The big chef statue on top of the Niimi kitchenware store is one of the landmarks at Kappabashi. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

The big chef statue on top of the Niimi kitchenware store is one of the landmarks at Kappabashi. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Kappabashi, a kitchenware town, has everything you can think of that is needed for cooking. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Shoppers scout for good buys among the various plates available at Kappabashi. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Shoppers look at various cooking utensils offered at Kappabashi. Whether you are professional or not, you can find various kinds of kitchen supplies at Kappabashi. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Many kinds of signs used at restaurants are displayed at a Kappabashi store. Kappabashi offers not only kitchenware for everyday cooking but also for professional cooks and restaurant owners. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Kitchen appliances for professionals, such as burners and cabbage slicers, are some of the items that can be found at Kappabashi. Kappabashi is the largest shopping district for kitchen appliances and cooking utensils. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Fake, plastic beer displays resemble the real thing in Kappabashi, where there are many stores that sell realistic-looking, plastic food displays. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Various plastic food displays made into magnets are great for souvenirs and gifts and can be found in Kappabashi. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

These fake sushi plastic displays are plentiful in Kappabashi. Plastic food displays are usually used in displays outside restaurants but some shoppers buy them as gifts. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Shoppers look at plastic food cell phone charms. Sushi, cakes and donuts are among some of the various types of charms sold at stores in Kappabashi. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Various knives are displayed at a store in Kappabashi. You can find daily-use and professional knives at Kappabashi. (Hana Kusumoto/Stars and Stripes)

Kappabashi is a shopping paradise for chefs of all skill levels — or tourists simply looking to pick up some plastic or wax food that is commonly displayed at restaurants in Japan.

From basic cooking tools like spatulas and whiskers to industrial-size refrigerators and display cases, kitchen supplies are plentiful in this district located between the popular tourist sites of Asakusa and Ueno.

On a recent Saturday, shoppers packed the more than 170 stores on the half-mile-long street of Kappabashi, checking out the latest in Japanese and Western-style dishes, lacquer ware, food containers, baking supplies, and restaurant equipment and furniture. A $1,200 popcorn machine might not be what the average tourist is looking for, but it’s for the taking at Kappabashi. But don’t fear, there are plenty of $5 rice bowls and $4 chopsticks available as well.

Kappabashi got its start as kitchenware town around 1912 when a handful of equipment and secondhand stores opened. It is now the place to go for the latest in cooking supplies.

One of the biggest attractions, especially for foreign visitors, is the plastic food displays. Although they were originally made to show what a food dish looked like, throughout the years they have become a popular souvenir. While some displays cost more than $50, little ones sold as magnets and cell phone charms can be found for $10.

There are also several stores specializing in cooking knives, something the Japanese are known for. And they’re not cheap, especially if you want a good one.

So if you’re into cooking, or just want to pick up some plastic food, Kappabashi is the place for you. But don’t go on Sundays because a majority of the stores are closed.

Know & GoIt’s about a five-minute walk from Tawara station on Tokyo Metro’s Ginza line, or about a six-minute walk from Iriya station on Tokyo Metro’s Hibiya line. Most stores are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. About 10 percent of the stores are closed on Saturdays and about 70 percent are closed on Sundays.