Kappabashi Street

As you walk out of the Gate Hotel in Asakusa, turn right and you'll soon be across the street from the Kaminarimon Gate leading you to the famous Senso-ji Temple.  

Turn left out of the Gate Hotel and you can make your way to the famous Kappabashi Street.

 Entrance to Kappabashi street from Asakusa.

While walking towards a destination, we sometimes used Siri, but we found that she wasn't always reliable and would take us in the wrong direction.  Google Maps seemed to be a better compass in finding our way through the busy maze of streets.

Kappabashi Street is one of my favorite places to visit in Tokyo.  The street is lined with stores  selling everything needed by restaurant owners.  There are specialized stores for dishes, pots, pans, cooking utensils, stoves, tables, chairs, signs, lanterns and more.  Some stores also sell plastic and wax food samples, used by many restaurants in their windows.

Kappabashi is not just one street.  It also breaks into other streets going in both directions.  We've visited the area three times and still have not been able to cover the entire place!

I especially enjoy looking in stores that sell different types of packaging material.  There were many beautiful bags made from paper or fabric.  Other shops sold various types of boxes that can be used for omiyage.  All items were sold at a wholesale cost.

Entrance to Kappabashi Street from the Tawaramachi Station on the Subway Ginza Line.  

What I find most charming about this area is the shopkeepers and their businesses that have been in their families for decades.  Their stores are very crowded, making it hard to walk down aisles as items pour onto the sidewalk.  I wonder, "Do they worry that anyone will steal their items outside that are left unattended?  Do they set everything up along the sidewalks every morning and then put them back at closing?"

As you walk into these little shops, you walk towards the back and find an elderly Japanese couple sitting happily as they shout out, "Irashaimase!"  And you can't help but look through all of the shelves filled with kitchen items, hoping to find a treasure to bring home. 

One of the stores on Kappabashi Street with items outside

We enjoyed looking at all the kitchen knives the stores had to offer.  My daughters also bought children's knives that they can use when helping me in the kitchen.  In one store, there was a giant stone in water where the store owner sharpened knives for customers.

Shave Ice Machines

School children taking a field trip to Kappabashi Street

I love Kappabashi Street and can't wait to go back!