Nara Chopsticks Making Class: Carve Yoshino Cedar

Yoshino cedar over a hundred years old becomes chopsticks shaped to your own hand.

A chopsticks making class in Nara where you carve a pair from century-old Yoshino cedar, learn the wood's origins and how chopsticks are used in Japan, then take home your finished pair wrapped in cloth with a deer-shaped pottery rest. The session runs about an hour in a traditional machiya, with a Nara-born guide speaking English and welcoming children from age 6.

The experience

You start over a cup of hojicha in a machiya in Naramachi, the old merchant quarter, where your host walks you through what comes next. The cedar in your hands is over a hundred years old, grown in Nara's forests, and you learn where it comes from and why the shape of a pair matters. Then you watch your host work (shaving the wood thin, one pass at a time) before you pick up the tools and do the same beside them at your own pace. The scent of cedar fills the room as you shape the pair to fit your own hand.

After you finish shaving, your host shows you how to hold the chopsticks and how to care for them so a single pair lasts for years. Your finished chopsticks are wrapped in cloth and handed to you with a deer chopstick rest made of Nara pottery. A souvenir that brings the workshop back to your table every day. Before you leave, if you want to know where to go next, your Nara-born host will point you to shops and lanes no guidebook lists.

What’s included

• Yoshino cedar chopsticks carving experience.
• guidance and demonstration by a skilled artisan.
• the pair of chopsticks you create.
• a deer-shaped Nara pottery chopstick rest.
• hojicha tea at the start of the session.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 16:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 5

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

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Tea Lounge Navi Cafe

Is this one for you?The machiya sits in Naramachi, reachable by public transport, so you don't need a car or a guide to find it. If you're staying elsewhere in Nara or arriving without transport, the location and the one-hour session fit easily into a morning or afternoon between other stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What kind of wood are the chopsticks made from?

Yoshino cedar over a hundred years old, grown in Nara's forests. You learn about the wood's origins and significance to the region as part of the class.

How long does the chopsticks making class take?

About an hour from start to finish, including the hojicha at the beginning, watching your host work, carving your own pair, and learning how to care for them.

What do I take home from the class?

The pair of chopsticks you carved, wrapped in cloth, plus a deer-shaped chopstick rest made of Nara pottery. Both are yours to keep as souvenirs.

Is the class taught in English?

Yes, your host speaks English and is Nara-born, so they can also recommend local shops and neighbourhoods beyond the guidebooks if you ask.