Tokyo's Kitchen Town

Above, you're in the right place when you see this landmark.  Source: Wikipedia.

Besides Tokyo's Book Town, it appears that I'll have to check out another enclave in Tokyo next year: Kitchen Town. I'm certain my "roomie" will insist upon it (since she's a culinary student)!

I just discovered it tonight over at RocketNews24.  I stayed in Ueno in 2005 and spent a lot of time in Asakusa, but this is the first I've heard of Kitchen Town.

According to RocketNews24:

Recently, tourists in Japan have been flocking to Kappabashi-dori, also known as Kitchen Town, before returning to their home countries. They come to the small shopping area located between Ueno and Asakusa, Tokyo in search of a hot souvenir item not entirely unique to Japan. 

For the past two to three years, Kama Asa Shoten, an over 100-year-old shop “bringing together professional cooks and the right utensils,” has seen the number of foreign customers increase. The shop, located in Kappabashi-dori, specializes in crafting specialty cooking knives and it is this luxury item that has foreigners in Japan shelling out several hundred dollars for a single souvenir.

 According to Japan-Guide.com:

You will find specialized stores for dishes, pots, pans, cooking utensils, stoves, tables, chairs, signs, lanterns and more. There are also a few stores which sell plastic and wax food samples, used by many restaurants in their show windows.

To check out Tokyo's Kitchen Town, use the above links.