Sakai - Knife Factory and Craft Walking Tour
5

Sakai - Knife Factory and Craft Walking Tour

By Japan Tour Adventure
Recommended by 96% of travelers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Get the privilege to enter a real knife factory, with over 100 years of history, where the raw blades arrive directly from the Blacksmith. Visit the Sharpening Station and the main office. Observe the blades being turned into proper handmade cooking knives. Learn and practice the traditional Sharpening techniques with a professional and get the chance to order your own customizable knife you can watch being made in front of you. Pour la demande de guide francophone: Nous ne pouvons pas garantir la francophonie pour un tour partagé, car mélangeant plusieurs nationalités, la priorité deviendra l'anglais. Pour garantir la disponibilité du guide, veuillez nous contacter à l'avance. Merci pour votre compréhension. IMPORTANT - 3RD TUESDAY Every 3rd Tuesday of the month, the museum has an inventory and might close without notice on that day. In that case, your guide will take you directly to The knife company and include the history of cutlery while walking, and at the office. Thank you.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 6-100, max of 10 per group
Duration: 3–4 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Japanese, English, French
More


  • One sweet per guest included
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Bilingual Guide
  • Visit of the Knife Factory
  • Knife Sharpening lesson
What's not included
  • Extra Food
  • Shopping and souvenirs


Start:
  • 3-chōme-22 Ebisujimachō, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0985, Japan
    The meeting point is located at the Nankai Sakai Station, East Exit, in front of the Gates. Please make sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before departure time, so your guide has time to check the guest list and give you the basic info needed before the tour starts. Thank you.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Near public transportation
    • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
    • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 157741P6

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travelers can participate
    • While single travelers can book this tour directly, there is a "2 guests minimum" rule to give the tour a GO. in case of a single guest, the session might be cancelled and the guest will be notify as soon as possible, offering a rescheduling, or a full-refund.
    • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 157741P6

    From
    $66.54
    per adult
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    Itinerary
    • 3-chōme-22 Ebisujimachō, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0985, Japan
      The meeting point is located at the Nankai Sakai Station, East Exit, in front of the Gates. Please make sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before departure time, so your guide has time to check the guest list and give you the basic info needed before the tour starts. Thank you.
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Japan Tour Adventure
      45
      Japan
      Joined in May 2019
    • Uri F
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Delicious time with Remi in Osaka!
      We did the ULTIMATE OSAKA FOOD TOUR with Remi and it was incredible and tasty! Remi took us to places we wouldn’t otherwise visit in Osaka and we got to try Kushikatsu, incredible Japanese-Korean dishes, local sushi spot, beer, and more. Remi was friendly, funny, informative, insightful, and great to spend a whole day with. DELICIOUS AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
      Written May 11, 2024
    • takeakis2024
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing authentic food tour in Osaka
      I joined OSAKA - ULTIMATE HISTORY FOOD TOUR and enjoyed so much. Very original program visiting local places with a very experienced guide. I enjoyed variety of foods and all of them are so delicious. Definitely this tour is something very different from popular touristic ones. Well organized,good balance of food and sightseeing, and lots of discoveries about real life in Japan. I felt always welcomed by restaurants we visited. If I traveled alone, I would never be able to find Osaka interesting this much. Thank you for the great guiding.
      Written March 10, 2024
    • laetitiaa
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      incredible food expérience in Osaka
      If you're looking for a tour that combines culinary discoveries and history, off the beaten track, I can't recommend the Ultimate Food tour in Osaka enough. For 5 hours, Rémi showed us the real Osaka, with neighbourhoods where you only meet locals. We were able to eat in restaurants we'd never have found on our own, and it was to die for. Rémi's knowledge of the city's history and Japanese culture seemed limitless and we were able to ask all the questions we wanted and learnt a lot.
      Written February 13, 2024
    • 663cliftonl
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great way to be welcomed to Japan
      Our first trip to Japan. Not knowing what to expect, we arranged for a private guide, provided by Japan Tour Adventures, to meet us at the Osaka airport and help us get settled into the country. Our guide was Remi Lopez. He met us just outside of customs. First he offered to help us exchange currency. We didn't travel with a lot of cash. We had expected to withdraw money from an ATM. He directed us to a nearby cash machine and presto we had Yen in hand. He also helped us buy ICOCA cards. These are IC cards you can use on trains and buses in Japan. They can also be used at some convenience stores. We used our cards a lot. Our hotel was in Kyoto and Remi took us to the Osaka train station and helped us buy tickets. We were planning to travel to Hiroshima from Kyoto on a future date. He helped us buy tickets at the train station. That was really helpful. He took us on the train from the airport to Kyoto. I'm a big rail fan and Remi give lots of info about the Japanese rail system. He even tried to get me into the train operator's compartment when we arrived in Kyoto. That wasn't allowed according to railroad regulations. Oh, well. He is an ex-pat from France and he gave us lots of details about living in Japan. When we got to Kyoto, he took us to the spot where the shuttle bus from our hotel would pick us up. A few minutes later the bus arrived and he even rode with us to the hotel and helped us get checked in. Remi was really great and helped us settle in. He was very informative and friendly. I highly recommend him and this service. It went a long way to giving us a good start to our trip.
      Written October 1, 2023
    • AizaAnte
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Ultimate Osaka foodie tour
      Had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon discovering the rich culinary history of Osaka the "Kitchen of Japan". Our guides were friendly, knowledge and attentive and guided us through backstreets and around the city on the iconic Loopline as we sampled the various representative dishes of each neighborhood. From Kushikatsu in the shadow of Tsutenkaku tower to Yakiniku BBQ in the historic Korean quarter of Tsuruhashi, before settling into a sushi set and then off to a taproom bar of a local brewery. We appreciated that the portions were just right and left us full but not bloated. One of the best memories of our trip.
      Written August 8, 2023
    • Sianmcmillan
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Biking tour in Nara and Kyoto walking tour
      As a large family group of 15 with 7 kids under 8yrs old we struggled to find your companies that would cater to our needs. From the very first email while in NZ to the end of our tour with Remi everything was well planned out and awesome!! We did 2 tours on different days We did the biking deer tour with a visit to the knife shop! Wow amazing! One of our highlights from the trip Kyoto walking tour. Although the rain was there all day, we still got to see soo much and Remi adapted the day on the go so that the kids were happy and we didn’t get to wet, he even chucked in a saki testing visit after the famous temple! We are not the easiest of groups to navigate with all of our kids but Remi was an amazing tour guide, knew so much and was so easy to hang with for the day. And the pre organising of the trips couldn’t be faulted Don’t even bother looking elsewhere cause these guys were great!!!
      Written July 7, 2023
    • tobiashO6845YD
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A great tour for anyone interested in knives, crafts and history.
      Very nice tour giving a insight to the knife history and making in Sakai. Guide was excellent and taught us alot not only about knives but also about japanese traditions and manners.
      Written March 29, 2023
    • michaelsK1644SV
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Many surprises in a modern city
      I thoroughly enjoyed this bike tour and highly recommend it. I pleasantly surprised by the knife manufacturing shop, the museum, the old shop/town office, and the noodles (well, that wasn't a surprise, just very delicious).
      Written March 27, 2021
    • Yassinnaji8
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Sakai - Highlights Bike Tour
      The tour was really fantastic, I enjoyed a lot with different people different languages, it was a nice experience. Hopefully to go again.
      Written January 16, 2021
    • JohnStuartSwan
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Excellent bike tour
      This was a brilliant tour around Sakai and well recommended. The course was great and the electric bikes were easy to use. Great tour and will definitely go on it again.
      Written July 7, 2020
    See all 45 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles27 reviews
    Excellent
    25
    Very good
    1
    Average
    1
    Poor
    0
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    0

