Kappabashi Kitchen Street

Kappabashi Kitchen Street, in Taito Ward, Tokyo, is an 800-metre street of about 170 shops selling equipment for professional kitchens. It runs between Asakusa and Ueno, and the goods include chef knives, pots and pans, ceramics, lacquerware, noodle-making tools, aprons, signs and lanterns, sold to restaurateurs and home cooks alike. The area is most famous for its plastic food samples, the realistic replicas seen in restaurant windows across Japan, and several shops sell them as souvenirs, from single sushi pieces to complete meals, with some offering workshops. Knife shops are a major draw, with hand-forged blades in many styles, and staff can advise on steel types and sharpening, and often engrave a name on the blade. The street is marked by a giant chef's head atop a building on the corner of Kappabashi-dori. A typical visit takes one to two hours, and serious shoppers can spend far longer. Most shops open at about 9:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM, and many are closed on Sundays and some holidays, so weekday mornings are the best time, with the most shops open and the fewest crowds. Visitors buying knives should check duty and airline rules, since blades must travel in checked luggage, and many shops can ship overseas. The street lies five minutes from Tawaramachi Station on the Ginza Line, and it is about 15 minutes on foot from Asakusa Station and Senso-ji, so it pairs naturally with a visit to the temple.