
Kappabashi Street (かっぱ橋道具街), also known as Kappabashi-dori, is a shopping street located in the Asakusa area of Tokyo, Japan. It is renowned for its wide array of shops specializing in restaurant supplies, catering to both professional chefs and restaurant owners, as well as curious tourists.
With over 170 stores lining the street, Kappabashi offers an extensive selection of products for the food service industry, including dishes, cookware, kitchen utensils, food replicas (sampuru), signs, noren curtains, packaging materials, and uniforms. The food replicas, meticulously crafted from plastic or wax to resemble actual dishes, are a unique aspect of Japanese culture and popular souvenirs for visitors.
The street’s name, Kappabashi, originated from the numerous shops that once sold “kappa” (raincoats) in the area. At the entrance of the street, visitors are greeted by the iconic Kappa statue, depicting a mythical Japanese creature said to inhabit rivers and ponds.
Getting there
By Subway
- About 5 minutes walk from Tawaramachi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
- About 6 minutes walk from Iriya Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
- About 5 minutes walk from Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express Line
By JR Train
- About 15 minutes walk from Ueno Station or Uguisudani Station on the JR Yamanote Line or Keihin-Tohoku Line
- About 25 minutes walk from Asakusabashi Station on the JR Sobu Line
By Bus
- Take a bus bound for Aoto Shako-mae or Minami-Senju Station East Exit from Ueno Station and get off at “Kikuya-bashi”
- Take a bus bound for Kameido or Asakusa-kotobuki from Uguisudani Station and get off at “Iriya 2-chome”