Kappabashi Dougugai Kitchen Town

Forget about Don Quijote , Bic Camera and all other taxfree souvenirs stores, THIS is where you need to start shopping before you leave. As the name suggests this whole area is dedicated to Kitchenware, but it’s not limited to chopsticks and plates, it has also everything needed for restaurants, which means it also has plenty of decoration items that you will enjoy using at home or simply gifting to relatives. Not all stores are taxfree so make sure to ask before buying anything expensive. But even those who aren’t will offer some high quality items that might be worth the full price. Do yourself a favor, hit Kappabashi before going to a shopping spree in Don Quijote.

Come here to buy kitchen wares. Tourist area too surprising..guess many housewife, Top chefs from around the world like to come here for quality kitchen wares or its just cheaper. Iconic building with a large giant CHEF with top hat cannot miss it. By the time we finished walking this street, it was sunset...beautiful. and local street food was already there open for business.

Kappabashi Dōgugai is a long (800 m), specialised street between devoted almost entirely to kitchenware and restaurant supplies. For more than a century it has served as the city’s professional culinary district, with shops selling everything from Japanese knives and ceramics to baking tools, bar equipment and the well-known plastic food replicas displayed in restaurant windows. Although its primary clientele are chefs and restaurateurs, many shops welcome individual visitors and offer items that are difficult to find elsewhere in Tokyo. The street has its own rhythm: each shop is highly specialised, often run by long-established families, and the atmosphere feels more like a working district than a tourist area. During my visit I was especially pleased to find a shop dedicated entirely to noren, the traditional fabric curtains hung above doorways. I was able to buy exactly the pattern I had imagined, which made the walk through Kappabashi one of the most satisfying moments of the day.

One of my favourite places in the city & probably on Earth. Amateur cooks & commercial restauranteurs will find every kitchen item possible. Ceramic dishware and other souvenirs even for those who hate cooking along the entire stretch. Niche kitchen equipment like strawberry leaf pluckers to explore. Non perishable food items. Etc etc etc. Each shop is stunningly well organized as well so you won’t waste time looking for specific items, just exploring the vast range of it. This place is rare in that every time you go back, there is something new. Within walking distance of Senso-ji so it’s well located for the tourist travelling as well.

Many many kitchen and restaurants related shops here, spend a good few hours here slowly waking along and going into multiple shops to have a look around. If you're looking for Japanese restaurants related items, here is the best place to come. It feels like all the Japanese restaurants come to this street to buy their signs, knives, dinnerware, bill book, ticket vending machine, uniforms, aprons and ect.

Totally obsessed with Kappabashi Street. Every corner has something fun to look at. All shelves full of ceramics, endless kitchen tools, baking moulds, chopstick holders, food displays, everything you didn’t know you needed. I kept thinking I’d only browse for a bit, but I ended up wandering from shop to shop because there’s just so much variety and every store feels different. It’s the kind of place where you lose track of time without even realizing it. Honestly one of my favourite stops this trip, and I’d come back again in a heartbeat

Love this street!! So many things to look and buy, also a walkable distance to Asakusa. Highly recommended for people looking to get some kitchenwares :))

Many many specialty cooking supply stores, knife makers, baking molds, cooking cutters, ceramics, uniforms, fabric hangings, plastic display foods, paper lanterns, "A"" frames, mennnu covers. And much more.

Not sure if I am on the correct Yelp page to Kappabashi Kitchen Street but here I go. One of my goals for Japan was to buy handmade Japanese chef knife so Kappabashi Kitchen Street is the place to go. It is a long street packed shops with kitchen ware and the most popular items are Japanese kitchen knives. After awhile they appeared the same. I learned about the different grades of steel, but I knew I wanted a Damascus blade because they are beautiful. So many choices for knife handles. Some places engrave your knife. English is spoken. I stayed away from the larger showrooms as you are paying for their overhead and you are dealing more with sales people working on commission, tourists are drawn to those places and you have to wait for help. People gravitate to bright shiny things. I saw interesting looking tabletop grills they were priced reasonably. I may order one online, I just wanted to stay focused on a chef knife. I narrowed my choices to about three and bought knife at Mei-Syou Hamono and purchased Haonsaku with AUS10 blade grade for 32K yen = $219, I may have misspelled the name of the knife. This was a small place and provided great customer service. They had me slice a piece of Styrofoam and knife cut it like butter. Gonna have to be careful when I cook with it. I wanted to rate this business but did not come up on Yelp. You can bring back the knives as long as they are in your check-in bag at the airport. I wanna to go back early in the morning and buy another knife in the future. Half a day was not long enough to browse if you have a passion for cooking, this place is heaven. I love Japan.

