Chopsticks Making, Engraving Option

Chopsticks Making, Engraving Option, 1 hour, rated 4.9 across 4,252 traveller reviews.

Overview

This one-hour workshop in Gion teaches you to make your own pair of chopsticks, with an optional engraving of your name. It runs at the ZEN Chopsticks Making Workshop, and there is no hotel pickup, so you make your own way to the studio. English-speaking staff guide the whole process, and the listing says beginners are welcome.

The session follows a clear sequence. First you pick your wood from a range of colours and grains, with thirteen types available in total, some included and others costing extra. You also choose your preferred length so the chopsticks suit your hand. Then you set the wood on a stand and carve it into shape with a hand plane, smooth it with sandpaper, and finish with a coat of natural oil. The engraving, in Japanese or your own language, is an optional extra.

It suits travellers who want a short, hands-on activity rather than a full-day commitment. Reviewers describe the finished chopsticks as a personal souvenir, and several praise their instructors for patience and clear instruction. Anyone who wants a calm, craft-based hour in the middle of a sightseeing day will fit right in.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at ZEN workshopThe class starts at the ZEN Chopsticks Making Workshop in Gion. You arrive on your own, as no pickup is provided.
2. Gion classA segment listed as Gion Class, lasting 10 minutes.
3. Kyoto classA segment listed as Kyoto Class, lasting 10 minutes.
4. Kyoto Prefecture classA segment listed as Kyoto Prefecture Class, lasting 10 minutes.
5. Yasaka Shrine classA segment listed as Yasaka Shrine Class, lasting 10 minutes.
6. Back at the workshopThe itinerary ends with arrival back at the ZEN Chopsticks Making Workshop in Gion.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most from this hour in Gion.

• No pickup. The workshop has a fixed meeting point in Gion, and no hotel pickup is offered. Plan your own route there and allow time to find the address in Higashiyama Ward.
• Beginner friendly. The listing states the activity is suitable for beginners, and staff guide each step of the process. No craft experience is needed.
• Short and compact. The whole class lasts one hour. One reviewer called it quick but fun, a good way to fill time and leave with something you made.
• Engraving costs extra. Name engraving is not included in the base price, and premium wood upgrades are also optional extras. Travellers who chose engraving said it made the chopsticks a nicer souvenir, so decide in advance if the add-on is worth it to you.
• English support. English-speaking staff assist throughout, and the listing says help is always available. Multiple reviewers praised their instructors for patience, clear instruction and friendliness.
• Take them home. Your finished chopsticks are yours to keep. Several travellers described them as a great souvenir, personalised with a name in Japanese if you pay for the engraving option.

Common issues. Some travellers say clearer information on fees for engraving and wood upgrades would help, so expect to ask about those add-ons on the day. A few premium woods are excluded from the base price along with the engraving service. Otherwise, feedback is positive, with travellers praising patient guides and clear instruction.

Common Questions