Kobo Aizawa Strainer Ladle

Kobo Aizawa

Nestled among the factories and shops of Tsubame, Japan - a town renowned for its cutlery - sits the headquarters of Kobo Aizawa, a century-old manufacturer of kitchen and dining implements that got its start making iconic stainless-steel bento boxes. Unlike many of its contemporaries, Kobo Aizawa has long since abandoned flashy embellishments, instead devoting its efforts to function-first design principles that place ease of use above ornamentation.

Tsubame, Japan