Kappabashi kitchen street in Tokyo is a must visit if you're into cooking and want to get some handcrafted kitchenware and knives during your trip to Japan. Located close to the Asakusa district, the streets are lined with shops all selling local kitchenware. You can expect to find hand crafted matcha bowls, tools, matcha stands, ramen bowls, chopsticks and more. Most tourists come here for their specialty knives that you can get customized and engraved. I came looking for mostly matcha items but would find that the handmade matcha bowls cost over $150+ CAD! You can also find cute one of a kind chopstick holders here, which make for great souvenirs!

Kappabashi culinary heaven....a street full of everything a chef or home cook wants, and more. Knives? Huge selection and they engrave for you. Sake cups? Too many to choose from. Miso bowls? Every colour of lacquer you can imagine. Kitchen gadgets? Every one known to mankind. Ladles? Small to massive. Teapots? Japanese or Western, you choose. Sake bottles? Enough to make the whole of Japan drunk for a week. Spend over 5500 yen? Tax free :) What did I buy you may ask? Knives - I got a great deal on 3 different sized knives, tax free, boxed with matching sheaths for hubby and they were fantastic to work with and spoke English, thankfully Burners - I loved our traditional onsen meals using burners on the table, especially for soups and I spied some silver beaten bowls over black burner holders and had to have them. You need to buy the candles or burners in your own country, but we had a lovely udon noodle soup once I was home Sake bottle - I spied a lovely see through traditionally shaped bottle with pink and green splashes in the glass and a dimple for your thumb. It was at the beginning of my wandering and I thought I would see what else was available before I bought it. Bad decision :( I forgot to go back and buy it...sob. So now I have to return to Japan to buy it :) Give yourself at least half a day in this small but overwhelming district, take water and cash, and visit the restroom before you go. Oh and take a small case or bag so you can carry your treasure back with you easily.

Kappabashi Dogugai is one of those "oh, I should have made a list" places that I happened upon during my recent trip to Japan, and it's yet another one of those places where you can go 300 miles and an inch deep, or you can spend 3 hours staring at one thing trying to figure out if you would like to drag it back stateside. I need a list of things that I need to look for, how much they should cost, whether it's worth valuable luggage space, and how much more I would pay stateside...that is, if it's even available at all. Originally kappabashi (合羽橋) meant raincoat bridge, but kappa is pronounced the same way as the mischevious (but often friendly or helpful) minor diety of "river-child" (河童 or かっぱ in hirigana) in Japanese folklore, and it's featured in a cartoonish, duck-liked form as the mascot of the area. The local temple (Kappa-dera) is in fact often blessed by parishioners making offerings of cucumbers, which are used in folklore to earn favors from the little dieties. So, what exactly is Kappabashi Dogugai (Kappabashi equipment street)? Well, it's slightly to the north of Asakusa and is the restaurant supplier street in the Shitamachi (lower districts) side of Tokyo - it's about a 10 minute walk over from Nakamisedori / Zozo-ji and a slight bit away from a certain high grade green tea dessert shop. It plays a similar role of Bowery below Delancey street in Manhattan before the yupsters moved in, in that it's the equipment supply shops for the downtown restaurants. Need new knives? Head to Dogugai and look at the shops. What about tickets for your restaurant ticket vending machine? Yep, it's here. Need new cups or plates? Go to Dogugai. Suppose you run a Japanese penny candy (dagashi, or 駄菓子) store out in the boonies but needs a restock? Oh, there's a place or 2 for that in Dogugai. Want a Vario coffee grinder and a few bags of Ethiopian Buunii for your kissaten (Japanese style cafe) ? There's a place for that too. Hell, if you want to open up a Japanese style cafe and needs a Yama Kyoto style cold drip tower or that fancy burr grinder that gives it that extra bit of clout, well...there's a place for that too. Want that extra bit of fun and crazy? 4 of the stores here sells sampuru, or sample food models, the nifty keen fake food models commonly found outside Japanese restaurant. At least 2 will conduct workshops to teach you how to "cook" them, and they will sell you both pre-made models and DIY kits. I for one was very very tempted to buy that pizza hat... For the non-Japanese visitor the fun payoff is to look at all of the specialized gear and equipment that Japanese businesses have access to for boosting their productivity, and trying to figure out if they are also appropriate or fun for your home or business. I don't think I need that Yama ice-drip coffee tower yet but I would be lying if I didn't give it a very good hard look before turning away. So yeah, if you enjoy the typical odd mix of artful tradition, attention to detail and high technology that Japan seem to be extremely comfortable with and you have a thing for cooking, eating and kitchen gadgets, you'll thoroughly enjoy this place.

