Japan is renowned for its rich and ancient culinary traditions, influencing kitchens around the world. Known for introducing sushi and knives that perform like samurai swords, Japan is also home to a variety of other kitchen tools cherished by both home cooks and professional chefs. Here, we’ll explore some of these essential tools and gadgets found in most Japanese kitchens, highlighting why they deserve a place in your own kitchen.
Japanese Cooking Tools
Essential for preparing authentic Japanese dishes, these tools ensure precision and enhance the overall cooking process. From omelettes to street food, the right tool makes all the difference.
Japanese Cookware
Crafted for durability and efficiency, Japanese cookware ensures perfect results, whether you're braising, simmering, or grilling. These tools are designed to bring out the best in traditional Japanese dishes.
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Tamagoyaki Pan – This rectangular frying pan is the perfect tool for making the sweet rolled omelettes, known as tamagoyaki that can be found throughout Japan. A staple of bento boxes, tamagoyaki is a foundational dish in Japanese cuisine.
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Yukihira Nabe – One of the most common cooking pots found in Japan are Yukihira Nabe. Made from hammered aluminum, with a heat resistant wood handle and no lid, yukihira nabe are available in a range of sizes and are an affordable cookware option.
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Donabe Earthenware Pot – A donabe is a traditional lidded earthenware pot. They come in a range of sizes, from individual to quite large, and are perfect for braising and simmering stews. Donabes are commonly used in dishes that feature tableside communal dining like sukiyaki and shabu shabu.
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Takoyaki Pan – Takoyaki is a battered octopus ball loved by Japanese young and old alike. A street food staple, found at festivals, a dimpled takoyaki pan allows you to make this dish at home. Common additions to the batter are scallions, pickled ginger, tempura bits, and octopus. Takoyaki is usually garnished with katsuobushi flakes, aonori (green seaweed), mayonnaise, and a savory sauce.
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Taiyaki Pan – Taiyaki is a classic street snack in the shape of a Tai (seabream). They are typically filled with sweet bean paste or custard. Having a taiyaki pan allows you to create waffle-like taiyaki cakes at home and use virtually any filling.
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Long Chopsticks – Saibashi are long cooking chopsticks. They are perfect for gingerly manipulating ingredients and have a much softer touch than tongs. They are often made of wood, bamboo, or silicone.
Cookware and Grilling Tools
Cookers and grills designed for Japanese cuisine deliver consistent, efficient heat for perfectly cooked rice, grilled meats, and more, making them indispensable for any kitchen.
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Electric Rice Cooker – Found in virtually every home in Japan, an electric rice cooker cooks Japanese rice, the staple of Japanese cuisine, to perfection. Since rice can be eaten at every meal, the rice cooker can be programmed to cook it at a specific time and to hold it at temperature for many hours.
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Iwatani Gas Burner – This culinary torch works with disposable gas canisters to create a strong adjustable flame that can efficiently sear the outside surface of fish and other proteins found in Japanese food.
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Indoor Japanese Grill – tabletop konro are small cooking grills that allow for communal tabletop cooking for grilled meats, seafood, or vegetables.
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Outdoor Japanese Grill – BBQ Konro are larger tabletop grills that can be used outside or indoors with proper ventilation. Konros are essential for traditional Japanese dishes like yakitori.
Cooking Prep Tools
The right prep tools streamline the cooking process, allowing you to prepare ingredients with precision. These tools ensure your dishes are crafted to perfection.
Japanese Knives & Cutting Tools
Japanese knives are known for their precision and sharpness, making them essential for slicing, chopping, and filleting with ease. They are key to achieving authentic Japanese flavors and textures.
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Japanese Knives – Probably the single most essential Japanese cooking tool is a sharp Japanese Knife. The most common shapes are the Japanese Chef’s Knife – Gyuto, small utility knife – Petty, all-purpose santoku, and sujihiki or slicer.
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Hinoki Cypress Wood Cutting Board – Wooden cutting boards protect the super sharp edges of knives. Cutting boards with synthetic materials are a popular choice in professional kitchens.
Strainers & Skimmers
Used for purifying broths and retrieving ingredients, these tools are vital for maintaining clarity and texture in your dishes, ensuring perfect results every time.
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Fine Mesh Skimmer – Skimmers are important for making stocks, soups, and stews. These cooking utensils can remove impurities from the top of the pot and help retrieve ingredients as they are cooked to desired completion.
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Noodle Strainer – Japanese cuisine features a number of noodles cooked in hot liquid. Whether soba, udon, some, or ramen, a Japanese-style noodle strainer lets you quickly and efficiently drain noodles.
