The long-awaited autumn has arrived for the famous president of Kappabashi. We got an exclusive close-up look at the purchasing scene of new products. The setting is one of the largest international trade fairs in Japan, where professionals purchase products. Kappabashi Tool Street is a treasure trove of the latest goods that even professionals are amazed by, and it is constantly evolving to meet the needs of its customers. ■ Annual Tool Festival in a Holy Land! Kappabashi Tool Street in Asakusa, Tokyo, is a holy land where you can find anything related to cooking. The annual "Kappabashi Tool Festival" will be held from October 8th to 14th. It is full of creative goods that make life just a little more convenient. Iida-ya, which was founded in 1912, has more than 8,500 types of cooking tools lined up in its store. Chiyu Mori from Saitama Prefecture "Look! Isn't this amazing? Finely chopped cabbage." Mother: "Chopping cabbage is such a pain..." Chiyu: "It's so much work, and if you don't have a large cutting board, it will spill out. Let's buy this." Chiyu, who came from Saitama Prefecture, has her eye on a cabbage slicer that was just released this year. Iida Yuta, 6th generation president of Iida-ya, says, "The wavy blade has shook the industry. The wave-like blade makes it possible to chop cabbage finely. It can be done in no time." When comparing it to the staff cutting it with a knife, the difference in speed is obvious! In addition, the sharp wavy blade cuts the cabbage without crushing the fibers, so it has a crisp texture. Chiyu is excited to be able to chop a large amount of cabbage in no time. It will save time when making minced meat cutlets, and it will expand the repertoire of minced dishes. The trio, who have been friends for about 30 years, have their eye on the latest gadget released this year. It is a spatula for tamagoyaki that can be used for mixing, flipping, and cutting. First, move the spatula back and forth to stir the eggs. The eggs pass through the holes, which helps them to loosen more quickly. The wide 10cm spatula lifts the whole egg, making it easy to roll. The thin spatula tip can be used to cut the egg, so no knife is needed. Here's a quiz! The slightly strangely shaped gadget is a tool for cutting something into four pieces, but do you know what it's used for? From Spain: "Lemon? No, it's garlic!" The correct answer is a special cutter for cutting cherry tomatoes into four pieces. In fact, this product is very popular among seniors and small children as a way to help them. From America: "This is my fourth time in Japan." "Five times!" "Five times?! Five times?" A couple from America who are big fans of Japan bought four of these peelers, which are specialized for slicing cabbage into thin strips without even using a knife or cutting board. From America: "(We love cabbage) This can slice thinly. It's hard to do it with a knife." "I bought one last time and all my family and friends loved it, so I bought one as a souvenir." Meanwhile, a man from Ireland was looking for something... From Ireland: "I saw a chef using it." He wanted to try making it like a pro, and he wanted to try making Japanese soul food onigiri. When I asked him, he said he was so impressed by the onigiri he had eaten for the first time in Japan that he wanted to try making it himself. He was very satisfied, saying, "I was able to recreate the taste of my memories." ■ Amazing new gadgets found at the exhibition This store has a selection of about 100 types of peelers, 200 types of frying pans, and a whopping 1,000 types of ladles alone. The woman who runs a restaurant bought a huge ladle that can scoop up a liter of water. It is a mecca for cooking tools, frequented not only by ordinary customers but also by restaurant professionals. "We at Doguya want to say with confidence that our current inventory is not enough to say, 'Of all the products, this one is the one that suits you,'" says President Iida, the sixth generation owner of the company. They say they purchase new products every week in order to meet the needs of all customers, but how do they find these new products? President Iida: "It's a trade fair where many manufacturers gather. Doguya participates in trade fairs to find new tools." So, in this program, we exclusively followed President Iida as he purchased new products. On this day, they arrived at the Tokyo International Gift Show, Japan's largest goods festival. It is an international trade fair where more than 2,800 manufacturers from all over the world gather to unveil their new products. There is a huge selection of the latest goods that will be released in the future. What kind of products will the professionals have their eye on out of all these new products? President Iida: "This is really good. This is the defrosting plate, and the other side is the cutting board. Kitchen storage space is limited... There is a strong demand for one product that can be used in various ways." The defrosting plate, which is scheduled to be released this