Thank you for taking the time to join our Asakusa tour on January 8. We welcomed six people from UK,
India, America and Hong Kong. It was a bit cold but the weather was wonderful in the new year. I hope you enjoyed the tour with us.
There is a famous street specializing in kitchen tools between Asakusa and Ueno. It’s the Kappabashi Kitchen Tool Street, Japan’s largest kitchen street. There are more than 170 shops on the 800-meter street for kitchen tools such as plastic food samples, knives, dishes, pots, cooking utensils and so on. The categories of products are everything needed by restaurants without fresh food. The price is generally reasonable but you may be able to find a bargain.
For example, food samples which are placed in restaurant windows for passersby.
Sushi, ramen and tempura look so real and delicious, but you can’t eat them. Some kitchen knife shops are visited by chefs around the world. They offer carving your name for free on the knife you purchase at the shop.
Kappabashi started as a second-hand tool shop about 110 years ago and now attracts Japanese as well as foreign visitors as Japan’s largest kitchen street.
‘Kappa’ of Kappa-bashi (bridge) is a mythological creature inhabiting ponds and rivers in Japan. They are often humanoid in form and can be harmful when they are not respected as a god. There is a gold-plated bronze statue of ‘Kappa’ mascot on the street. In the late Edo period, the Kappa which inhabited the Sumida River helped people developing flood control works of the area. People who saw the Kappa had successful businesses. Since then, Kappa has become a symbol of good luck. You will see their mascots at many shops. When you come to the street, why not look for them. Cafes are available when you are fatigued with window shopping.
The big statue of a chef is the landmark of the Kappabashi Tool Street. It’s accessible from either Asakusa or Ueno on foot.
The Asakusa tour is now held in the morning but there will be the afternoon program from February. The first afternoon tour is scheduled on February 5 at 1pm. Also, more frequent tours are under consideration. We are pleased to increase to offer tour opportunities to guests. On February 5 there will be three tours: the morning and afternoon tours in Asakusa and the afternoon tour in Ueno Park. Asakusa and Ueno are close to each other. You may have the combined day tours.
Please refer to the tour calendar on our website and book your tour. We will be looking forward to seeing you then.
(Yoshi)