Japanese Knife Forging Apprenticeship
The Apprenticeship Series
Step into the life of a Japanese knife smith.
Four days in a working forge in Sakai or Seki. Fire, hammer, water, stone. You leave with a knife you forged yourself, with your name on the blade.
Limited cohorts each year. Request your dates above. We reply within 48 hours, no card required.
Step into the life of
A working forge in Sakai or Seki.
Sakai is where the Japanese kitchen knife was perfected. Seki is the old samurai sword town now making some of the world's best blades. Your host is a working blacksmith. Their day is hot, loud and physical.
Four days takes you from a steel billet to a finished single-bevel knife. The smith makes the cuts that matter; you do everything else, under their eye.
What you will do
Fire to blade in four days.
This is not a workshop class. It is a working forge. The day starts at six. The fire is hot.
- Heat steel in the forge and hammer it into shape
- Quench in oil or water for hardness
- Sharpen on Japanese water stones (800 to 6000 grit)
- Set the wooden handle and ferrule
- Stamp your name on the blade with the smith's chisels
The six steps
Billet to finished knife.
Step 01
Heat
Bring the steel to forging temperature in the coal forge.
Step 02
Forge
Hammer the billet into the rough shape of a blade.
Step 03
Grind
Grind the bevel. Single-bevel for traditional Japanese style.
Step 04
Quench
Heat-treat and quench. The most important moment.
Step 05
Sharpen
Water stones, 800 to 6000 grit. Hours of hand work.
Step 06
Finish
Set the handle. Stamp your name. Done.
"Every host on Apprenti Trips is someone we have met in person and would send our own family to. If we cannot stand behind them, the trip does not exist."
Who it is for
This is not for tourists. It is for the most curious of minds, the restless ones who come alive when the world opens from the inside.
You must be over 18, fit enough to stand at a forge for several hours, and willing to follow safety instruction precisely. No prior metalwork experience required.
What is included
What is included.
Included
- Four days in the working forge
- All steel, materials, tools and protective wear
- The finished knife (carbon-steel single bevel)
- Customs paperwork for the knife (subject to your country)
- Lunch at the forge each day; one dinner with the smith
Not included
- Flights to Japan
- Accommodation
- Most meals
At a glance
- Location
- Sakai (Osaka prefecture) or Seki (Gifu prefecture)
- Duration
- Four days, forge hours (six to five)
- Group size
- One to two apprentices
- Price
- From USD $1,690, all-inclusive
- Language
- Japanese; English interpreter on site
- Best season
- Year-round, avoid Obon (mid-August)
- Not included
- Flights, accommodation, most meals.
Questions
Common questions, plainly answered.
Do I need experience?
No. Our hosts work with adults of all levels. What matters is curiosity, presence, and willingness to slow down. Technical skill comes from being in the room.
When do I pay?
Never on inquiry. You submit your request, we confirm availability within 48 hours, and only then do we share a quote and payment link. Inquiring is free.
What if my dates change?
Date changes are flexible up to 60 days before your start date, no charge. Inside 60 days we work case by case with the host. We have never refused a reasonable change.
I am traveling solo, is that fine?
Yes. Most apprentices come alone. Group size is one to two, so you will not be lost in a crowd. This trip is well suited to solo travelers.
Is travel insurance included?
No. We require apprentices to carry their own travel insurance covering trip cancellation and emergency medical care. We can recommend trusted providers on request.
Ready to step in?
Request dates with the form above. No card required to inquire. We reply within 48 hours, with a real answer.