Prices checked on Sep 11, 2026Things to do in Kamakura
・Learn the history of the hanko in English — and why a personal seal still represents identity in Japan ・Watch a nationally certified First-Grade seal engraver at work, up close at his own bench ・See the traditional tools of the trade and learn how each one is used — the craft, not just the finished piece ・Discover how your name can be written in Japanese, and choose the characters for your own seal ・Not a craft class. A personal commission from a working atelier A craftsman carves your seal — you watch it take shape. Curious how your name looks in Japanese? We’ll show you several ways it can be written, then design and engrave an original seal just for you. In Japan, personal seals have long been used in place of signatures on important documents and remain closely tied to personal identity. Everything is explained in English, directly by the engraver at his workbench — including the tools he uses and the purpose of each one. Your finished seal will be ready later that afternoon.
Kamakura: A 4th-Gen Master Carves Your Own Name Seal (Hanko) lasts about 50 min.
Prices start at $88 per person for this Kamakura experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is 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.. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in JA, EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 5 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Enjoyed the entire experience. From the explanation of the history of hanko stamps to them helping me to actually pick out and customize the Kanji for my name, absolutely fantastic.
Thank you for participating in our workshop. We are very pleased to hear that you are very interested in Japanese culture! Please come visit Kamakura again!
Incredible experience, we were able to learn more about Hanko, choose our kanji, nis materials, finishes... and the result is incredible!!!
Thank you so much for your incredible feedback! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you found the hanko experience "incroyable" (incredible) and that you are so happy with the final result after choosing your kanji, materials, and finishing touches. We hope you cherish your beautiful, personalized hanko for many years to come. We look forward to welcoming you again in the future!
Very educational and fun. It was so interesting learning about Hanko history and going throughout the process to design our own personal stamp.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you found the experience "very educational and fun." It was a pleasure to share the fascinating history of Hanko and guide you through the process of designing your own personal stamp. Your satisfaction is our greatest reward, and we hope you treasure your unique creation!
This includes the most basic hanko... which is a hreat thing. You can upgrade the case and the material that hankos are msde of. The experience itself is amazing. The owner explains everything and answers every question that you make. This experience let's you know a bit more about the importance of the use of hankos to japanese people and different types of hanko out there
We are thrilled to read your comments, especially the part about the experience being "amazing" and that the owner explained everything clearly, answering all your questions. It is our goal to make the process of getting a hanko a meaningful experience, allowing our guests to understand the importance of hanko to Japanese people and the differences between the various types available. We are delighted that we achieved this with you. We appreciate you noting that even our most basic hanko is a great option, and that the options for upgrading the case and material were useful. We sincerely hope you enjoy your new hanko! We look forward to welcoming you again in the future.
It was amazing and suck a fun experience. The store was so easy to find. The customer service was amazing, they were so helpful
Thank you for visiting us. We know you love Japan, its culture and history. We are very happy to have met you. We hope your trip to Japan is a great one. Please come visit us again in Kamakura.
This was such a beautiful, intimate and informative service. The owner is third generation and does exquisite work.
Thank you for your message. We were very happy to meet you. You love Japanese culture. We respect it. Please come visit Kamakura again. Thank you. With gratitude OWNER TSUKINO
Absolutely delightful experience. I was met by the wonderful proprietor who was a very lovely and accommodating gentleman. He gives an explanation of the history and different kinds of hanko, the materials and pros and cons of each material, the colours for the cases and the patterns as well. I was struggling to make a choice (only because I’m indecisive) but his knowledge guided me and I am so happy with the result. It’s a very beautiful piece of Japanese cedar and I love the style of script for my name. It takes pride of place in my home. The quality of workmanship is very high and even the ink-pot is very beautiful too. It is such an elegant gift to myself and I highly recommend it.
Thank you for the experience. We were very happy to meet you. You love Japan and Japanese culture. We, the craftsmen, will continue to make HANKO carefully and do our best to let people around the world know about it. Please come visit Kamakura again.
What a cool experience! My girlfriend and I got our own personalized Hanko seals made of wood. It was very intimate as we were the only ones there so we got his full attention. He said to come back at 2pm for our finished seals and was right on time. Would definitely recommend if you’re visiting Japan! Will be stamping everything with my seal from now on!
Thank you for the experience. We were very happy to meet you. You love Japan and Japanese culture. We, the craftsmen, will continue to make HANKO carefully and do our best to let people around the world know about it. Please come visit Kamakura again.
It was a wonderful experience to learn about how the stamps are created. The owner of the store is very knowledgeable and gives great insight on the craft! I love the stamps he created for us, it will be a memory I will cherish for a long time!
Thank you for the experience. We were very happy to meet you. You love Japan and Japanese culture. We, the craftsmen, will continue to make HANKO carefully and do our best to let people around the world know about it. Please come visit Kamakura again.
Wonderful experience! Loved learning the history of the name seal and about the different fonts. Would absolutely recommend for the experience and an amazing souvenir.
Thank you for taking the workshop. You have a great love for Japanese culture and history. We were very happy to meet you. We hope you will visit Kamakura again in the future.ARIGATO
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamakura: A 4th-Gen Master Carves Your Own Name Seal (Hanko) | 50 min | 5.0 (25) | $88 | |
 Kamakura Walking Tour - The City of Shogun | 3h 30min | 5.0 (143) | $35 | View |
 Kamakura Early Morning Tour Tokyo Departure Available | 6 hours | 5.0 (32) | $70 | View |
 Kamakura Full-Day Private Tour | 6h 30min | 5.0 (5) | $166 | View |
 Kamakura Temples and Seaside Escape by Private Vehicle from Tokyo | 8 hours | 5.0 (1) | $604 | View |
 Kamakura Samurai Legends Shrines and the Great Buddha | 3–5 hours | 5.0 (5) | $70 | View |
 Kamakura Historical Discovery | Private Licensed Guide & Driver | 10 hours | 5.0 (74) | $598 | View |