tsuboe
Just one thing — graters.
Based in Tsubame, Niigata, TSUBOE has built its craft around metal blades and Japanese graters. The roots go back to 1907, and today the company focuses on metal grating tools that feel precise and satisfying. A key idea is "Hon-medate," where each tooth is raised one by one to shape the cutting performance. The lineup is centered on three series: GOKUJO, SHIRO, and irogami. From daikon to small condiments, the tools are designed to fit naturally into everyday cooking.
Why We Love It
Start with "Hako" if you want a complete setup for daikon: the set includes the grater, an angled container, a draining basket, and a silicone lid. For fresh condiments, try choosing between Maruzara (wasabi) and Kakuzara (ginger), both made for small ingredients with a dedicated blade layout. After cooking, a SHIRO brush-sponge helps reach the tiny gaps around the teeth. And for the table, irogami's palm-size grater is handy when you just need a little yuzu peel or garlic.
PROFILE About the Company / Workshop
TSUBOE traces its origins to a file-making workshop founded in 1907 in Tsubame, Niigata. Today, the company is positioned in metal blade manufacturing, with a long background in the region's metalworking culture. It was established in 1984, while keeping the founding year as its starting point.
In the third generation, the file-making know-how was applied to graters. Through repeated prototyping, TSUBOE focused on the depth of Japanese "orosu" cooking and found that different ingredients call for different tooth layouts and metal choices. That curiosity became the base for a grater-specialist maker.
At the center is Hon-medate. Complex tooth patterns and sharp edges shape how an ingredient is cut rather than torn. To reproduce the precision of hand work, TSUBOE collaborated with a machine manufacturer and developed its own NC system. The result is a blade structure built for texture control.
The brand is organized into three series: GOKUJO, SHIRO, and irogami. Hako received Good Design Award Best 100 (2020), and Kakuzara/Maruzara won the Grand Prize at the Japan Tsubame Industrial Design Contest (2022). irogami has also been recognized for packaging in international awards.
Hon-medate: one tooth at a time
"Hon-medate" is a method that raises each tooth individually using a chisel-like tool. TSUBOE centers its performance around this approach, refining the tooth layout and precision. The brand also developed its own NC machine to reproduce the accuracy of hand work.
GOKUJO "Hako" is designed as a whole set
Hako combines a 1.5mm-thick stainless steel grater plate with Hon-medate teeth and a "Quattro" blade structure. It also includes an angled container and a draining basket for a smoother workflow. A paulownia wood box version is available for gifting.
Dual Quattro blades for wasabi and ginger
Maruzara (for wasabi) and Kakuzara (for ginger) use an 8-direction Dual Quattro layout. The goal is to match blade direction to the ingredient. The body is 21-0 stainless steel, with a silicone base/lid for stability and storage.
irogami adds lightness — and color — to the table
The "Piece of Grater" is made from aluminum alloy with anodized finishes (including colored anodizing). The curled edge fits along the hand, making small amounts feel easy and natural. irogami also includes matching chopsticks and chopstick rests.