Kyoto Chopstick Making Class: Shape & Take Home Your Own

Craft a pair of chopsticks you'll actually use

A hands-on chopstick making workshop in Kyoto where you shape, sand and finish your own pair of traditional Japanese chopsticks from hinoki wood, learning about their place in Japanese daily life as you work. The guide speaks English and walks you through each step. No experience needed. You take home what you make, and can upgrade to premium woods like cherry, walnut or purpleheart for an additional fee.

The experience

You arrive at the workshop and begin with hinoki cypress wood: lightweight, aromatic, and included in the price. The guide explains the cultural role of chopsticks in Japanese meals and craftsmanship while you move through the shaping and sanding stages. Each step is guided carefully, so the work stays manageable even if you've never held a woodworking tool before. The session runs about an hour, which is enough time to move from raw wood to a finished pair you can actually use.

The real choice comes at the start: stick with the hinoki or pay extra to work with cherry, walnut, whitewood, or purpleheart instead. Each wood brings its own color and feel to the finished chopsticks. By the end of the workshop, you've got a handmade souvenir that carries both the memory of making it and the practical use of eating with it back home.

What’s included

• Chopstick making workshop with shaping, sanding and finishing.
• hinoki cypress wood included.
• English-speaking guide throughout.
• your finished pair of chopsticks to take home.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 18:00

Book up to1h before

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by With Japan

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and explains each step as you work, so you can follow comfortably even if you've never done this before. Book this if you have a free afternoon in Kyoto and want to leave with something you made yourself rather than something you bought.

Traveler reviews

4.97★★★★★★★★★★

145 verified traveler reviews

5 ★140

4 ★5

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can I really finish a pair of chopsticks in one hour?

Yes. The workshop is built around the 60-minute timeframe, and the guide paces each step (shaping, sanding, finishing), so you move through them without rushing or waiting. You walk out with chopsticks ready to use.

What's the difference between hinoki and the other woods?

Hinoki cypress is included in the price and is prized for its light weight and natural aroma. Cherry, walnut, whitewood and purpleheart each have distinct colors and textures, and cost extra. The guide can show you samples so you decide which appeals to you before you start.

Do I need any woodworking experience?

No. The workshop is beginner-friendly, and the guide walks you through every step. All the tools and techniques are taught as you go, so the focus stays on learning and making rather than on skill you're expected to bring.

Is the guide in English?

Yes, the guide speaks English throughout the workshop and explains the cultural background of chopsticks and Japanese craftsmanship in a way that's easy to follow.

What do I do with the chopsticks after I make them?

You take them home. They're finished and ready to use for eating, and they serve as a personal souvenir of the time you spent making them in Kyoto.