1. Combining Kappabashi and Akihabara in One Trip
Kappabashi Kitchen Town offers a wide range of cooking tools, and the Tsukuba Express makes it easy to combine it with Akihabara: it is just two stops (about 5 minutes) from the Asakusa side of Kappabashi. When you are comparing knives, adding Akihabara to your Kappabashi walk is an efficient way to find the right one.
- Close to Kappabashi: By Tsukuba Express or taxi it takes about 10 minutes, so a same-day visit is easy.
- Easy access to major lines: Akihabara Station is a hub for JR lines and Tokyo Metro, which cuts travel time to your hotel or next destination.
- A space built for professionals: Away from the crowded tourist areas, you can take your time holding knives and comparing craftsmanship and steel types.
2. What to Check When Buying a Knife in Person
When you buy a knife online, you can compare specifications. But whether it keeps your hand from tiring during prep, and whether it suits your cooking technique, can only be judged by holding it.
| What to check | What to look for in the store | Risk if you skip it |
|---|---|---|
| Handle feel | Check whether the thickness of the wooden handle, and its octagonal or round shape, fits your palm. | You need extra grip strength during long prep sessions and your hand tires. |
| Weight balance | Support the knife on your index finger and see whether it leans toward the blade or the handle. | It does not match your cutting habits, and control becomes difficult. |
| Blade line and “ura-suki” | Hold it up to the light and check the curve of the blade line and the evenness of the “ura-suki” (the hollow on the back of the blade). | The knife does not sit evenly on the whetstone when re-sharpening, which makes maintenance hard. |
3. Sharpening Experience and Support at Tenpos Chef’s Knives & Ceramics Akihabara
At Tenpos Chef’s Knives & Ceramics Akihabara and Tenpos Chef’s Knives & Ceramics Namba, we do more than sell knives: we care about the upkeep that lets you use a knife for life. The Tenpos Group has built long-standing relationships with restaurants across Japan, so we understand how much it matters to keep knives in good condition in a working kitchen. In the store, you can try everyday sharpening for free, with a short explanation from our staff (*1). We also hold paid sharpening workshops from time to time, where a professional sharpener teaches technique over two to three hours (see a past event).
Do not decide on catalog weight and blade length alone. We recommend holding the actual knife and checking how easy it is to maintain by sharpening before you buy.
We offer the following services before and after your purchase.
- Free sharpening experience (with staff guidance): Before you buy, you can feel how the knife responds on the whetstone and how easy it is to sharpen, free of charge (*1).
- Paid sharpening workshop (held from time to time): Learn the essentials of proper sharpening from a professional sharpener over two to three hours.
- Same-day name engraving: We engrave your name or the characters you choose on the knife you bought, so it becomes yours alone.
- Carrying home and shipping preparation: We pack the knife in a dedicated box with cushioning so it can travel safely in checked baggage.
*1 Depending on how busy we are, you may have to wait, or the sharpening experience may not be available.
4. Getting There and What Visitors Say
Tenpos Chef’s Knives & Ceramics Akihabara is within walking distance of both JR Akihabara Station and Akihabara Station on the Tsukuba Express. It also fits neatly into a route that combines a visit with a tool-hunting trip to Kappabashi.
You can also read reviews from chefs and customers visiting from overseas on our Tripadvisor page. If you would like a feel for the store before you go, it is a useful reference.
5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Can I buy tax-free?
A. We are not a tax-free shop, so tax-free sales are not available. Items are sold at the displayed price, and we carry professional knives that are hard to find overseas.
Q. Can you ship a knife I bought in the store overseas?
A. Yes. In addition to delivery to your hotel during your stay, we can ship directly to your home or restaurant overseas by EMS (international express mail) or similar services.