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Home / Japanese Kitchen Tools

Practical equipment

Useful tools for Japanese home cooking.

You do not need a Japanese specialty kitchen. These are practical tool categories that make the recipes on this site easier to reproduce.

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These links open Amazon.com search results rather than locking you to one brand or one current listing. Compare size, material and current availability before buying.

Rice cookerUseful if short-grain rice is a regular part of your cooking.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Japanese chef knifeA general-purpose knife for vegetables, meat and everyday prep.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Cutting boardA stable work surface for prep.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Small saucepanUseful for ramen soup, dashi and small simmered dishes.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Frying panUseful for teriyaki, ginger pork, gyoza-style cooking and everyday dishes.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Digital kitchen scaleHelpful when converting and repeating recipes accurately.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Fine-mesh strainerUseful for noodles, dashi and small-batch stock.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Cooking chopsticksLong chopsticks used for many Japanese cooking tasks.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Oyakodon panA specialized pan for cooking and sliding the topping onto rice.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Ramen bowlsDeep bowls for noodle soup and toppings.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Donburi bowlsBowls sized for rice-bowl dishes such as oyakodon and gyudon.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →Suribachi mortarA grooved mortar useful for sesame and dressings.Find on Amazon.com (paid link) →

I do not display fixed Amazon prices because prices and availability can change.

Start with what you already own

A saucepan, frying pan, knife and cutting board are enough for many recipes here. Specialized tools such as an oyakodon pan or ramen bowl are optional; they become useful when you cook that style of food often.

What matters more than buying more equipment

Correct ingredients, heat control, timing and tasting as you cook usually matter more than owning specialized Japanese tools.