This neighborhood (really more than just one street) of kitchenware / household finds is a must-do! I mean I was really looking forward to this already while planning my Tokyo trip, and it far exceeded my expectations going into it. A few insights: - Easily accessible by foot if you're staying in the Asakusa area. It's near Sen-soji shrine and the Don Quijote. Nice walk over. - Worth wandering around and having some idea of what items you're looking for beforehand (e.g. wooden ladle, chopstick holders, tamago pan, stainless steel organizing containers). I was delighted to finally find a specific type of wooden ladle that for whatever reason was difficult in the U.S. - I had a list of a few items I wanted to purchase, but with all the options available, I feel I could've gotten even more, or forgot some things! - Prices are reasonable (or even low compared to USD, at least right now), but run the gamut. You really can splurge or find bargain deals. Prices vary among shops for similar, sometimes same, items. - The sleeker looking (e.g. very nice interior decorating and layout, people filming for marketing, etc.), highly foot trafficked spots aren't necessarily better quality or better service. At one shop, my husband and I waited to check out for a while without any help. There felt like a lack of care or attention present. Don't be afraid to walk away and try the next shop. You will find what you're looking for! - If you meet 5500 yen at a shop, you can get tax free. (Particularly helpful for a larger cost item like a knife.) Make sure to ask for the tax free form. You'll be directed to another shop nearby that will reimburse you. So keep all of your receipts! - Poke around the knife shops, if you're interested in purchasing one. We did some research and loved Kamata. Very down to earth feeling there. They also speak English and engrave your knife for free! This was done immediately upon check out and finished within a few minutes. My husband purchased a beautiful, high quality knife, and the last one, for the equivalent of about $140 USD! - Fake food display items that Japan is known for can be found here. Very fun to see as they look so real!

Kappabashi was exactly how I pictured it, store after store after store. You will see the nicest knives, and also a lot of other kitchen gear as well! We ended up getting items from a variety of stores, we got two kitchen knives, a mini pocket knife, manekineko (lucky cat), and matcha equipment. We loved everything we got, but just a heads up, these knives are not cheap, we spend $350 and $300 on two of the kitchen knives (that includes the cases), and then about $90 on the mini pocket knife. I must say though, they are the best knives we've ever used. Ever since I've been home, I love using them for cooking, it's so much better to use than my previous set (which is a really nice cutco set) so that says something. I highly recommend going around this area, it's walking distance from Senso-ji temple. I would splurge on a knife as well, if you cook at home, you will regret not buying one. Everyone is really friendly and helpful, you have all the assistance needed to get the right one for your needs.

Cooking up something here... Kappabashi Dōgugai is the place for all things for the kitchen...just a path right off from Asakusa Nakamise dori it's about a 10 minute walk which is just a great stroll as well as it take you past Don Quijote along a very nostalgic road filled with shops that are untouched from decades of decor. The first sign you're there is Tsubaya a popular knife shop where I've purchased various sharpeners and tools though no knives...yet, from there you have arrived! Many shops are specific to their inventory as plate ware, baking goods, all things made with bamboo, wood (bowls, plate, utensils etc..), kitchen ware (aprons, uniform gears), even that famous fake/plastic food shops each and every are so amazingly unique it's almost like a touring a museum lol! I did manage to find what I'm looking for and more as I browse many shops loving the quality for the price each brings is quite overwhelming luckily we have the staff to guide us to find what we need as the selection fun and fascinating with the various tools the kitchen trade has...which by the way majority are closed on Sundays so please avoid this day!! どうもありがとうございます！

Poor customer service. They do not honor refund as they say they will. Especially when you are trying to follow their procedure and in doing so, you're unable to complete the refund process because their computer system is broken. At no fault to you!!!

