Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai Kitchenware Street in Osaka Japan

“Where are we going?“, Fafa asked, followed by “Is it somewhere nearby?“

I didn’t want to tell my newly-wedded husband that his honeymoon itinerary for the day was to company me hunting for Japanese tableware at Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai shopping street instead of doing so many other fun touristy things in Osaka, Japan. I also didn’t want to think about the logistics of packing breakable items back to Melbourne into my already overweight luggage. That was a battle for later.

Fifteen minutes later, standing in front of the entrance, I declared to him, “Today we shall find the beautiful Japanese tableware I have been dreaming about“. He raised an eyebrow as a reply.

Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai

4-5 Nanbasennichimae, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0075, Japan. Closest train station: Nankai Namba Station (less than 5 minutes).

The kitchenware street felt more like an alley, with a few dozens of kitchenware and tableware shops, compared to the gigantic Dotonbori or the lively Kuromon Ichiba market we visited the day before.

There were Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki grill pans, plastic food and restaurant banners in some of the stores. I guess the Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai is catered for both Japanese food vendors and domestic use. Actually excluding us, there were not many tourists around, if any, on that day.

Japanese Tableware

My Japanese tableware collection started slowly. The first-ever purchase was a ceramic teapot with Sakura flowers drawing from Yanaka market street in Tokyo. Next, I got myself a rice bowl and mini teacup set from Miyagawa market in Takayama. And on the Japan trip after that, I got another teacup depicting Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away characters.

Eventually, getting Japanese tableware while in Japan has started to feel like a tradition.

Miso Mission

I didn’t know when did my tableware obsession start. I was the daughter who sulked when my mom took me to buy “boring kitchen stuff” as I deemed it years ago. Now, karma bites me in the ass in the form of a partner who doesn’t get my obsession with pots and pans.

Fafa looked at me like I was crazy when I whispered, “We are searching for the perfect miso soup bowl to accompany our winter in Melbourne” to him as we browsed around Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai street. “It’s the peak of summer in Melbourne now“, he replied. I ignored him and went inside the store with the most knickknacks. We were on a mission. The miso soup bowl mission.

Miso soup is the queen of Japanese culinary culture. It’s a traditional Japanese soup made of miso paste and a cooking stock called dashi. And we love Miso soup, especially during winter. So why not get it from Japan itself?! Even more so from Osaka, the nation’s kitchen and centre of Japanese food culture.

#CoupleBowls at Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai

It didn’t take long for Fafa to be enticed by the beautiful Japanese tableware in Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai shopping street. I gave him the task to choose our future miso soup bowls. “His-&-hers kind“, I told him.

The thing was that we couldn’t agree on any pairs. It’s either too girly or childish (his complaints about my suggestions) or too plain (my complaint about his choices). Finally, he suggested that we each choose our own bowl. He has a point. We have always been a couple who maintain our individuality. Also, I partially agreed because I was hungry.

It was past lunchtime when we stepped out of the Sennichimae Doguyasuji shopping street; with two unmatching bowls, a pair of red chopsticks and Noren (wall hanging) with a sake bottle printed on it.

Mission accomplished.

On the way back to the hotel, I turned and smiled sweetly at him while asking, “Do you mind carrying the bowls in your luggage? Mine is already full“.

Ps. If you are not visiting Osaka, check out Kappabashi or Asakusa the cultural centre of old Tokyo to score some beautiful Japanese tableware as a souvenir for yourself or as an Omiyage.

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