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Knife Making Experience in Kochi for Cruise Ship Passengers

Experience making a traditional Japanese knife made of iron and steel in this knife making experience in Kochi, Japan.

Overview

This experience is designed for travelers visiting Kochi on cruise ships such as Diamond Princess, Celebrity Millennium, Westerdam, Riviera, and Azamara. You will have the unique opportunity to create your own original knife through this traditional cultural experience in Kochi.

On the day of the experience, an interpreter will pick you up at Kochi Port and take you to the experience location in a private car.

Under the guidance of a master craftsman recognized as a Tosa artisan, you will make a knife in the style of Tosa Uchihamono, one of Japan's three great cutlery styles. You can take the finished knife home with you. While you will experience the process from forging to hand-sharpening, you don't have to do everything yourself. The craftsman will assist as needed, making this experience safe and enjoyable for everyone aged 11+.

This experience is highly recommended for those who want to immerse themselves in genuine local culture rather than the typical sightseeing tours common on cruise ship shore excursions. It's also perfect for those who wish to acquire a timeless Japanese masterpiece that will be useful in everyday life as a memorable souvenir from your travels.

About Sakoda Hamono
Expert craftsman Tsuyoshi Sakoda trained in Fukui Prefecture, known for its exquisite cutlery. After returning to Kochi, he continued to seek higher skills and knowledge in forging and sharpening by visiting knife specialty stores and masters throughout Japan. Despite the extra effort involved, he insists on finishing knives by hand-sharpening them, aiming to create knives that customers will cherish for a long time.

Schedule

Kochi Cruise Terminal.jpg① Pick-up at Kochi Cruise Terminal(9:00)
Meet your interpreter in the terminal and move to the workshop place by private car.

② Knife Making at Sakoda Hamono(10:00 - 16:00)
You will experience making a double-edged black-forged knife made from iron and steel.
The processs is as follows, and the teacher will walk you through every step:

1. Heat the forge and forge the steel, which is a combination of high-carbon steel and stainless steel.
2. Heat the steel and hammer it out to form the basic shape of the knife. (The handle part will be made by instructor)
3. Once the basic knife shape has cooled, hammer it again.
4. Use a grinder and a manual cutting machine to shape the knife.
5. Coat the knife with clay, heat it, then quench it to harden the blade. (Afterward, the blade will be tempered in a hot air furnace. This is where you will take a break for about an hour.)
6. After tempering, the knife is rough-polished using a water whetstone to thin the edge.
7. Use a belt grinder to refine the polished section.
8. Further smooth and polish the knife.
9. Finally, sharpen the blade using a series of sharpening stones.
10. Attach the handle, and the knife is complete.

③ Drop off at Kochi port(17:00)

【Cancellation Policy】
・Up to 1 day before: Full refund
・On the day: 50% refund

Highlights

Be picked up and dropped off at Kochi Port by an English speaking guide
Do an off-the-beaten-path shore excursion
Experience forging your own one-of-a-kind Japanese kitchen knife
Rekindle the spirit of taking care of things you own by creating something with your own hands
• Keep your knife as a useful souvenir of your time in Japan

Note

・This experience requires approximately 2 hours for round-trip travel from Kochi Port to the workshop location and 6 hours for the workshop itself, totaling 9 hours. Please note that you cannot participate if your cruise ship's docking time in Kochi is less than 9 hours.
・There is a one-hour lunch break, but there are no restaurants near the experience location. Please purchase lunch at a supermarket or convenience store on the way from Kochi Port to Sakoda Hamono.
・The start and end times of the experience can be adjusted to match the arrival and departure times of your cruise ship.

  Price From ¥140,000 / group

2 people: ¥140,000
3 people: ¥170,000
4 people: ¥200,000
5 people: ¥230,000
6 people: ¥260,000

  Duration 8 hours
  Hours of availability

9:00-17:00

  Inclusions

Interpreter, Port pick-up and drop-off, Knife making, Private car, Driver, Parking, Tax

  Exclusions

Lunch

  Participants 2〜6 people

Meeting Point

Kochi Cruise Terminal

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