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Making a Hand-Shaped Ink Stick at Kobaien in Nara

A souvenir does not have to come ready-made. At Kobaien in Nara, the nigiri-sumi experience lets you squeeze a soft piece of ink into a shape that keeps the impression of your hand.

The exterior of Kobaien in Tsubaicho, Nara

It is a seasonal workshop, not an activity to expect on any visit. Nara Prefecture lists it for November to mid-April, with Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays closed. An October trip needs a different plan.

Book the experience, not just a shop visit

  • Booking: telephone 0742-23-2965. The prefecture lists same-day bookings as possible.
  • Time: 30–90 minutes, depending on the number of participants.
  • Price: from ¥4,000 before tax; the ink type affects the charge.
  • Start times: from 10:00am, with reception for the experience ending at 1:30pm.
  • Address: 7 Tsubaicho, Nara.

Call with your preferred date and group size. Same-day booking does not mean you should arrive expecting an immediate place; make contact before walking over.

A hand-shaped piece from an old ink-making workshop

  1. Receive the ink ball
    Follow the craftsperson’s instructions at the workshop window.
  2. Shape it in your hand
    Squeeze the soft ink ball to leave your handprint.
  3. Drying and finishing
    Ask about the drying period when booking.
  4. Collect it
    Agree on collection or delivery, including charges and the destination.

Kobaien was founded in 1577 and continues traditional soot-collecting methods. During the experience, a piece of soft ink is passed to you through the workshop window for shaping by hand.

The prefecture also lists a factory visit for participants. Allow time for that part rather than thinking only about the few moments spent squeezing the ink. Watching the moulding work gives the finished object a different significance.

Ink sticks and their boxes used for Japanese calligraphy
Japanese inkstone carved with plum blossoms, a reference photograph
An inkstone shown as a calligraphy reference, not a hand-shaped ink stick made in the Kobaien workshop.

Sort out collection before you book

Ink-making includes drying. Do not plan on making a finished piece just before leaving for the airport and carrying it away that afternoon.

Ask about the completion date, delivery cost and available destinations when arranging the visit. Establish whether your address abroad can be served or whether another collection arrangement is needed before committing to the experience.

A short walk south of Kintetsu Nara Station

The prefectural guide gives a walk of about five minutes from Kintetsu Nara Station; the official Nara travel guide says six. Allow a little walking time to Tsubaicho rather than treating it as a shop immediately outside the station.

If you plan to continue to Nara Park and its temples, the Nara temple-visit guide helps with that part of the day. Fixing the workshop time first makes it easier to fit the rest of the walk around it.

Practical visitor information checked: 5 October 2026.

Information checked: October 4, 2026.

Official sources
Photo credits