    These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
    This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

    checker72
    Heilbronn, Germany955 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Remi took us into the hidden world of knife manufacturing in one of Japan's most famous factories, which is inaccessible to most travelers to Japan. Without him, you are denied access. The masters had to beg him for a long time before they agreed to grant him and a few of his customers access under certain conditions. He is a knife professional himself and will answer all questions. You can also reach him at japantouradventure(add)gmail.com or japantouradventure(dot)com. There is another tour in Sakai (Wada) with knife manufacturing. We were there too, but it is not on his program. In particular, this other experience is more expensive. You do get a kind of toy knife, but I think that is nonsense. If you take the cost savings and buy a real knife here at Yamawaki Hamono, you will not have a toy in your drawer. It was a new and valuable insight into how the masters worked with maximum effort, concentration and dedication, how they packed the experiences of a whole life into their works of art. And they are also ravishingly beautiful, as is beautiful when something is perfectly simple and simply perfect - like a sculpture by Brancusi.
    Remi also showed us the art of making mochi - also a new experience.
    Google
    Written August 25, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for your 5-star review! We will share this with Remi to let him know to keep up the amazing work.
    Written December 12, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Andy S
    Puerto Vallarta, Mexico12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing experience to see some unique aspects of Japan. The tour really takes you to the authentic areas for Mochi and Japanese knife factory. Really a one of a kind tour. The guide was amazing offering a unique perspective on Japanese culture and history. He was an accomplished knife sharpener as well. He was instrumental in helping me with a very custom knife purchase as well. For the same quality and beauty, you will pay 1/3 the price you will pay in Kappabashi District (~25,000 yen instead of 75 yen for top quality knife) in Tokyo and the pleasure of buying directly from the craftsmen. So far, out of a dozen tours, this guide was the best!!
    Written October 31, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a fantastic 5-star review!! We're thrilled you enjoyed the tour with our guide! Once again, we truly appreciate your kind words, which inspire us to keep delivering the best experience possible! Warm regards, Ayumi, J.T.A Team
    Written November 1, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    tracy
    Ventura County Coast, CA12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Remy was a great guide! His unique experience as a foreigner living in Japan provided such insight and helped us to better understand the culture. The itinerary we selected for our private tour included Sakai and the Osaka Food Tour. It was an amazing day that was a highlight of our trip to Japan.
    My husband continues to rant about his experience at the knife factory, and my grown kids loved the food samplings. For me, I was glad to have made everyone happy!! Thank you JTA for such a great day!
    Written April 1, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Max S
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2024 • Couples
    What a cool and unique tour! I don't think my wife and I did anything else like it during our trip to Japan!

