See ink stones hand-crafted at a Nara manufacturer operating for over 450 years
1.5 hour private experience
Location: Nara City
Offered in Japanese, with a friendly Deeper Japan guide interpreting in your language
Meet the Master
What you’ll do
Visit one of Nara's most historic sumi ink manufacturers. Observe the process of artisans making sumi ink by hand. Experience shaping your own ink stone, then take it home after the tour ends.
Who can attend
Children must be 7+
What to wear
Clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty
Availability
Monday to Friday
Session 1 (10:30 - 12:00)
Session 2 (13:30 - 15:00)
Not available between mid-April and end of October. Also not available on weekends and national holidays.
Access
6 minutes by car from Nara Station
6 minutes walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
The Eternal Art of Ink
The flowing, jet-black ink of Japanese calligraphy is both visually bold and elegantly meditative, an art with origins extending back to Japan's ancient temples and shrines. Imported from China by route of Korea in the 7th century by Buddhist monks, the production of ink proliferated, with Nara quickly established as the undeniable center of crafting sumi ink, with the rich forests surrounding the city acting as an ample source of the carbon soot which acts as one of the key ingredients in making ink stones. The process of making Nara sumi ink is the same as it was then, unchanged for over 1,000 years, and requiring the hand-made touch of an expert artisan using ancient techniques. After the materials have been refined, the ink must be carefully kneaded, shaped and dried in a moisture-controlled environment and covered in wood ash, strung and hung in the low-temperature seasons, and then stamped with elaborate decorations to elevate the sumi material into subdued art. At one of the oldest sumi ink manufacturers in Nara, established over 450 years ago, see a team of ink artisans hard at work, shaping the ink stones that go on to form the foundation of calligraphy and ink-based masterpieces, and immerse deeper into this timeless cultural cornerstone.
Cancellation Policy
Please make your booking at least 3 days in advance. See cancellation policy here.
A detailed itinerary will be emailed to you once your booking has been confirmed.
