Kappabashi (Kitchen Town)
The basics
Kappabashi is Tokyo’s longest street devoted to all things culinary. The shops here sell everything that a chef or restaurant owner might need, from knives and chopsticks to aprons and uniforms. Although it’s not specifically a tourist attraction, it is popular with travelers looking for a quirky shopping or browsing destination. Travelers who love Japanese food and want to buy equipment for preparing or serving Japanese food will enjoy shopping here. Most travelers visit Kappabashi before or after visiting the nearby Asakusa neighborhood. Some guided tours that include Asakusa also include Kappabashi.
Things to know before you go
- The southern end of Kappabashi Street features a very noticeable landmark on the roof of the Niimi building--a large bust of a chef wearing a chef’s hat.
- Most of the interest in Kappabashi lies on one long, straight shopping street, so it’s hard to get lost.
- Perhaps surprisingly for a district devoted to food, there aren’t very many places to grab a meal, so it’s best to plan to eat in nearby Asakusa or Ueno.
How to get there
Kappabashi lies between the popular and busy Ueno and Asakusa neighborhoods. The easiest way to get there is to get off at the Tawaramachi Station on the Ginza subway line. Alternatively, Ueno station on several JR train lines is about a 15-minute walk away.
Trip ideas
When to get there
Visit Kappabashi during normal business hours, roughly 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday, when the shops will be open. Most shops will also be open on Saturdays, but just a few on Sundays and public holidays.
Visit Asakusa
Near Kappabashi is the old neighborhood of Asakusa, a very popular district with tourists because of its traditional craft shops and the ancient Senso-Ji temple. It’s a good idea to visit Kappabashi and Asakusa on the same day, as you can walk between the two areas. Plus, Asakusa is a great place to grab lunch or dinner because there are many traditional izakaya restaurants and yakitori (grilled meat) stalls.
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- Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa Temple)
- Nakamise Shopping Street
- National Museum of Nature and Science
- Tokyo National Museum
- National Museum of Western Art
- Sumida River (Sumida Gawa)
- Ameyoko Shopping Street (Ameya-Yokocho)
- Ueno Park (Ueno Koen)
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- Yanaka
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- Kokugikan Sumo Stadium & Museum
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