Seal Carving Experience at Kamakura Hanko: Create Your Own One-of-a-Kind Seal Near Kamakura Station

Have you ever wanted to create a one-of-a-kind seal of your own? Designing it yourself makes the experience truly meaningful and turns it into a lasting memory of your trip. At Kamakura Hanko, you design the seal and a skilled craftsman completes the engraving, creating a high-quality seal suitable for official or banking use in Japan. Here’s what you can expect from this unique seal carving experience.

• Kanagawa
• experience

Kamakura Hanko is a long-established shop with over 70 years of history, located about a 3-minute walk from the west exit of Kamakura Station. One of its signature creations is the Tsukino Seal, a good-luck seal crafted using traditional fortune-based design principles. The shop has also contributed to the production of official goshuin stamps for Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.
All seals are handcrafted by skilled artisans using traditional techniques. The shop offers more than 30 types of materials, including natural stones and ivory alternatives, some of which are associated with blessings from local Kamakura shrines. Kamakura Hanko has received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award in recognition of its craftsmanship.
The seal carving experience was created in response to customer requests and has become popular with couples and groups of friends visiting Kamakura.

Head to the Workshop!

Guided by the owner, Mr. Tsukino, you’ll head to the workshop just steps away from the main shop. Inside, you’ll see displays of awards and replicas of beautiful goshuin stamps. During your session, the space is fully private, allowing you to relax and focus on designing your seal at your own pace.

Seal Carving Course Options and the Creative Process

The experience offers three course options: official seals for legal, casual name seals, and hobby seal engraving. Since skilled artisans handle the engraving and finishing, you focus on the design stage. Using a professional character reference guide, you’ll select and arrange the characters for your seal.
The session takes about two hours in total—around one hour to choose your characters and another to sketch your design. Reservations are required, so please book through the official website in advance.

Start Your Creation: Transfer Your Design onto the Draft Paper

Using a professional character reference guide, you’ll start by selecting your preferred script style and copying it onto the design sheet. You can choose from three distinct styles: Tensho (Small Seal Script), Inten (a seal script variation), and Insho Shintai (Modern Seal Script). The older styles offer a more intricate and traditional look. Feel free to mix and match characters from different styles to create a design that reflects your style.

Don’t worry if it feels challenging at first—especially if you aren’t used to writing by hand. Mr. Tsukino provides clear, step-by-step guidance to help you refine your draft, focusing on proper spacing and balance. As you practice, you’ll gradually gain confidence and develop a feel for seal design.

Trace the Final Characters with a Permanent Marker

Once you have practiced sufficiently in the margins of the draft sheet, trace the final characters inside the circle using an oil-based marker. You’ll notice that two frames—a circle and a square—overlap in the diagram, but only the circular area will become the actual hanko (Japanese personal seal). Extend the characters so they nearly touch the edges of the square frame, since the four corners will be trimmed off. This technique creates a bolder, more balanced seal design. If you prefer not to lose the corners, you may keep the characters entirely within the circle, although the finished text will appear slightly smaller.
Carefully thicken each stroke while keeping the horizontal and vertical lines balanced. Once you erase the pencil guidelines, your design is complete.

Selecting Your Seal Material and Case

Once your design is ready, it’s time to choose your seal material and case. A popular option is black water buffalo, prized for its refined and classic look. You can browse a wide selection of cases, ranging from floral to traditional Japanese patterns.
Since a skilled artisan handles the engraving, your part of the process ends here. All that’s left is to wait for the finished seal. For international visitors, the shop can deliver the completed seal directly to your hotel, typically arriving within one to two days.

The Finished Seal Has Arrived

As mentioned earlier, the package arrived in about a week. The elegant packaging creates a refined first impression, building anticipation for what’s inside.

Opening the box reveals the sleek silver seal case selected for this experience. The presentation features a thoughtful case-within-a-case design, creating an elegant layered presentation that reflects the care behind its craftsmanship.

This is the one-of-a-kind finished seal created through the experience. The gold imprint makes a striking impression, with a subtle radiance that looks even more beautiful in person than in photos.

A drawstring pouch is included for carrying your seal, making it perfect for everyday use. Carefully crafted with an elegant finish, it also makes a thoughtful gift.

Final Thought

At first, designing your own seal might seem like a challenge. However, with Mr. Tsukino’s patient guidance and plenty of practice, even those without experience in calligraphy can complete the process with confidence.
It’s fascinating to see how your own name is transformed when written in traditional scripts. With the freedom to mix and match styles, the creative process becomes both enjoyable and rewarding. Whether you want a practical, personalized seal or wish to explore the art of Japanese seal carving, this experience is well worth a stop during your visit to Kamakura.