Get a Close Look at the Extraordinary Craft of Echizen Knife-making

A private tour inside the workshops of traditional artisans responsible for some of Japan’s famed cutlery

Echizen knives are another renowned craft that hails from Fukui Prefecture. On this tour, participants will gain access to the floors of two celebrated artisanal workshops: Yamakken Woodworks, which makes knife handles, and Ryusen Knives, which makesthe knife blades.

The first stop on this tour is a shop and workshop that creates highly creative, elegant lacquerware handles for these remarkable knives. You’ll meet the shop-owner and the makie artist, and be guided by them as you learn the detailed, step-by-step process that goes into each knife handle. The second stop is the workshop where each individual blade is carefully made by hand. You’ll hear of the history and the traditional methods that have made Japanese knives the choice of fine chefs all over the world. Finally, you’ll have a chance to see the wide selection of knives for sale and test the incredible sharpness of the finished knives for yourself. It’s a tour that anyone interested in metalworking, knife forging, or culinary tools won’t want to miss.
 

Access: From Tokyo Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Fukui Station (three hours), then take the train to Takefu Station (20 minutes). 
From Kyoto Station take the Thunderbird Line to Tsuruga Station (one hour), followed by the Hapi Line Fukui train from Tsuruga Station to Takefu Station (30 minutes). From Takefu Station, it is 15 minutes by car to the Echizen Cutlery Promotion Facility.

Private Echizen Knife Factory Tour（General Incorporated Association SOE）