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Miso Strainer & Miso Muddler – Miso soup is enjoyed daily throughout Japan. Using a dedicated Miso Strainer and pestle allows the fermented bean paste to be quickly incorporated into the broth.
Graters & Grinding Tools
Grating and grinding release the full flavors of key ingredients. These tools help achieve the right consistency, enhancing the depth and authenticity of your dishes.
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Suribachi and Surikogi – Ground sesame appears often in Japanese cuisine, either as a condiment or incorporated into sauces. A suribachi is a dedicated tool, a ceramic bowl with grooves for the sesame to be ground to the desired consistency.
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Ceramic Grater – A small ceramic plate with raised nubs is the preferred tool for grating ginger and garlic.
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Japanese Grater – Small copper or metal graters are the go-to kitchen utensil for grating ginger and other aromatics.
Sushi Tools
Perfect sushi requires the right tools for rice preparation, rolling, and presentation. These tools help you master sushi at home with precision and authenticity.
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Hangiri / Sushi Oke – A hangiri is a flat wooden tub used in preparing rice for sushi. The wooden material absorbs excess moisture and creates the perfect surface for cooling rice and preparing it for the addition of vinegar, sugar, and salt.
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Bamboo Sushi Rolling Mat – A makisu is a woven mat that aids in the rolling of prepared rice, seaweed, and other ingredients into sushi rolls.
Rice & Onigiri Tools
Rice is the backbone of Japanese cuisine. These tools ensure your rice is prepared and shaped to perfection for dishes like sushi and onigiri.
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Rice Washing Bowl – The first step to preparing a well-made bowl of rice is careful and thorough washing until all the residue from polishing is washed away and the water remains clear. A dedicated rice washing bowl with perforations to let the cloudy water wash away makes this important task much easier.
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Onigiri Mold – Onigiri (filled rice balls) are a common snack or meal on the go throughout Japan. These triangular-shaped treats can be made by hand, but for uniformity, a wooden or plastic mold can be used.
Skewers & Bamboo Tools
Bamboo skewers and tools are essential for grilling and presenting skewered ingredients. These tools help achieve even cooking and elevate traditional Japanese grilling techniques.
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Bamboo Skewers – Bamboo skewers of various shapes and sizes are used throughout Japan for grilled chicken (yakitori), grilled meats (yakiniku), and fried skewers (kushiage). Various ingredients are skewered for presentation in bentos, lunch boxes, and other common presentations.
Japanese Kitchenware & Accessories
Japanese kitchenware combines functionality with aesthetic appeal. These accessories enhance your kitchen setup and provide the perfect tools for both cooking and presentation.
Knife Maintenance Accessories
Proper maintenance is key to a sharp, reliable knife. Knife accessories like high quality sharpening stones ensure your knives stay in top condition for precision cutting.
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Knife Sharpening Tools – All knives need to be sharpened periodically on a whetstone to maintain peak performance. Sharpening stones are available in a wide range of grits. We recommend a double-sided #1000/#4000 sharpening stone for routine maintenance.
Food and Drink Presentation Tools
Presentation is key. These tools enhance the visual appeal of your dishes and elevate the overall dining experience.
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Serving Ladle for Hot Pot – Japanese cuisine features a number of broth-boiled dishes as well as tableside cooking. Various serving ladles with perforations allow selection of specific ingredients while controlling how much broth is served.
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Ramen Bowls – Tableware is a key component of Japanese food service. Wide deep bowls for serving noodles and broth and their accompanying seasonings are essential.
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Dipping Bowls – small bowls and shallow dishes in various sizes to hold sauces. Examples include soy sauce for sake, Tsuyu dishes for noodle preparations that are dipped before eating, and light brothy sauces such as tempura.
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Japanese Sake Set – whether sake is served warmed or cold, you’ll typically find some combination of carafe and small cups when sake is served.
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Tetsubin Teapot – a cast iron teapot used both ceremonially and at home for heating water before preparing tea.
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Jubako – lacquer boxes for formal food presentation. Commonly used in layered dishes such as eel over rice or chirashizushi.
Cleaning Tools
Effective cleaning tools help maintain your kitchen equipment and ensure a hygienic cooking environment, keeping your tools in great shape for years to come.
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Tawashi Brush – a fibrous brush that can be used to scrub pots and pans for cleaning.
Shop Chubo Knives for Authentic Japanese Cooking Tools
Japanese cooking tools are prized for their craftsmanship, precision, and lasting quality. At Chubo Knives, we carry a carefully selected range of essentials to help you bring the spirit of Japanese cuisine into your own kitchen. Explore our collection of Japanese kitchenware, choose from a variety of Japanese knives, and keep your tools in peak condition with our selection of whetstones.