TOKYO

Kinokurashi Ginza Chopsticks

Craft Your Own Pair of Everyday Tools in Central Tokyo

Create your own wooden chopsticks while learning about material, craftsmanship, and the quiet pleasure of shaping everyday tools.

Art & Culture Experience Traditions

Access

In the midst of Ginza’s polished storefronts and busy shoppers, Kinokurashi Ginza Chopsticks offers an unexpectedly calm and tactile experience: making your own pair of wooden chopsticks by hand.

More than a souvenir, the workshop invites participants to slow down and engage with wood as a living material, feeling its weight, texture, and grain as it gradually becomes a personal dining tool. The workshop is open to individuals, families, and groups, offering instructions conducted in Japanese or English, making it accessible to both locals and international visitors curious about everyday Japanese craftsmanship.

The process begins with selection. Participants choose from over 20 types of wood, each with its own hardness, density, and subtle character. Some woods feel light and agile, others solid and grounding. Staff guide participants through the differences, encouraging them to consider not only appearance but also balance and comfort.

Once a wood type is selected, it is placed into a mold and carefully shaped using a traditional plane. Sanding then allows further customization, from the roundedness of the edges to the smoothness or subtle texture of the grip. The final step is oil coating, which deepens the color of the wood and protects it for daily use. Within about an hour, a simple block of wood becomes a finished, functional pair of chopsticks. Optional name engraving adds a personal touch, making the result both practical and meaningful.

With fees starting from ¥3,980 and lasting approximately one hour, Kinokurashi Ginza Chopsticks is approachable even for travelers with limited time. But its appeal goes beyond convenience. Making chopsticks reframes an everyday object as something intentional and intimate. Located just minutes away from Higashi-Ginza, Ginza-itchome, and Shintomicho stations, the workshop fits easily into a day of sightseeing while offering a rare pause for reflection. It’s a reminder that craft doesn’t have to be monumental to be memorable; sometimes, it’s found in the quiet act of making something you’ll use routinely as you go about your day.

Address

Inside Kinokurashi Ginza Store, GINZA-2 1F, 2-9-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Phone number

+81-3-6228-6680

Business hours

9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Last admission: 6:00 p.m.)

WEB site

https://ginzabashi.com/