Cutting boards are something we use every day in the kitchen.
With just a small change, they can become much more convenient and hygienic.
Among them, self-standing cutting boards are especially practical.
After washing, you can simply stand them upright to dry, allowing water to drain easily and helping them dry more quickly.
They are especially useful during humid seasons or in kitchens with limited space.
A Rolling Knife Sharpener is a simple and user-friendly tool designed to sharpen kitchen knives by rolling a cylindrical sharpening device along the blade.
It typically consists of two main parts: a rolling drum coated with abrasive materials such as diamond or ceramic, and a magnetic angle guide that holds the knife at a fixed angle. To use it, you place the knife against the guide and roll the sharpener back and forth. This motion allows the blade to be sharpened evenly without needing advanced skills.
Unlike traditional whetstones, which require practice to maintain the correct angle, a Rolling Knife Sharpener ensures consistent results with minimal effort. It is especially popular among beginners and home cooks because it is quick, safe, and easy to use.
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Saibashi (菜箸) are long chopsticks used in Japanese cooking. They are longer than regular chopsticks used for eating, typically measuring about 30–40 cm (12–16 inches) in length. Their length helps keep your hands away from hot oil or boiling pots, allowing you to handle food safely while cooking. There are several cultural reasons why Japanese people use cooking chopsticks, closely connected to Japan’s food culture and cooking methods. First, Japan has a long tradition of eating with chopsticks, and naturally this utensil became useful in the kitchen as well. Japanese cuisine often emphasizes handling ingredients delicately and cooking them carefully without breaking their shape.
The miso muddler (味噌マドラー) is a thoughtfully designed Japanese kitchen tool made especially for preparing miso soup, a staple of everyday home cooking in Japan. Its rounded, spiral-shaped tip allows you to scoop up miso paste easily and dissolve it directly into hot dashi, helping the miso blend quickly and smoothly without clumps. Compared to using a ladle or chopsticks, it distributes flavor more evenly and saves time.
At first glance, many people are curious about how to use this unique tool, but once they try it, they’re often impressed by how simple and efficient it is. If you’ve ever found your kitchen counter crowded with utensils while cooking—especially when trying a new recipe—the miso muddler offers a smart, space-saving solution.
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One of the most delicious summer foods is shaved ice with shaved ice shavings. In Japan this year, shaved ice coated with fresh cream and topped with fruit to resemble shortcake is very popular. Shaved ice stores offering shaved ice made with natural ice to make it fluffy have long lines of customers every day. This shaved ice machine is convenient for those who want to eat it at home. Since it is an automatic type, shaved ice can be made simply by pulling the lever on the right side toward you.
The lightweight cup for Japanese rice is 1 cup (180 ml) and it is called “1 合(Ichi Gou)”. The key to cooking good rice is not to wash the rice too much. Soak the rice once in water, then discard it and stir it without water. A milky, starchy liquid will come out, which is then poured off. Repeat this two or three times until the water becomes slightly clear. Then cook the rice in a regular Japanese lightweight cup with 200 ml of water per cup.
◎ About this kitchen tool ◎
Rice Measuring Cup : 米用計量カップ (Saibashi)
https://amzn.to/3QXf7aT (Overseas)
https://amzn.to/3BlFmlG (in Japan)
Measuring cups are useful for anything. Japanese measuring cups have a standard maximum capacity of 200 ml, so please keep this in mind when preparing Japanese dishes. In this video, I used a measuring cup to make mentsuyu (Japanese noodle soup). This soup is a bit thick, so please dilute it with water or hot water to your liking. It can be used as a sauce for noodle dishes such as udon, soba, and somen, as well as for simmered dishes, etc. It is very versatile, so please try making it!
◎ About this kitchen tool ◎
Japanese Measuring Cup : 計量カップ
https://amzn.to/3B866G2 (Overseas)
https://amzn.to/3xDkPrD (in Japan)
Mortar and pestle is said to be “Suribachi” and “Surikogi” in Japanese. A characteristic of Japanese mortar and pestle is that it has ridges on the surface of the the mortar make it easy to crush ingredients to some extent without exerting much effort. And because they are made of ceramic, they are lightweight, and final product can be displayed on the dining table as they are.
◎ About this kitchen tool ◎
Japanese Mortar & Pestle : すり鉢＆すりこぎ (Suribachi & Surikogi)
https://amzn.to/3hOTTQy (Overseas)
https://amzn.to/3V5i0sW (in Japan)
Do you like gyoza? I love gyoza, so I often make them at home. And I use this gyoza spatula when I do. Of course, you can use a spoon, but this tool is very time-saving because it allows you to quickly put the right amount of ingredients on the gyoza skin and spread it nice and thin. And of course, it can be used not only for dumplings, but also for spreading jam or butter on toast. For Gyoza & Gyoza Pastry recipe, please visit my food blog “YUCa’s Japanese Cooking”!
◎ About this kitchen tool ◎
Gyoza spatula : あんべら An-bera
https://amzn.to/3QT01Uy (Overseas)
https://amzn.to/3TfGVcV (in Japan)
Have you all heard of Okonomiyaki? In Japan, we use this kitchen tool for this dish, I thought I’d give it a whirl and see what it can do for okonomiyaki! This oil container has a brush so that just the right amount of oil can be drawn thinly and evenly over the pan.
◎ About this kitchen tool ◎
Oil Brush & Container : 油引き Aburahiki
https://amzn.to/3QruXuW (Overseas)
https://amzn.to/3AlHOJu (in Japan)
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