Test your woodwork skills - Very interesting to use the tool to shave a piece of wood into chopsticks. It is good for kids and family activity. There are various wood material with different hardness and color to choose from. I recommend to choose the softer wood otherwise it takes quite some time and effort to shave. It is very fun and enjoyable. A good memorable souvenir to take home.

Hard work pays off - I had the opportunity to make my own chopsticks. First we selected the wood we were going to use and then started to carve it with the tools provided. It wasn't that difficult but some wood types were harder than others. It was housed in a beautiful wood building that also sold regional items. Overall, it was a very memorable experience and I can't wait to use my chopsticks.

Make your own hashi - I made my pair of chopsticks there. You can choose the material from a variety of woods based on hardness, weight, and color, and some even have a characteristic aroma. The manufacturing process, though traditional method, is assisted by a guiding frame and the staff kindly teach you each step. Even kids can enjoy it. They also sell wooden kitchen and office tools, as well as local snacks and some cosmetics, and if you want just take a break there is a cafe space too. At the entrance, you will also find an ashiyu (a mini hot spring for feet), since the region is part of the famous Shogawa Onsen area.

Toyama Shogawacho Authentic Chopstick Making - About 28km or perhaps 45 minutes drive by car from Toyama station, we visited Shogawa-cho famous for its clear waters, we arrived at our destination Shogawa Wood Plaza where we are guided to make our own chopsticks selected from different types of wood dowel including Japanese cedar, cypress etc with each wood different colors and characteristics, also from being hard to generally easy to make. Using a e small plane on a board with four marking (from 1-4) and shape, the teacher marked each selected pair of chopsticks and we make the simple step of thinning all four sides of the wood until it is shaped as a usable chopsticks, even as a non-skilled beginner the five of us was able to experienced first hand the opportunity to create a memorable item, it was really fun to watch how a simple pair of wood dowel turned out to be a good chopstick thru our great effort. After shaping we sanded down the rough spots and finally applied a quick brush of oil to bring out the wood color. It was really a very authentic experience.

Beautiful set of chopsticks as a souvenir - The workshop location with mountains, a giant water mill, and a foot spa is so inviting. We also had a beautiful snowy day to augment our tour experience. The instructor and the guide were patient, friendly and helpful as this workshop involves some hands-on labor. The result was well worth it though as you get to keep a beautiful set of chopsticks as a souvenir. The building also displays a huge collection of wooden utensils, and snacks. There is also a cafe inside the spacious building.