winter, is a convenient item that can be used in three ways, including as a cutting board and a grater, and has been popular in recent years. Those who use the defrosting tool can defrost the meat in about 40 minutes, while it takes about an hour to defrost naturally. Furthermore, by shortening the time it takes to defrost, it is said that the dripping that gives the meat its flavor is less likely to occur. President Iida: "This is a product that has never been seen before, so I want to buy it now. I can see the customer's face!" And once again, President Iida's ultra-latest product sensor reacted. President Iida: "What's that? Oh! It folds up! Ha ha ha ha. This is good. This is good!!" Manufacturer: "That will be released next month." President Iida: "Put it in." Manufacturer: "Please put it in. Thank you." President Iida: "I can see the customer's face" The salad spinner, which is scheduled to be released this month, is 14 cm tall, but can be folded up to half its size. It doesn't take up much space to store. ■The motto is "Negotiate while it's hot" Two and a half hours into the search for new products. The next thing we found was an iron frying pan made by a workshop that made Japanese swords in the Edo period. It has a high heat retention, so if you put it on the table as is, it will stay hot for a long time. President Iida: "We have customers coming in every day looking for iron frying pans. We would like to recommend it to our customers." Just like iron, "Negotiate while it's hot." That is President Iida's motto. President Iida: "Sorry, but I've been keeping you company today without a break. We're open until 6pm, so we have to hurry." President Iida said, "I still want to find new products," and went to another exhibition. Manufacturer: "It's heat-resistant pottery made from the same material as clay pots. If you put in a lid, you don't have to clean the inside of the pot. You can bring it to the table as it is and use it as a dish." President Iida: "That's an idea, it's amazing." It's not just new products that President Iida purchases at exhibitions. Manufacturer: "Rice cooled in an ohitsu becomes sweeter. If you reheat it, it will stay sweeter while still warm." President Iida: "Is it best to cool the rice and then pop it in the microwave?" Manufacturer: "Maybe. Some people think that's the best..." After getting this information, President Iida set his sights on a certain product. It is an ohitsu-shaped lunch box that is microwave-safe by removing the metal hoops. President Iida: "It doesn't have any hoops..." Manufacturer: "Anything without hoops can be used in the microwave." President Iida: "I see." Manufacturer: "A lunch box based on the concept of a portable ohitsu." ■The evolved version of the silicone brush is also highly praised! President Iida can't stop there. He will also visit another exhibition. The "Really Non-Slip Cooking Chopsticks" that are scheduled to be released next year are a product that was previously featured on the program, but has been extended for cooking. Meanwhile, at one booth, President Iida asks a simple question that he has had for a long time. President Iida: "Pasta cooked in the microwave is popular... why does this appeal to customers?" Man: "It tastes better than boiling it in a pot." President Iida: "It's insanely good." Man: "The starch in the cooking water coats the noodles, giving them a chewy texture." President Iida: "Wow!" The big and small holes in the lid are the best feature of this item. When you put hot water and pasta in the container and put it in the microwave, the cooking water circulates through the holes in the lid, and while the excess water evaporates, the remaining starch coats the noodles. Not only does it eliminate the need for troublesome draining, but it also helps the noodles stick to the sauce better... President Iida: "A shelf dedicated to pasta-related tools. I would love to put it there." Man: "Yes, please." President Iida: "This is amazing" President Iida visited three exhibitions in eight hours. Of all the exhibitions, the item that caught his eye the most was highly praised by him, with five comments in just two minutes, "This is great." Man: "Normal silicone brushes could only apply this much. This allows you to apply what's accumulated here." President Iida: "This is really good! Silicone doesn't hold much, so the area you can apply is very narrow." It's an evolved version of the silicone brush that everyone is familiar with. If you compare the area you can apply with a conventional brush, the difference is clear. The secret is the internal mesh structure. The liquid accumulates here, so you can apply more. President Iida: "Just one piece of ingenuity makes a big difference in usability. We'll get that brush. I can see the customer's faces. Their happy faces." To fulfill the customer's "I wanted this!" wish, new products are released one after another every week. Kappabashi Tool Street is constantly evolving. [TV Asahi News] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp