- 2017.06.01
- nakamura
Feel the Amazing Skills of Artisans! Kitchen Items to Purchase in Kyoto
Behind the supremely elegant Kyoto cuisine is the kitchenware made by highly skilled craftsmen. Here are four products you can buy in Kyoto. Please consider them as souvenirs!
Knives from Aritsugu
Aritsugu is a well-established store that has been in operation for more than 450 years. Aritsugu started as a swordsmith and now sells all kinds of edged tools, but is particularly famous for its cutting knives. The cutting knives displayed in the store's showcases counts more than 450! There is a whole range of sharpness and sizes and shapes to fit the hand, but the secret to their popularity is the beauty of their form. They are outstanding products that many people aspire to hold at least once in their lifetimes, so be sure to take them in your hand. You can also see the craftsmen sharpening the knives in the store.
Knives from Aritsugu
Nishikikoji-dori Gokomachi Nishi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Kohchosai Kosuga's Bamboo Tongs
Kohchosai Kosuga was established in 1898. This shop sells items made with bamboo, a material widely used in Japan since ancient times. The recommended product is the Tongs L (864 JPY (incl. tax)). It can be used in a variety of situations, such as to mix ingredients when cooking, or as a serving tool on the table. The handle of bamboo tools do not get hot, and they are light yet strong. The tongs have grooves at the tip so you can pick the food up without it slipping.
Official Online Shop


Kohchosai Kosuga's Bamboo Tongs
1F Royal Park Hotel the Kyoto, 74 Nakajima-cho, Sanjo-dori Kawaramachi Higashi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Tsujiwa Kanaami's Hand-Woven Coffee Dripper
This shop specializes in "kanaami-zaiku," products made by weaving thin wire mesh. This is a popular store that has been making products beloved by a wide range of audience, from professional chefs to the home chef, for over 80 years.
The recommended product is the copper Hand-Woven Coffee Dripper (5,400 JPY (incl. tax)). It has a shape calculated for the hot water to flow to one point in the middle, so that the flavors are extracted efficiently from the coffee. The design is also appropriate for steaming, as the air passes through easily. The stand for the dripper is also made with mesh, so it is easy to see how the coffee is dripping.
Please enjoy the delicate beauty that cannot be recreated through mass production.


Tsujiwa Kanaami's Hand-Woven Coffee Dripper
175 Kameya-cho, Sakaimachi-dori Ebisugawa-sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Chopsticks by Ichihara Heibei Shoten
This shop that has been in operation since 1764. It has a history of about 240 years since opening as a chopstick purveyor to the Imperial court. It offers chopsticks with a wide variety of materials and designs made for ease of use for different foods, cooking, and uses. It is popular for its extensive selection of approximately 400 different types at any given time.
The recommended chopsticks are the Heianbashi with thin tips to maximize the ease of use and the delicate and elegant Miyakobashi made with susutake (a rare bamboo smoked in a hearth or furnace) that is strong and warp-resistant. Please adopt these beautiful and user-friendly chopsticks into your lives.
*The image is for illustrative purposes only.

Chopsticks by Ichihara Heibei Shoten
118-1 Koishi-cho, Sakaimachi-dori Shijo-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
This kitchenware that have been made with great diligence and care are not just functional, but also beautiful to look at. Please stop in at these stores while seeing the sights in Kyoto.
*Please note that the information in this article is from the time of writing or publication and may differ from the latest information.
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