Your Own HANKO Name Seal Activity in Kamakura
5.0
16 Ratings
Kamakura

Create your own HANKO name seal in Kamakura, Japan. Learn how to write your name in Japanese and design a personalized stamp to commemorate your trip. Engrave your name on the seal and experience the cultural significance of hanko.

Duration: 45 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Kamakura Seal Shop Souvenir Shop - Create Your Own HANKO Name Seal (Traditional HANKO)
    Your name. Your distinctive seal. Hand-carved in Japan.

In this workshop, we will carve your name onto a HANKO stamp crafted from the finest materials. Handmade by skilled artisans, we use the most traditional and esteemed methods for engraving. A HANKO stamp as a piece of art is completed.

  1. Discover the history and culture of Japanese name stamps.

  2. Design: Choose the type of stamp you wish to create (katakana, kanji) and the font. Katakana fonts suitable for registered seals are recommended. We will assist you in writing your name in Japanese using characters that reflect your personality.

  3. Material: Your name will be engraved on acrylic. You can select your preferred color. (Gemstones, horns, and wood are available at an additional cost)

  4. Choose the type and color of the case (sold separately).

  5. Select the pick-up time (you can collect it any time in the afternoon on the day of the experience).

Please be punctual, as workshops require preparation. Note that it is only held in the morning.

What's Included
  • Acrylic HANKO Stamp Included
  • Complimentary Original Pouch
  • Free Engraving Fee
What's Not Included
  • Shipping - only if you request shipping instead of picking it up.
  • Material Fee - If you choose horn, wood or gemstone
  • Case Fee
Additional Information

A craftsman will engrave a craft HANKO stamp.

Want to know how to write your name in Japanese? Here are some ways to write your name in Japanese and make an original seal to commemorate your trip. Seals are used instead of signatures for important documents. In Japan, hanko is considered part of identity. We will design a stamp and engrave your name on it. The original seal can be completed anytime in the afternoon of the experience!

Location
Kamakura seal shop Souvenir shop
Take the west exit of JR Kamakura station, turn left and walk down Onari street. Turn left at the first big 5 way intersection. Kamakura Hanko is on the right side of the street.　Please be punctual. Because workshops require preparation. Also, it is only held in the morning.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(16 Ratings)
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Nicole_g
Jul 1, 2024
Wonderful experience! - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Carissa_e
May 28, 2024
You won't be disappointed - Amazing experience. You learn about the different types of hanko, the characters and the history before moving onto choosing what your hanko will look like. You can tell the owner, Mitsuhiro, loves his craft. He was very through in his explanations of materials and not pushy at all. I was so excited to learn and have my own hanko made. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
E2525uedavidj
Dec 13, 2023
Amazing experience highly recommended - It was very informative and friendly and they spoke good English and told me all about the history of Hanko which was really intresting. They even suggested where to go while I waited. When I returned it looked amazing and I am so happy with it and I am excited to show to people back home. I highly recommend this to others
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chanda_e
Oct 31, 2023
Great experience! - This is a great experience for anyone who is interested in Japanese culture and art. We learned about the different seals, ink colors, and uses of hanko. The owner was very helpful and friendly and the shop was less than 5 minutes from the station. We're so excited to use our stamps!
Review provided by Viator
Gautam_b
Jun 30, 2023
Decent way to get... - Decent way to get interesting souvenirs. The shop is ~5 mins walk to the south of Kamakura station. They will get the hankos to you in 2 hours or mail them to your hotel in 1-2 days (we chose the latter and had no issues getting them at our hotel). The hanko were very nice. It came with nice velvet pouches and a nice carrying case thar the indvidual cases were in. The default options were good enough for us though we did purchase slightly more expensive cases. Overall the uniqueness of the souvenirs (most of our friends who went to Japan came back with the usual fans, chopstick and kitkat bars) and the nice packaging was worth the cost. My wife and 8 year old daughter felt the same way.
Review provided by Viator
Richardtks
May 28, 2023
A good Kamakura experience - Owner is patience, knowledged and speak good English. Introducing the history of Hanko. Create our design within hours to fit our schedule
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sienasunn
Sep 14, 2020
Great experience! - Great experience! It was husband and I’s 7th anniversary and the modern gift is stationary. We decided that getting a Hanko name stamp while in Japan would fit the bill perfectly. We showed up at the quaint shop and were graciously greeted by the owner. He then gave us a brief overview of Hanko and his shop and we greatly enjoyed the history. We got to pick what type of material and size of the stamp we wanted, which were of a higher quality that what was included in the experience, but they graciously provided a discount. While they were making the stamp, we had a chance to explore Kamakura and enjoy the sites and ate a delicious lunch. Once we returned to the shop a few hours later, everything was ready! The best part was seeing your name translated into Katakana and then morphed onto the stamp. So cool. Overall this was a historically interesting, fun, and beautiful time. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a unique and lovely experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christina_d
Nov 29, 2019
Awesome Experience! - We go to learn about the history and different styles of Hanko. The owner was incredibly kind and helpful. My friend and I really enjoyed the experience and the finished products are perfect! Definitely worth it.
Review provided by Viator
Alyssa
Aug 30, 2019
Fun and Unique Experience - We really enjoyed this tour. The shop owner was very knowledgeable and though he said his English was not very good, we felt he did a great job. Our Hanko seals turned out beautifully!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Noona07
May 4, 2019
Welcoming and Exciting - I was born in Japan but moved when I was young and I am half but I get a lot of upsetting comments or not so welcoming adventures when I try to learn more about my culture. I loved that it wasn't just making the hanko but also the history of it and the fact that I was included by asking questions and interacting with me rather then just speaking at me. I absolutely in love with my hanko, I got the formal one and I would definitely come back and get another.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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