Kamakura: Meet a 4th-Gen Hanko Master & Create Your Name Seal

5.0 (26 reviews) one hour Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

26 reviews

5.0

Kamakura: Meet a 4th-Gen Hanko Master & Create Your Name Seal — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Kamakura: Meet a 4th-Gen Hanko Master & Create Your Name Seal, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

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.

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At a glance

Duration: one hour
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–8
Guide: Japanese, English
Operated by: Name of Japan. Kamakura HANKO

Ages: Adults (6–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Stone seal you carve yourself, with guidance from the craftsman
Included: Hanko case
Included: English guidance throughout
Included: Specially crafted wooden seals carved by master artisans—custom-made with your name.
Included: Calligraphy you write, to take home
Included: Original pouch

Not included

Not included: Upgraded materials: buffalo horn, premium woods, gemstone
Not included: Kanji engraving / typeface upgrade
Not included: Red INK
Not included: Shipping (if you prefer not to collect the same afternoon)

Itinerary

Turn your name into a seal to use and treasure. At KAMAKURA SIGNET, meet a fourth-generation engraver, carve a stone seal, and design a name hanko with him. The family craft dates back to 1898. Your host, Mitsuhiro Tsukino, is a Zen Buddhist monk and seal engraver. He and his wife both hold Japan’s First-Grade National Trade Skill Certification. Explore their working atelier, see award-winning works and tools, and watch a live engraving demonstration. Learn in English about hanko and their place in Japanese life. With the master's guidance, carve one character into a stone seal and stamp it onto a keepsake card. Take both home right after the morning workshop. Discuss your name and design preferences with the craftsman. He hand-finishes your name hanko after the session. Your wooden katakana hanko is included, with collection at the atelier about four hours later, that afternoon. Kanji, other typefaces, and material upgrades cost extra. Made with good wishes for the person who carries it, your hanko is a personal mark to cherish. Enjoy the experience in a small group in a private atelier setting.

Stop 1
Kamakurahanko

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

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.

End point

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.