Kappabashi Knife Shopping Guide: Tokyo’s Kitchen Town (2026)
Researched. This guide is based on the official websites of the Kappabashi shopping street association and of each shop named, checked on October 3, 2026. We have not visited for this article. Shop hours and services change, so check each shop’s site before you go. This article contains no affiliate links.
Kappabashi Dougu-gai, often called Kitchen Town, is a shopping street in Tokyo lined with shops selling tools for restaurants and home cooks. Several shops specialize in Japanese kitchen knives.
The basics
- Where: in Taito City, between Ueno and Asakusa, on the west side of Asakusa’s entertainment district.
- Size: the street association describes it as about 800 meters long with over 170 shops. Other official tourism sites give slightly different figures.
- Getting there: the association lists walking times of about 5 minutes from Tawaramachi Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line) and from Asakusa Station (Tsukuba Express), and about 6 minutes from Iriya Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line).
- Opening days: each shop sets its own holidays. The association says most shops open on Saturdays and about 30% open on Sundays. If you can, go on a weekday or Saturday.
Kappabashi Dougu Matsuri 2026
The street association has announced the 41st Kappabashi Dougu Matsuri (tool festival) for October 6 to 12, 2026. On October 12 the street is pedestrian-only, with a brass band parade and taiko drum performances, according to the association.
Three knife shops
The details below are what each shop states on its own website. We list only services the shop mentions.
| Shop | Hours (as published) | Engraving | Sharpening | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kama-Asa (Kappabashi store) | 11:00–17:30, open daily except New Year; closes 16:30 on the last day of each month | Free engraving stated for online-shop knives | Mail-in sharpening and repair, including knives bought elsewhere (some exclusions) | English website |
| Kamata Hakensha | 10:00–18:00, irregular holidays; its FAQ gives the same hours on Sundays and holidays | Free name engraving on knives bought there, done while you wait | Paid sharpening; same-day service for some household knives | English and French websites |
| Tsubaya | 10:00–17:00 daily, closed at New Year | Not stated | Sharpening and handle replacement, including other brands | Not stated |
Kama-Asa
Kama-Asa’s Kappabashi store is at 2-24-1 Matsugaya, Taito-ku. Its online shop offers international delivery; see its shipping policy for details. In May 2026, Kama-Asa warned customers about a fake website imitating it, and listed kama-asa.co.jp and kama-asa.fr as its only official sites. Check the address before you buy online.
Kamata Hakensha
Kamata Hakensha, founded in 1923, is at 2-12-6 Matsugaya, Taito-ku. It engraves names in kanji or katakana in principle, and says alphabet stamps may be possible for short initials. As of October 2026, it directs customers to a tax-free counter on the street rather than handling tax-free sales in the shop.
Tsubaya
Tsubaya is at 3-7-2 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku. Its website currently says online sales are suspended, so plan to buy in person.
Tax-free shopping changes on November 1, 2026
Japan’s tax-free system for visitors becomes a refund system for purchases from November 1, 2026. You will pay tax at the shop and receive a refund after customs confirms the goods when you leave Japan. Ask each shop how it handles tax-free sales. Our guide to buying a kitchen knife in Japan explains the change, the rules on carrying a knife in public and how to take it home.
Sources
- Kappabashi Dougu-gai: overview
- Kappabashi Dougu-gai: access
- Kappabashi Dougu-gai: FAQ
- Kappabashi Dougu-gai: 41st Dougu Matsuri notice (Japanese)
- Go Tokyo: Kappabashi Kitchenware Town
- Kama-Asa: shops
- Kama-Asa: FAQ
- Kama-Asa: fake website notice (May 2026)
- Kamata Hakensha
- Kamata Hakensha: FAQ
- Kamata Hakensha: engraving
- Tsubaya: business hours
- Tsubaya: about
- National Tax Agency: refund-method tax-free system (Japanese)
We check facts against the sources above, as described in our Editorial & Accuracy Policy. If you spot an error, please tell us through our contact form.
