Kappabashi Kitchen Town かっぱ橋道具街

If you love to cook, Kappabashi is where you should head. Tokyo's restaurateurs and passionate home chefs come here to stock up on kitchenware and decor.

You can eat here as well, but some of the most appetizing things you'll see in Kappabashi are fake. From hamburgers to ramen to slices of fruit and entire meals, you'll find the plastic models seen in most restaurants in Japan.

You can reach Kappabashi by train or taxi.

Just a short five-minute walk from Tawaramachi Station, on the Ginza Line, Kappabashi is also only a 15-minute walk from popular sights in Asakusa . Follow the tourist information signs pointing toward Kappabashi Kitchen Town.

All around Japan you will see hyper-realistic plastic food samples in restaurant windows. In Kappabashi you can find a huge assortment of colorful samples for sale, ranging from simple sushi rolls to large clocks decked out with fake food.

Duck into the many wholesalers to discover surprisingly affordable ceramics, perfect for souvenirs. Elegant Japanese cups, cute chopstick rests and palm-sized sake cups make useful, portable reminders of your visit to Tokyo.

The main road street of Kappabashi is almost a kilometer long, so even the most particular kitchenware shoppers are sure to find something to delight.

Chefs from far and wide travel to this corner of Tokyo to buy the tools of their trade. Japanese kitchen knives offer world-class quality, known for being both durable and light. At some shops, you can have your name inscribed on the blades or find knives decorated with swirling patterns of cherry blossoms and clouds patterns reminiscent of those found on katana swords.