    Our guide, Remi, was absolutely incredible! He was very knowledgable, funny, and just plain cool! My wife and I were lucky to be in a group that was just us, so we were able to have his full attention and get all of his tips about Japan, especially how to get around and places to eat (he recommended a restaurant that ended up having the best sushi I've ever had).

    The knife factory was fascinating and provided a great glimpse of master craftsmen at work. After an in-depth sharpening lesson from Remi, I was able purchase a customized chef's knife from the factory and even got to watch one of the senior artisans engrave it to the specifications of my wife and I. As an enthusiastic home cook, the knife is now my most prized possession in my kitchen.

    As a nice bonus, we were also lucky enough to stop by a centuries-old mochi shop and taste the absolute best mochi I've ever had.

    Overall, this was a fantastic tour, and I can't overstate how much my wife and I enjoyed it! 10/10, 5 Stars!
    Written January 7, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for your fabulous 5-star review and sharing your wonderful experience!! We're thrilled you enjoyed the tour with our guide Remi!! Thank you for saying our tour was fantastic and you had the best experience you've ever had, and your review is also fantastic and the best as we've ever had! We really appreciate it and your kind words inspire us to deliver the most amazing experience possible!! Warm regards, Ayumi J.T.A Team
    Written January 11, 2025
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    C2067ZHlaurah
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2023 • Couples
    This tour was awesome! Exploring the streets of Sakai with Remy as a guide was informative and dynamic. I loved the pitstop at a mochi shop, learning the history of the Portuguese traders, and of course the in-depth exposure to the artistry behind Japanese knives. If you’re interested in buying hand-crafted knives or getting custom knives, Remy has built strong relationships with the purveyors of specialty shops that will go out of their way to share their artistry with you. 10/10!
    Written December 1, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    I would like to thank you for sharing this great review about our tour! We are thrilled that you enjoyed your knife experience in Sakai. Indeed, Remy spent a lot of time to create with our parteners. This review made our day!
    Written December 4, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    jrudolph32
    San Francisco, CA2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2023 • Couples
    Absolutely excellent tour, perhaps the highlight of our trip. Our guide Remy was exceptionally knowledgable both about the city of Sakai, as well as both knives in general and the knife factory we visited. It was a nice mix of learning about the history of the area, how knife making became important, and what the process for making knives is today. Getting to see the factory was a really unique experience, and having access to purchase customized knives was an incredible bonus. If you are interested in knives, this tour is a must, and if you are not, this tour will get you hooked.
    Written September 20, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    I would like to thank you for sharing this great review about our tour! We are thrilled that you enjoyed your experience.
    Written December 10, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Sharone M
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2023
    I echo the review below. This tour was outstanding and a definite highlight. Our guide Remi was super informative and you could tell he really had a strong relationship with the people whose factory and museum we visited. We definitely felt like we were getting an insider’s view of a slice of Japanese culture we never could have experienced on our own. Highly highly recommend
    Written March 26, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Merryheart
    Singapore, Singapore8,220 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    There is a saying that everything starts from Sakai where many cultural elements origin here - tea ceremony, Japanese sweets, incense sticks. We came here to learn about the art of manufacturi g blades and different kinds of knives. There is a museum showing the amazing details on how the Japanese use different kinds of knives for cutting different things from vegetables, fruits, different parts of the fish & meat.
    Written April 3, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you very much for your review. Could you please provide some insight on what we should do better to deserve a better rating? We will do our best for all our future guests. Warm regards, J.T.A Team.
    Written November 13, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Poopdogg
    Los Angeles, CA82 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2023
    I highly recommend this tour. My tour guide was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He went out of his way to help me get back to the subway station and even gave advice on getting back to the airport that helped me a lot. The service was beyond all expectations. This tour does not take your money and not care. This tour really cares if you are learning about Sakai and having a good time in Japan.

    The experience was informative about the history of the park, the cinnamon mochi and of course the knives. It is not possible to spot the knife factories yourself if you try to go alone. This tour knows all of the hidden gems and ins and outs.
    Written February 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi! Thank you so much for such an amazing review about our guided experience in Sakai, especially about what our guide did for you that day. We will make sure that he reads your review. He'll definitely be very happy to read that he made his guest happy. Have a safe trip home!
    Written February 9, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Kevin et Axelle
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2024 • Couples
    The tour was really interesting! The fact that we were able to discover multiple aspects of Sakai was a big plus. The combination of the historic explanations and seeing the items/tasting was rich. The guide has a LOT of knowledge especially everything related to the knives and we could feel how passionate he was about the craft. His passion and excitement were contagious. Being able to see how things were made and being able to buy them from the source was also amazing. Japan Tour Adventure is the only agency that offers this tour and we felt really privileged. Thank you so much for the tour and also the bonus restaurant recommendation at the end which tasted also amazing!! 😁
    Written April 23, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

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