Seki City in Gifu Prefecture is one of Japan’s historic blade-making centers, with a knife and sword-making tradition dating back to the 13th century. In this hands-on workshop at G.SAKAI, a respected Japanese knife maker, you will make your own Damascus knife and take it home on the same day. This is not just a factory visit. You will help complete a real Japanese knife that you can use or keep as a personal piece from Japan. Choose from several knife options, depending on availability and price, such as a Damascus kitchen knife, hunting knife, folding knife, or Chinese-style kitchen knife. Kitchen knife options may include Santoku, Gyuto, Nakiri, or Bunka. With guidance from an experienced craftsman, you will assemble, polish, sharpen, finish, and engrave your name on the blade. A special highlight is the sharpness test with vegetable. You might be surprised at sharpness of your own knife. You will also visit the Knife Museum next to G.SAKAI’s factory, where you can see rare knives and cutlery exhibits. Seki is an easy day trip from Nagoya. It can also fit into a route from Kyoto or Osaka via Nagoya, or as a craft stop before Gero Onsen, Takayama, or Magome-juku.