We've tried it out for you! - Make your own Japanese knife!
- Published on : 20/02/2026
- by : Phoebe
- Youtube
Create your own knife in Gifu!
@Japan Experience
Internationally acclaimed, Japanese cutlery is the jewel in the crown of centuries-old craftsmanship. Whether for the quality of its materials, the precision of its blade or its refined design, the Japanese knife is a choice souvenir to bring back from a trip to Japan. And what could be better than making your own knife?
At Japan Experience, we carefully select activities that allow you to discover Japanese culture from the inside. Experiences we've tried and tested ourselves, like our "Make your own knife!" activity at a forge in Gifu. Follow the team: our digital director has improvised as a blacksmith.
Julien, Digital Director at Japan Experience
Julien has been working at Japan Experience for almost two years as Digital Director. His role? Define and implement the strategy for our digital tools to offer our customers the best possible online experience. < < I love imagining new solutions to make trip planning easier. >> he confides.
If the young man's head is in the screens, his heart is in Japan. A country that has fascinated him for several years:
<< I love the complexity of its history and culture, which require curiosity and patience to decipher. What I like is authentic Japan: a small village isolated in the mountains; peaceful inhabitants who have followed their traditions for years without paying attention to the world that is changing at breakneck speed; a small, smoky bar with sky stools on which habitual night owls sit [...]. When I visit, I like these places that allow me to experience a moment out of time. >>
So when Julien was asked to visit a forge in the countryside to make a unique knife, he didn't hesitate for a second.
Julien in Naoshima
@Japan Experience
Meet the Japanese blacksmiths
In a remote village prefecture of Gifu, our digital director was able to familiarize himself with the art of cutlery. Under the guidance of a master blacksmith, he was able to make a knife according to Japanese traditions.
<< First, you need to shape the metal as desired (you can choose the shape of the blade and the handle). >> he explains. << Then, you forge the blade. This is the most delicate step but also the most visual: after heating the blade in the forge, you hammer the metal until you get the right shape. This step takes place in semi-darkness, highlighting the sparks and the red-hot metal. Perfect for stunning photos!
The next operation is hardening the blade by quenching it in oil. This step is impressive, as it produces large flames. >>
This is what Julien appreciated most: << What I loved most was the aesthetic aspect: a small, typical workshop, bathed in semi-darkness, with flames and sparks flying everywhere. > >
Once the knife has been engraved with your name, you'll even get a glimpse of its efficiency: with a single press, it can cut a sheet of paper.
Create your own knife in Gifu!
@Japan Experience
Julien tested our blacksmithing activity in Gifu
@Japan Experience
Blacksmithing activity in Gifu
@Japan Experience
Although it may seem technical, our activity is nonetheless relaxing : << It's a good time to do manual work, which requires precision and care, to clear the head. >> explains Julien. Not to mention that our activity also enables us to learn more about Japanese cutlery, an age-old art, whose origins date back to the 9th century, when the samurai used short-bladed knives for combat.
<< It's a convivial moment in a small group. At the end, we even share a lunch. >> explains Julien. << The master blacksmith is very experienced, and his forge is really typical in a Nagoya suburb ! [...] He's there every step of the way to guide us, show us the right gesture, and explain his raison d'être. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the origins and history of forging in Japan. >>
Although the activity remains accessible to all, our digital director would rather recommend it for a second trip to Japan. << It allows you to discover local craftsmanship. Plus, as it's on the way to Kyoto, it's logistically pretty simple to get there. >> .
Forge your own knife with Japan Experience!
Take a unique journey into the heart of Japanese forging tradition with a hands-on experience in Gifu Prefecture, home of the famous katana and Japanese knives. Known for over 700 years as the center of Japanese blade-making, notably in the town of Seki, nicknamed "the city of blades", this workshop offers you an incredible opportunity to forge your own traditional Japanese knife, guided by master blacksmiths.
The expression "aizuchi" comes from the exchange of sounds that takes place in the blacksmith's workshop.
Wikimedia
Gifu, a little-known prefecture
In the heart of the Japanese Alps, Gifu Prefecture is a cultural center not to be missed on a trip to Japan. The former domain of Lord Oda Nobunaga, it boasts a rich heritage, surrounded by mountains and villages from a bygone era.
If our partner's forge is not far from Nagoya, we recommend a stop in Takayama after the activity. Nicknamed "the little Kyoto of the Japanese Alps," Takayama is famous for its old wooden houses, castle and ryokan with hot springs. Not far away, the village of Shirakawago will seduce you with its unique architecture: thatched-roof houses listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If you're staying in the area for several days, a walk along the centuries-old paths of Nakasendo will plunge you into the heart of the Japanese countryside.
Shirakawa-go (Gifu)
@Erwan Nonon on Unsplash
Julien's recommendations for a successful trip to Japan
To enjoy Japan, Julien recommends spending a few days in the countryside. << Big cities are interesting, but ultimately, the experience you have there is very different from what you can find in the countryside.>>. Especially as Japan's rail network is one of the densest in the world, making it easy to connect small towns with major urban centers.
Among our digital director's favorite addresses, Tenzan Onsen, in Hakone, can be reached in an hour by train from Tokyo. << it's traditional, a little out of time, in nature. >> he shares.
On the capital, don't miss Warakiya, a restaurant prized for its tataki cuisine, a technique consisting of quickly searing a piece of meat or fish over high heat to caramelize it on the outside, keeping it raw on the inside.
Finally, Julien would recommend stopping off at Himeji and Naoshima two destinations you wouldn't necessarily think of on your first trip to Japan.
< < I'm a fan of history, and Himeji is one of the few castles in Japan that is still period. As for Naoshima, it's this original way of seeing modern art that interests me. It's something we don't really have in Europe. >>
New addresses to add to your travel diary!
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