Natural Whetstone Museum: Knife Sharpening and Whetstone-Making Workshops
A program where you can view an exhibition of natural whetstones and try your hand at knife sharpening and whetstone making.
This hands-on museum showcases natural whetstones from across Japan and around the world, including Tamba Aoto and Goto whetstones produced in Kameoka. In the knife-sharpening workshop, participants learn how to sharpen knives using natural whetstones in small groups, while assessing the condition of the household knives they bring. In the DIY whetstone-making workshop, participants select a piece of natural whetstone, shape it, and take it home as their very own whetstone.
Reservations & Registration
- Registration Period & Deadline
- Advance reservations required (no reservation may be required for the DIY whetstone-making workshop)
- Cancellation Policy
- Free up to 7 days prior (excluding payment processing fees); 6–2 days prior: 30%; the day before through the day of: 50%; no-show without notice: 100%
Basic Information
- Season
- Year-round
- Closed Days & Excluded Dates
- Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; Year-end and New Year holidays
- Meeting Time & Hours of Operation
- Thu–Sun, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Schedule
- Meet & Check-in → Tour of the Exhibition → Check the Condition of Your Knife → Workshop on Sharpening with Natural Whetstones / Whetstone Making → Check the Results & Wrap Up
- Duration
- Knife Sharpening Workshop: About 60–90 minutes / DIY Whetstone Making: About 15 minutes
- Group Size
- Minimum 1 people – Maximum To be confirmed people
- Participation Restrictions
- The knife-sharpening workshop is for household kitchen knives only. Specialized knives other than kitchen knives are not permitted. Please wrap your knives securely before bringing them to the workshop.
- Language Support
- Staff: Japanese,English
Since the workshop involves handling knives, stones, and natural lacquer, please be mindful of safety. - Accessibility
- To be confirmed
Pricing
- List Price
- Please see the URL below
https://www.tennentoishikan.com/%E4%BD%93%E9%A8%93%E4%BA%88%E7%B4%84/
Access & Meeting Place
- Meeting Place & Ticket Pickup Location
- Natural Whetstone Museum
15 Kamimae-Nagano, Miyamae-cho, Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture; 1st Floor, Mori no Station Kameoka - Parking Information
- Free parking for 30 vehicles (including several large buses)
Operator Information
- Operator Name
- Natural Whetstone Museum
- Address
- 15 Kamimae Nagano, Miyamae-cho, Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture; 1st Floor, Mori no Station Kameoka
- Official Website
- https://www.tennentoishikan.com/
Area & City/Town Introduction (Kameoka City)
Kameoka City has long been the center of Tamba Province. Toward the end of the Sengoku period, Akechi Mitsuhide built Kameyama Castle, and the city flourished as the castle town of the Kameyama Domain.
Today, the city is home to its “Three Major Tourist Attractions”: the “Hozu River Boat Ride,” the “Sagano Torokko Train,” and “Yunohana Onsen.” In addition, visitors can enjoy nature-based activities such as “rafting,” “paragliding,” and “BBQ at the River Station and Waterfront Park,” allowing you to fully experience the unique charms of this area. The area is also blessed with the charms of each season: cherry blossoms and rapeseed flowers in spring, bellflowers in summer, cosmos and autumn foliage in fall, and sea of clouds from late fall through early spring.
