Japan is celebrated worldwide for its exceptional knives, but behind every fine blade lies an equally important tradition: the art of sharpening.
This tour takes you to Tokoname, one of Japan’s oldest pottery towns, to discover the craftsmanship behind Japanese whetstones and the culture of maintaining a blade at its best.
Begin along Tokoname’s atmospheric Pottery Path, where brick chimneys, historic kilns, ceramic-lined slopes, workshops, and galleries reveal more than 1,000 years of pottery history.
Then step inside the factory of King Whetstone, one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of synthetic sharpening stones. Guided by fourth-generation craftsman Toshiro Watanabe, see how Japanese waterstones are shaped, fired, and carefully finished, with the entire process taking approximately one month.
Discover the precision and expertise behind a tool valued by chefs, craftspeople, and sharpening enthusiasts in Japan and around the world.
After seeing how the whetstones are made, experience their purpose firsthand in a hands-on knife sharpening workshop. Under expert guidance, learn how to work with a Japanese waterstone and feel how careful sharpening transforms the edge and performance of a blade.
From the whetstone itself to the practiced movements of sharpening, this experience offers an intimate look at a Japanese craft culture built around precision, maintenance, and respect for well-made tools.
Meet your professional, English-speaking guide at the Nagoya Station Tourist Information Center and travel together to Tokoname by train.
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.
Travel by taxi from the Pottery Path to the King Whetstone factory.
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 and experience firsthand the precision behind Japan’s distinctive sharpening culture.
Return by taxi to Tokoname Station.
Travel back to Nagoya with your guide by train. Guests who prefer to spend more time in Tokoname may end the tour there and continue exploring the Pottery Path or enjoy lunch independently.
Arrive back at Nagoya Station, where the tour concludes.
Nagoya Station Tourist Information Center
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.
This experience is booked on request. We will respond to the request within 5 days
| Cancellation Date | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| No-show or cancellation after tour departure | 100% of the tour price |
| On the tour date | 50% of the tour price |
| 1 day prior to the tour date | 40% of the tour price |
| 2 to 7 days prior to the tour date | 30% of the tour price |
| 8 to 10 days prior to the tour date | 20% of the tour price |
| 11 or more days prior to the tour date | Free |
Tokoname City