What kind of chopsticks do you use?
From round or angular shapes, wooden or metal, expensive lacquered ones to affordable resin ones.
There are many different kinds of chopsticks, even if you just say "chopsticks."
I had been using simple wooden chopsticks, but after moving, as I started collecting tableware, I also started wanting better chopsticks.
Chopsticks are something that Japanese people use every day.
If there's something that makes you happy to use, that alone would make mealtime more enjoyable.
With that thought in mind, I visited a certain restaurant and noticed they were using really wonderful chopsticks.
When I asked the staff, they said they were from a store called Daikokuya in Sumida Ward, Tokyo. I had to go check it out.
My Own Special Chopsticks
Walking through a residential area while looking at a map, I discovered a shop labeled "Edo-Kibashi Daikokuya."
According to my research, the Sumida Ward and Katsushika Ward areas of Tokyo have a history of making wooden chopsticks since the early Taisho period.
Edo-Kibashi is a trademark of Daikokuya, which has pursued ease of use from a customer's perspective, building on that long history of chopstick making.
Peeking inside from the outside, I felt excited by the glimpse of chopsticks. Upon entering, I found rows upon rows of chopsticks.
There were over 200 varieties, with meticulous designs featuring cleanly planed surfaces all the way to the tips, in shapes like pentagonal, heptagonal, and octagonal.
As I was momentarily overwhelmed, thinking, "So these are Edo-Kibashi," I was greeted with a big smile by Katsuhiko Takeda, the founder of Daikokuya, and Norihito Marukawa, the president and also a craftsman.
Ameno: "Hello. There are so many varieties!
I came today because I wanted to buy new chopsticks."
Marukawa-san: "Thank you. What kind of chopsticks are you looking for?"
Ameno: "As I started collecting my favorite tableware, I thought I'd like to be particular about my chopsticks as well.
Is there a pair of chopsticks that is simple yet unique, and would make mealtime more enjoyable?"
Marukawa-san: "I see. In that case, I have something very special for you.
These are special chopsticks that were originally made for a famous restaurant, designed with the sole purpose of making meals enjoyable."
Ameno: "That's wonderful! Thank you."
What kind of chopsticks will appear? My heart is pounding.
The chopsticks they brought out from the back had a sleek, beautiful appearance with the soft texture of wood.
The moment I saw them, my heart swelled with excitement. These were exactly the chopsticks I had been searching for.
Mr. Marukawa: "I wanted to make the chopsticks as thin as possible to improve the 'clean feel' after food is brought to the mouth.
In short, I didn't want them to interfere with the food."
They said that striped ebony is used for the black chopsticks, and white tagayasan wood for the white chopsticks.
Both are hard and have a moderate weight, which allows for this slenderness.
Perhaps because the top part is shaved, they have a delicate and soft appearance, but when actually held, they are shaped into a beautiful octagonal shape close to a circle, making them easy to grip and very sturdy, so they seem like they can be used and cherished for a long time.
Mr. Marukawa: "Also, what distinguishes these chopsticks from others is that they are finished without lacquer, completely unpainted.
They're less slippery and the texture is different."
Indeed, unlike the smooth feel unique to lacquer, the smooth wooden surface fits perfectly in the fingers, making them incredibly comfortable to hold.
Chopstick Making that Food Professionals Adore
The first time I held Daikokuya's chopsticks was also at a restaurant.
These chopsticks that have completely captivated me now were also made for a restaurant.
I was actually given the opportunity to see how Daikokuya, whose chopsticks are favored by so many professionals for their establishments, makes their chopsticks.
"We create chopsticks by working backward from the final shape. We think about how to achieve that shape and then make them."
Apparently, there are a total of 11 steps in the process until a product is completed.
Mr. Marukawa first rounds off the four corners of a square chopstick on a rotating sandpaper to create an octagonal shape, then gradually refines its form.
"Rough sandpaper removes a lot, but I'm thinking about how much to remove so that the next step is easier.
If you finish it too cleanly at the beginning, it'll just get thinner and thinner."
The process of pressing against rough sandpaper to round off the corners, creating an octagonal shape.
Since he presses firmly with four fingers, his fingertips also get scraped.
Next, Mr. Marukawa changes the coarseness of the sandpaper and carefully smooths each surface by sliding it, not applying too much pressure with his three fingers.
Does he see the beautiful chopstick emerging from the wood before him?
Finally, the tip and top are shaved, and the sanding process is complete.
The chopsticks gradually took shape on the buzzing sandpaper.
This is truly craftsmanship; I couldn't help but be captivated.
For the final finishing touch, the shaved chopsticks are placed in a cylinder and tumbled in a machine to remove surface scratches.
It's called "garagake" because of the rattling sound it makes.
"Do you know about taro peelers? They used to be common. You'd put taro in a wooden cylinder and spin it using the force of water in an irrigation canal. Magically, the taro skin would rub off cleanly. It's a rural wisdom. The principle is exactly the same,"
said Mr. Marukawa.
I was surprised that there were so many steps involved in making a single pair of chopsticks.
Edo-Kibashi is not something that has existed for hundreds of years, but rather something that Mr. Takeda, Mr. Marukawa, and other craftsmen have gradually built up over 20 or 30 years.
I was deeply impressed by their delicate handiwork and the passionate thoughts put into their chopsticks.
It was a truly valuable experience for me to feel the craftsmanship and passion for chopstick making possessed by these two individuals.
"More than anything, making our customers happy is the most important thing.
To be told, 'It just has to be Daikokuya's Edo-Kibashi,' we must never cut corners, no matter how busy we get.
Accumulation is our treasure, and cutting one corner is like removing one piece of our history of effort."
It was hot outside today, so we quickly made somen noodles.
As soon as I tried them, I found that they had a nice weight and a firm grip in my hand, and the slender tips allowed me to easily pick up slippery noodles.
The substantial yet delicate feel of the chopsticks made me feel like I was enjoying a slightly luxurious meal.
A special pair of chopsticks filled with the history and passion of Daikokuya.
Apparently, if the tips get chipped, they can be repaired.
I want to cherish and use them for a long time, taking good care of them.
Mr. Takeda, Mr. Marukawa, thank you so much for your valuable time.
