Seal Carving Class in Otaru: Create Your Own Stone Stamp

Carve stone into a seal that exists nowhere else

Create your own seal by hand-carving your name in seal script onto natural stone called Rohseki at a studio in Otaru, a 90-minute class with an English or Japanese-speaking instructor. You take home the finished stamp, ink pad, and stamp box. The studio sits a 6-minute walk from JR Otaru Station, and a market with shops and restaurants is nearby for after the class.

The experience

Otaru's downtown sits on the route between the station and this seal-carving studio, so the walk there is part of the experience itself. Once you arrive, an instructor shows you how to carve your name in seal script (the formal characters used on stamps in Japan since the Edo period), into a piece of Rohseki, a soft stone that yields to hand tools. The carving takes the full 90 minutes, and the instructor guides you through each step, so children and adults of any carving experience work through it together.

The seal you finish is a working stamp: you can use it on calligraphy, paintings, letters, or anywhere a personal mark belongs. It comes with an ink pad and stamp box, both yours to take home. After the class, the market a short walk away has shops and restaurants, so you can explore Otaru's downtown without backtracking to the station.

What’s included

• Instruction from a live guide in English or Japanese.
• all carving tools and materials.
• the finished seal, ink pad, and stamp box to take home.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (6 to 80 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

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.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Go Hokkaido

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to make something functional with your hands and take home a working seal you carved yourself, not a souvenir, but a stamp you'll actually use.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can I do this seal carving class if I've never carved anything before?

Yes. The instructor guides you through the whole process, and the soft stone is forgiving enough for beginners. Children participate safely with the same instruction, so no prior experience is needed.

What is Rohseki, the stone I'll be carving?

Rohseki is a soft natural stone that carves easily by hand, making it ideal for seal work. It holds detail well enough that your finished seal will work as a functional stamp.

Will I really be able to use the seal I make?

Yes. The finished seal is a working stamp you can use on documents, artwork, letters, or anywhere you'd use a personal seal. It comes with an ink pad and stamp box so you can use it right away.

How far is the studio from Otaru Station?

The studio is a 6-minute walk from JR Otaru Station, so you can reach it easily on foot from the train without needing a car or taxi.

What happens after the class ends?

The studio sits near a market in Otaru's downtown with shops and restaurants, so you can spend time exploring the neighborhood and eating before heading back to the station.