It was fun to shop in kappabashi area . I didn't have enough time to stop by all the shops I wanted to go . Most of the shops close early like 5:00ish . most of the shop workers were so kind so I asked so many questions. they answered clearly for me .

It's a great place to spend a couple hours. It does a flea market feel of the same o same stuff from 1 vendor to the next. Some unique stuff as well here and there. This is where you go to find all the plastic food the restaurants have on display in and around the city! Super cool. Tons f chopsticks for sale, plates, chairs, generic aprons, pots, rice cookers and more. Situated between Ueno & Asakusa area.

I'm kinda of a person who can spent hours at Crate 'n Barrel or William Sonoma. And imagine that whole 1km stretch of boulevard is filled with kitchenware stores? That is this place. After going fishing trip, I desperately needed a knife for filleting fish. And I found one for roughly ¥5000. But man, this street has all kinds of kitchen gadgets from home use to industrial. They are absolutely fun to look at. Especially kitchen knives... they have sushi chefs' stuff as well. And brace yourself when you come. Tons of tourist are here.

Here's my money. All of my money. Take it. Take it all. Knowing my love affair with coffee and home-brewing coffee and ceramics a friend who has travelled to Japan many times made a point of me promising I would visit Kappabashi Street. "You'll love it," he said. Book. Marked. If you've arrived by train you'll want to keep an eye out for the giant chef's head on the side of a building. When you see that you know you've arrived. This street is for the serious food lover, kitchen gadget addict and, it's real purpose, restauranteurs. There's a shop for every need imaginable from cast iron plates to fake bowls of ramen, ceramics, coffee brewing equipment or take-away containers. It's literally a one-stop-shopping-street. For me, the main focus was Hario / Chemex coffee equipment and ceramics. Thankfully this made our walk up and down the street an easy and efficient one. The two main ceramic shops that I'd consider worth your time are on the first stretch of the road and Union Coffee is where you'll find most of the coffee equipment you'd be chasing. As with most shopping in Japan it is worth carrying cash with you as many don't have the option to pay by card or they have high minimum spends.

Wonderful area to browse around shops there sell a lot of kitchen gadgets, signs, plastic display foods, knives and there are a lot of eating places around the area too. I always find it interesting watching tourist buying things and wondering how they are going to get that in their suitcases. The area is a little older so it has a nice charm to it.

I'm in love with this street! It took a lot of strength to not buy every kitchen gadget I saw. I strolled into a tiny store and I found a contraption that toasted bread into flower-shaped cups. I bought it for my mom and she loved it! She's been coming up with recipes to show it off. Even if you're not into kitchen gadgets, it's still a nice place to visit because it's such a unique place.

This is "Kitchen town" where you can find all sorts of kitchenware, not to be confused with "Kitchen street" in Tokyo station (where there are all sorts of yummy eateries). Know that if you go on a Sunday, most stores are closed. Met a guy at one of the knife stores who was super friendly, fluent in Mandarin, Japanese and English, and owner of 4stores on this street. At one we purchased a set of Global knives for mom, there is one translated as "White" where every item is white and 2 other stores of his. Really admired his passion for his craft as he showed us around.

Another one of those 'Japan experience' for everyone. It's not just an area for tourists, a lot of locals like to come here and check out the shops as well! This is a long street with shops selling all sorts kitchen related items. Anything you can think of anything that you can't come up with you will find at Kappabashi. Some shops include high quality knife stores, shops selling all sorts of kitchen bowls, pots & pans, restaurant signs, restaurants uniforms and of course, fake plastic sample foods. These are always popular as gifts to take home.

This place is amazing! Try to go on a week day, being cash! If looking strictly for pottery there's this store in my uploaded pics that had the best deal on dishes (few tens cheaper than the others) - it was located towards the farther west part of the street around the that intercepts the street running directly infront of Senso ji. If looking for chop sticks that look good and are better priced there's a small store almost directly across the pottery store I just talked about ( it's small, owned by a short older super nice lady and an older gentlemen). Same chop sticks or worse looking were 2-800 more. Knives are expensive everywhere.

This place isn't far from the shrine, but it was quiet when we browsed through the street. I wanted to see the shellac fake foods which were awesome to see. Lots of opportunities to browse and buy ceramic bowls, restaurant equipment, and more.