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Tour No. 04

Kamakura: The Swordsmith's Flame

© Zenrise
Tour
No. 04
Area
Kamakura
Format
Half-day
Length
2 hours
Group
1 – 6

Kamakura has kept its temples, its craft, and its quiet for 850 years.

Not far from the Five Mountains, one workshop has preserved a rare lineage of swordsmithing, spanning twenty-four generations and tracing its heritage to Masamune — one of Japan's Three Great Swordsmiths, whose blades were once treasured by the shogunate.

This experience brings you to the forge. Watch as raw steel is drawn, folded, and struck into shape. Learn the quiet etiquette of viewing a Japanese sword, and enjoy tea and traditional sweets before you leave.

Arranged in partnership with Arte Inc., everything is prepared in advance. All you need to bring is a willingness to look closely.

Practical Notes

This experience is arranged for groups of one to six guests and is available year-round. It takes place at a working forge, where you should expect heat, smoke, and the sound of the hammer. Comfortable, closed-toe footwear is recommended.

The route.

01

Pick-up

Complimentary pick-up within Kamakura and Fujisawa cities. For transfers outside these areas, please contact us in advance to discuss options.

Swordsmithing Experience

Observe traditional sword forging, learn the art of blade viewing, and enjoy tea in the quiet of the workshop. Total duration: 120 minutes.

The Masamune Legacy

Masamune — properly, Gorō Nyūdō Masamune — is counted among Japan's Three Great Swordsmiths. His work was recorded in the Kyōhō Meibutsuchō , a register of treasured blades commissioned by the eighth shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune. He is also said to have been admired by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His Sōshū-den tradition of swordsmithing continues today in Kamakura, upheld by the family's twenty-fourth-generation swordsmith. At the hearth, you will encounter raw steel and the patient discipline that transforms it into a blade.

The Forge

At the hearth, steel is heated until it glows, then drawn, folded, and struck into shape amid a shower of sparks. Guests stand close enough to feel the heat and hear the cadence of the hammer, guided through each stage by the swordsmith and an interpreter. This is not a demonstration behind glass. It is the workshop's everyday craft, opened exclusively to a small group.

Sword Appreciation & Tea

Following the forging experience, learn haitō — the quiet etiquette of viewing a Japanese sword: how to hold it, how to look at it, and what to notice in the grain of the steel and the line of its edge. The visit closes with tea and traditional sweets, served in the same unhurried quiet that runs through the experience.

06

Drop-off

Complimentary drop-off within Kamakura and Fujisawa cities. For transfers outside these areas, please contact us in advance to discuss options.

Other info.

Included
  • Guided observation of traditional sword forging, blade viewing, and expert commentary
  • Japanese tea and seasonal sweets at the workshop
  • Professional English-speaking interpreter
  • Complimentary pick-up and drop-off within Kamakura and Fujisawa cities
  • Insurance
Not included
  • Personal food and beverage expenses
  • Personal purchases and shopping
  • Transportation outside Kamakura and Fujisawa cities
Good to know
  • 01. About the Tour
  • This experience is operated and arranged by Zenrise in partnership with Arte Inc. and Masamune Sword Works. Upon receiving your booking request, we will check availability with our partners, typically responding within a few business days. Your reservation is confirmed once payment is completed.
  • 02. Bookings
  • Reservations open two months prior to the tour date. This experience is available for solo guests, but the booking fee is based on a minimum of two guests. Group size, dietary restrictions such as allergies, and transportation requests must be finalized in advance.
  • 03. Cancellation Policy
  • Because this experience is arranged in collaboration with an independent workshop and partner organizations, a unique cancellation policy applies. Changes requested after confirmation may not be possible. Should your schedule change, our team will do its best to coordinate with the workshop and Arte Inc. We strongly recommend confirming your travel itinerary before booking. No refunds are available once your reservation has been confirmed.
  • 04. Weather & Unforeseen Circumstances
  • If the experience cannot be held due to workshop circumstances, including unscheduled closures or force majeure, Zenrise, in coordination with Arte Inc., will propose an alternative date or issue a full refund.

Cancellation, insurance and payment terms in full →

from ¥150,000

Walk it with us.

Tell us your dates and we’ll come back within two working days with the mornings we have open. Printed pamphlet included, English and Japanese.

Book this tour  →