not their fault. The staff were very friendly and professional. The first contact with the fire, holding the base knife into the fire and using the hammer it was totally new for me.

E.G. United States

Memorable end to a two weeks trip in Japan. Our wonderful host Mr Asano and his crew made it a great experience. For a complete beginner, they were great hosts and teachers. I’ve been to Japan a few times and this was off the beaten path for me. While not quite in the middle of nowhere with Nagoya, it was away from the hustle of Tokyo and Osaka. You will be working with fire and it is very much a hands-on experience from beginning to end with corrective assistance. In the end, with the good possibility of a ruined product, you will have a tangible hand made knife you made to bring home (even if it’s in pieces!) Luckily for our group, it went well. If you’ve never made a knife before, it’s an experience! Gracious and knowledgeable hosts. It’s a hands on process with much needed assistance. I’m pretty sure my knife would've ended up a spoon without the help.

S.C. United States

Very personal, a departure from some of the other aspects of the trip to Japan. I’m glad that the experience was longer and not rushed. There were some steps where we just had to wait for a process to take its course, and that makes sense for forging, it’s not very quick. Deeper respect for the level of experience and time that it takes to become a master at something, and for the system of Japan to have standard testing to recognize someone as achieving such a level of craftsmanship and competence in a field. I knew that this was the case but rarely had the chance to interact with it before.

F.S. United States

There was not a single thing that made us not happy. We were all happy. Taro-san was able to explain every steps in English perfectly. We were so impressed with the whole process and his personality. Also, his wife's homemade bento was delicious! He also has a great team. Everyone was very nice. We appreciate Shokunin Waza more than ever. Don't think. Just do it.

M.B. Japan