3- and 6-aminosugars are common motifs in bioactive compounds playing pivotal roles in the bioactivity of the core molecules to which they are attached. However, de novo synthesis of 3- and 6-aminosugars and their corresponding glycosyl donors can be time and resource consuming. The reported acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of kanamycin derivatives offers an alternative route to the synthesis of these molecules. Not only can the 3- and 6-aminosugars be provided, but the direct chemical glycosyltransferation of these aminosugars is proven feasible.