- Duration
- About 2 hours
- Group size
- 6–50 pax
- Cities
- Osaka
- Indicative budget
- From ¥49,500 per person
Chopsticks are the most everyday object on the Japanese table, and every family member has their own pair. The workshop starts from a rough hardwood blank (maple, cherry or ebony depending on the range). The craftsman shows how to hold it in a jig and work it with a small Japanese plane, which is pulled towards you, to produce an octagonal section and a fine tip. Each participant then adjusts the length and weight to their hand.
There are two finishing options. Natural oil dries quickly, so participants leave with their chopsticks the same day. Lacquer (urushi) gives a deeper finish but needs several coats and days of drying: participants apply the first coat, the craftsman completes the rest and we deliver the boxes to the hotel or office. Engraving of the participant's name or the company logo completes the piece.
The workshop suits groups looking for a calm, focused activity that anyone can do, with no physical demands. It can be held in the craftsman's workshop for small groups, or in a hotel meeting room for larger numbers. It is also a practical way to give participants a gift: one they made themselves.
Objectives
- Provide a calm, focused break between working sessions
- Give each participant a gift made with their own hands
- Introduce Japanese woodworking and lacquer craft
How it works
- 1Beforehand: choice of wood species, finish and text or logo to engrave.
- 2The craftsman introduces the tools, the woods and how chopsticks are used in Japan.
- 3Shaping with the plane, at tables of 6 to 8 with one craftsman or assistant per table.
- 4Oil finish or first coat of lacquer, then engraving.
- 5Boxing for oil-finished pairs; later delivery for lacquered ones.
Good to know
- Fresh lacquer can irritate the skin: gloves are provided, and the oil finish is recommended for sensitive skin.
- Lacquer finish: delivered to the hotel within 5 to 10 days depending on humidity; schedule early in the stay or add shipping.
- Above 12 people, the workshop moves to a hotel room, which we protect and ventilate.
- A light object with no transport restrictions, easy to pack.
Indicative budget
From ¥49,500 per person (private session, small-group basis, engraved gift box included). Group rates quoted on request depending on headcount, wood and finish; interpreter, transfers and shipping optional.
Frequently asked questions
Do participants take their chopsticks home the same day?
Yes with the oil finish. Lacquer needs several days to dry, so we deliver the boxes to the hotel before departure or ship them afterwards.
Can the company logo be engraved?
Yes, on the chopsticks or on the box, from a vector file sent at least three weeks before the workshop. Each participant's name can be added too.
Does the workshop work for a group of 50?
Yes, in a hotel function room, with several craftsmen and assistants spread across the tables. Engraving time is the limiting factor, so part of it is prepared before the workshop.
