Gion Chopstick Making Workshop with Engraving Kyoto

The chopstick workshop in Gion

The workshop sits on a quiet lane south of Yasaka Shrine in the Higashiyama district, among wooden townhouses and small craft shops. The class begins at the wall of wood samples: some pale and soft, others deep red or almost black, each with its own grain and scent. You choose one, then pick a length. A traditional guideline says the ideal pair measures about one and a half times the span between your thumb and index finger.

Next you fix your blank on a wooden stand and draw the hand plane along it again and again, turning it to form four even sides that taper to a fine tip. Sandpaper smooths every edge, and a coat of natural oil brings out the colour. Staff help whenever you need it, and the whole Gion workshop takes about an hour from start to finish.

Gion, Kyoto's historic district

Gion grew up in the Middle Ages around the approach to Yasaka Shrine, serving pilgrims and visitors with teahouses and inns. It became Kyoto's most famous entertainment quarter and is still the city's main district of geiko and maiko, the traditional performers of dance and music. Hanamikoji Street, with its wooden machiya façades, and the willow-lined Shirakawa canal near the Tatsumi Bridge are its most photographed corners.

Among the best things to do in Gion are an early-morning stroll before the crowds, the lantern-lit lanes at dusk and a hands-on class like this one. Respect local rules: several private lanes off Hanamikoji are closed to visitors, and photos of geiko and maiko should never be taken without permission. The workshop's long opening hours let you fit the class around these walks.

Yasaka Shrine

Yasaka Shrine stands at the eastern end of Shijo Street, its bright vermilion gate facing Gion. Founded more than 1,300 years ago, it is the head shrine of the Yasaka faith, and it organises the Gion Festival every July, one of the most famous festivals in Japan, with towering wooden floats paraded through central Kyoto. Inside the grounds, a dance stage hung with hundreds of paper lanterns glows beautifully after dark.

The shrine is open at all hours and entry is not charged, so it is easy to visit just before or after your class; allow 20 to 30 minutes. Behind it lies Maruyama Park, famous for its great weeping cherry tree in spring. If you are wondering how to get to Yasaka Shrine, take a city bus to the Gion stop or walk about ten minutes from Gion-Shijo station.

Chopsticks in Japanese culture

Chopsticks, called hashi, have been used in Japan for well over a thousand years. Japanese chopsticks are usually shorter than Chinese ones and taper to a fine point, ideal for picking bones from fish. Many Japanese families give each member a personal pair, and handmade wooden or lacquered chopsticks are a classic gift for weddings, birthdays and new beginnings.

Good manners matter: never stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice or pass food from one pair to another, as both recall funeral rites; rest them on a small holder called a hashioki instead. Your own pair, oiled and perhaps engraved with your name, is a practical and personal Kyoto souvenir. Wash it by hand and re-oil it from time to time to keep the wood beautiful.