Best Shops In Tokyo's Kappabashi "Kitchen Town"

Above, you know you're in Kappabashi when you see the giant chef. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether or not one is a big food fan (or "foodie), everyone has to eat and that means good food preparation tools are a must-have.

There's a section in Tokyo, Kappabashi, that is known as "Kitchen Town" where food preparation and other goods are sold in a pretty large cluster of specialty shops. I first visited there in 2014 and bought some chefs knives.

Above, my favorite cutlery shop, Kama-Asa Shoten. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Time Out Tokyo has an article on what they consider to be the "best shops" in Kappabashi. The cutlery shop where I bought the chefs knives, Kama-Asa Shoten, is one of their favorites.

They begin the article with:

Asakusa's Kappabashi is a haven for homecooks and professional chefs. If you’re in the market for kitchen utensils, you will want to set aside at least half a day to explore the roughly 800m-long street as there are hundreds of shops catering to every conceivable cooking, baking, dining, drinking and serving need – and that’s not counting the side streets, which have dozens more speciality shops. 

While the selection may be overwhelming, the prices are reasonable. You can easily spend less than ¥100 on a cheap pair of chopsticks and around ¥10,000 for a proper Japanese kitchen knife that you can personalise on the spot and which will last you a lifetime. You will find items you never thought you needed – think mini frying pans for single eggs, spoons in all shapes and sizes, kawaii branding irons for toasts and pancakes, and all the fake food you can imagine. 

As most stores in Kappabashi tend to cater to restaurateurs or wholesale buyers, we’ve narrowed down a list of our favourite shops for casual shoppers, whether you’re a dab hand in the kitchen, keen to learn or just looking for that perfect souvenir.

To read more, go here. 

100 Best Shops In Tokyo

Above, Kama-Asa Shoten is my favorite source or Japanese cutlery and is on the list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the favorite pasttimes for visitors to Japan is to go shopping.

Tokyo has shops specializing in all kinds of goods from toys, cutlery, clothing, books and "you name it" items.

For first time visitors and experienced Japan travelers, Time Out Tokyo has a guide to "100 Best Shops In Tokyo". I've been to many of the places listed, such as Mandarake and Nakano Broadway.

They begin it with:

You don't know the meaning of retail therapy until you've shopped in Tokyo. And to prepare you for the ultimate shopper's high, we've rustled up, oh, just 100 of the best shops in Tokyo, from brand-spanking new fashion shops to a range of both well-known and underground spots to satisfy vintage hounds, decor dreamers, paper sniffers and vinyl fiends. And even if you're just in the market for holiday souvenirs, we've got you covered, too.

To read more, go here. 

Three Shops To Buy Japanese Kitchen Knives In Kappabashi

Above, the giant chef marks the entrance to Kappabashi "Kitchen Town". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In 2014, I made a stop in Kappabashi to pick up a chef's knife for my then-roommate Jessica. It was during that trip I was stuck on a train overnight during a snowstorm.

After I checked into my hotel, I went via taxi to Kappabashi, known as "Kitchen Town", Tokyo to get the knife. Since then, I have bought chef's knives for my daughter and myself at Kama Asa Shoten (or Kamaasa Knife Co.) while in Tokyo. I've also mail-ordered cutlery from them.

Above, Kama Asa Shoten's knife shop in Kappabashi. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Goin' Japanesque has an article on three shops where visitors can buy quality Japanese knives. One of them is where I bought ours, Kama Asa Shoten.

They begin with:

Kappabashi Dogu Street (Map), located in Asakusa, is the number one shopping arcade in Japan for kitchen implements. Frequented by many professional chefs, there are about 170 shops lined up across 800 meters of street. Today, we’d like to tell you about some shops where you can pick up high-quality Japanese kitchen knives. Be sure to use this information if you’re picking up gifts for people back home. Just going to have a look at these incredible knives makes for a great experience.

Above, Jessica's knife from Kama Asa Shoten. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

30 Must-Buy Souvenirs from Japan [2016 edition]

Above, a great place to buy many of the items on the list is at Asakusa's Nakamise Street. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tsunagu Japan has posted their "2016 edition" of 30 "must-buy" souvenirs from Japan.

Some on the list were bought when Denise, Aiden and I went there last October. I have also purchased some during prior trips. Last October, we purchased cooking knives, yukatas and chopsticks (and we received some as gifts as well).

Not on the list, but are must-buys for Godzilla fans, are Godzilla toys. I did purchase a couple of Bandai 1968 Godzilla toys (one for Aiden and one for myself) while there.

Above, the 1968 Godzilla toy I bought for myself. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The article begins with:

Have you ever wondered what to take home as a Japanese souvenir? Here's a list of 30 Japanese things, including food, traditional crafts, practical everyday items, and fun stuff! Look through the list and look for one that best suits you or the person you are planning to give the souvenir to!

To see the complete list, go here. 

Japanese Nickel Damascus Knives

Above, the chef's knife I bought for my roommage Jes a year and a half ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A year and a half ago, I purchased a chef's knife at Kama-asa Knife Company in Tokyo's Kappabashi (Kitchen Town) district for my roommate Jes.

Earlier this year, I ordered two more knives from them. One went to my daughter Amber and the other is at home in the galley of my motorhome.

Each of these knives were in the Damascus style of knives. Many people aren't familiar with Damascus knives. Fortunately for them, RocketNews 24 has an article on Damascus knives.

They wrote (in part):

Moreover, these knives are forged in the Damascus style based on the legendary swords of the Middle East and West Asian regions. Although the exact method of making those blades has been lost, experts are getting closer to reproducing it. Nevertheless, the term “Damascus” is still used to describe the rippled effect in the blades that makes your knives look like gateways to another dimension. 

Each knife is an elegant combination of Japanese sharpness with Western durability and Middle Eastern strength. Their blades are tempered from VG-10 Nickel Damascus and are available in a variety of types.

Above, the model knife I bought for Amber and The Beast.

I can tell you first-hand that these knives are terrific to work with!

To read more, go here.

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.

Asakusa's Tsubaya World Cutlery

Above, knives on display at Tsubaya World.  Photo by K.W. Hedlund.

The next time I head to Japan, one of my goals is to pick up a high-quality cutlery set.  We've been doing a lot of cooking at home and having a good cutlery set would make the whole process a lot easier.

Japanese cutlery is world renown for its craftsmanship and quality. All one has to do is just find the best while there.

JapanTourist, the tourist website I contribute to, has an article on one cutlery store that is located in Tokyo's Asakusa district that is worth checking out.  It is called Tsubaya World.

According to the article:

Starting in 1952 as a family business, Tsubaya now has an international reach, shipping knives all over the world. 

Asakusa is one of my favorite places to visit while in Tokyo.  Tsubaya World will give me a good excuse (although I really don't need one) to head there on my next trip.  Even if you're not interested in buying cutlery in Japan, the article is interesting enough for the casual reader.

To read the article, go here.