There are some tableware that I come across at restaurants that are so beautiful that it’s fun to add them to my home collection. I first came across Ercole Moretti while dining at Tsuru to Kame restaurant. However the restaurant was unable to tell me the name of who made the colorful glassware. They did…
Category: tableware
Gotta Get – Okinawa Ryukyu Glass
Selecting tableware is a very important part of the Japanese dining experience. Glassware is also an integral part of regional expressions in Japan. I am a big fan of the Ryukyu glass from Okinawa. Okinawa is a tropical paradise in Japan. Ryukyu is the name of the former independent kingdom, which is now Okinawa. Ryukyu…
Gotta Get – Chopsticks at Hashichō in Nihonbashi
We eat with our chopsticks two, sometimes three times a day. Having a pair that you really love to eat with makes each meal all the more fun. There are so many factors to consider when selecting chopsticks. The size of your hands will determine the length. The tips can be fine or thick….
Gotta Go – Utsuwa Kenshin
Asato Ikeda-san’s gorgeous pottery. I first came across these at Den in Jimbocho. Saké tastes better when served in something this beautiful. Bob Tobin and Hitoshi Ohashi of the Tobin Ohashi Gallery first introduced me to Kenshin Sato-san of Kenshin Utsuwa. When I asked chef Zaiyu Hasegawa-san of Den about these cups he too said…
Art on the Table by Asato Ikeda
It was the first time in my life that I held a cup in my hand and immediately fell in love with it. The light sky blue color, the rough and smooth texture that my fingers fell into, and the taste of the saké while holding something so beautiful. I couldn’t put it down. I…
Ginza Takumi 銀座たくみ
Takumi たくみ Chuo-ku, Ginza 8-4-2 03-3571-2017 11:00 – 19:00 (closed Sunday & holidays) http://www.ginza-takumi.co.jp/ (Japanese) Pottery and other crafts are showcased in this two-story shop on the outskirts of Ginza. There is daily use pottery with reasonable prices starting at 1,000 JPY. The shop features a wide variety of pottery including Mashiko, Tanba, and…
Japanese Knife Shops in Tokyo
Tsukiji Masamoto There are several knife shops in the market. Some of them are friendlier than others. Fifth generation Tsukiji Masamoto (opened in 1891) has always been on the friendly side and has an English speaking staff on some days. This is where my husband and I have purchased knives in the past and we love…
Kappabashi Gotta Gets
I love these shochu cups in the winter when I drink shochu with hot water. These have the type of base ingredient written on the cup 芋 for imo jochu (sweet potato shochu) or 黒糖 for kokuto jochu (brown sugar shochu). These teacups will get lots of use in any home. The cup on the far…
Kappabashi Gotta Gets
Kappabashi is filled with treasures, gadgets, and tools for anyone passionate about cooking. These refrigerator sushi magnets are always fun gifts. Iron tea pots are said to soften the water that result in tea that is round on the palate. These sturdy pots retain heat and are gorgeous on any table. Some do rust…
Kappabashi – Okuda Lacquer Shop 合羽橋のオクダ
Okuda Lacquer 漆器のオクダ商店 Taito-ku, Matsugaya 3-17-11 台東区松が谷3-17-11 Phone: 03-3844-1606 http://www.kappabashi.or.jp/shops/31.html (Japanese) Lacquer shop including miso soup bowls, chopsticks and more as well as a nice selection of wooden products including manaita, wooden cutting boards that are very gentle on knives, steamers, and otoshibuta (drop lids) that are essential in any Japanese kitchen.
Kappabashi – Nishiyama for Lacquer
Nishiyama in Kappabashi has a wide array of lacquer dishes as well as affordable vessels for daily use. These red and black bowls in the left box are advertised as something that you can put in the microwave. These wooden bowls are good for miso soup, but also great for ice cream. Nishiyama also has…
Kappabashi – Komatsuya for Pottery 合羽橋の小松屋
Komatsuya 小松屋 Nishi-Asakusa 2-21-6 03-3841-2368 http://www.tctv.ne.jp/members/moto/ (Japanese) This may be the most photographed shop on the street. There is a wide selection of pottery, ramen bowls, teapots, serving dishes, nabe, sake cups, tokkuri. These are all durable and sturdy.
Kappabashi – Hashitou for Chopsticks 合羽橋のはしとう
Hashitou はし藤 Taito-ku, Nishi-Asakusa 2-6-2 台東区西浅草2-6-2 03-3844-0723 http://www.hashitou.co.jp/ (Japanese) Hashitou specializes in chopsticks, including the disposable type if you entertain a lot at home. Naturally there is a selection of hashioki (chopstick rests). There is a nice selection of skewers and long picks that would brighten up any appetizer plate, as well as toothpicks.
Foodie’s Guide to Kappabashi 合羽橋
Kappabashi is a wonderland for chefs. Here you will find almost everything that one would need for cooking. While it is famous for its plastic food models, that is only a tiny part of what you will find in this area, very close to Asakusa, the popular tourist destination. It is a short walk from…
Food Sake Tokyo 