Kappabashi: Tokyo's Ultimate Destination for Restaurant Supplies 🍳🛍️
Kappabashi Official Website Google Maps Location
Location 📍
Address: 3-18-2 Matsugaya, Taito City, Tokyo
Shopping Street for Restaurant Owners 🏪
Kappabashi Street (かっぱ橋道具街, Kappabashi Dōgugai) is a unique shopping street nestled between Ueno and Asakusa, renowned for its extensive array of stores that cater to everything a restaurant operator needs, excluding fresh food.
You'll discover specialized stores offering an array of dishes, pots, pans, cooking utensils, stoves, tables, chairs, signs, and lanterns. Additionally, there are shops selling plastic and wax food samples commonly seen in restaurant display windows.
Explore the Kitchenware District 🍽️🔪
The main road and side streets of Kappabashi are home to approximately 160 shops, featuring items from high-quality Japanese knives and lacquerware to professional-grade stoves. Most stores welcome the public, offering great deals on tableware, kitchen tools, and other handy gadgets. A must-visit are the food sample shops, showcasing ultra-realistic plastic versions of various dishes and ingredients. Popular souvenirs include sushi magnets, food-themed smartphone covers, noren curtains, ceramic cups, and fanciful chopstick rests.
A Sightseeing Haven 🎨👀
Even if shopping isn't on your agenda, Kappabashi is worth visiting for its elaborate storefronts and signs. Look out for immense sculptures of chefs, knives, whisks, and teacups decorating the buildings. Children will love spotting the cute statues of kappa, the mythological water imp, which is the namesake of the street.
Experience the unique charm of Kappabashi, where history and culture blend with practical shopping for both culinary professionals and enthusiasts alike. 🌆🍣🍜