Kamakura: Meet a 4th-Gen Hanko Master & Create Your Name Seal
5.0 / 5 · 26 traveler reviews
1. Meet a Fourth-Generation Master Visit a working Kamakura atelier with a family craft dating back to 1898. Discuss your name directly with the craftsman in English. 2. See Award-Winning Craft View award-winning engravings and tools. Both husband and wife hold Japan’s First-Grade National Trade Skill Certification. 3. Watch a Live Demonstration See traditional engraving techniques up close and ask the craftsman questions. 4. Carve and Stamp a Stone Seal Carve one character with guidance, stamp a keepsake card, and take both home right after the workshop. 5. Design Your Name Hanko A wooden katakana hanko, hand-finished after the session, is included. Collect it at the atelier about four hours later, that afternoon. Kanji and upgrades cost extra. 6. A Small, Unhurried Morning Enjoy a small-group experience in a private atelier setting. Your host, a Zen monk and engraver, creates each seal with good wishes for its owner.
What’s included
- Stone seal you carve yourself, with guidance from the craftsman
- Hanko case
- English guidance throughout
- Specially crafted wooden seals carved by master artisans—custom-made with your name.
- Calligraphy you write, to take home
- Original pouch
Not included
- Upgraded materials: buffalo horn, premium woods, gemstone
- Kanji engraving / typeface upgrade
- Red INK
- Shipping (if you prefer not to collect the same afternoon)
Meeting and pickup
Just 55 min from Tokyo, 20 min from Yokohama, and a 2-min walk from JR Kamakura Station's West Exit. Turn left, walk down Onari Street, then left at the first large 5-way intersection; we are on the right. Please be punctual — your seal is prepared in advance, and sessions are morning only.
Before you go
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Check the policy for your selected date and option before booking.
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