Tsujimoto Market: Our Guarantees
Description
Aoba Symphony Gradient Chopsticks — 23 cm
Overview
An everyday pair with a colour that fades along the length rather than sitting flat, from Aoba in Obama, Fukui. At approximately 15 g it is light in the hand — noticeably lighter than a lacquered formal pair — and the finish is specified for the dishwasher, which is the practical reason to own it. This is the pair you reach for on a Tuesday.
For a formal pair, see the Tanaka Hashiten black-and-gold pair. For a five-colour household set, the Ohashi Koujou five-pair set.
Choosing a length. The Japanese rule of thumb is issoku-hitomata: hold your hand with thumb and index finger at a right angle, measure between the two tips, and multiply by 1.5. For most adults that lands between 21 and 24 cm. 21 cm suits smaller hands, 23 cm is the general adult size, and if you are between the two, go longer — chopsticks that are slightly long are usable, chopsticks that are too short are not.
Key Benefits
- ✓ Gradient finish along the length — the colour is the design, not a printed motif that wears
- ✓ Dishwasher-compatible, which is the whole argument for an everyday pair
- ✓ Approx. 15 g — light enough to use without thinking about it
- ✓ 23 cm, the general adult length
- ✓ From Aoba, a Fukui chopstick house working in Obama since 1968
- ✓ Bought in Japan and shipped from Kobe with tracking
Product Details
| Brand | Aoba (株式会社アオバ), Obama, Fukui — founded 1968 |
|---|---|
| Japanese product name | シンフォニー 箸 |
| Length | 23 cm |
| Weight | Approx. 15 g per pair |
| Material | Wood with acrylic urethane coating |
| Finish | Gradient |
| Colour of this listing | Blue |
| Maker item no. | 245391 |
| Dishwasher | Yes |
| Microwave | No |
| Contents | 1 pair |
| Country of origin | Japan |
Who Is This For?
- Anyone who wants a chopstick pair they do not have to think about after dinner
- Households that run everything through the dishwasher and want a pair that survives it
- People who find heavy lacquered chopsticks tiring — at 15 g this is at the light end
- Anyone buying a first pair: this is the low-risk one
- 23 cm is the general adult length; smaller hands are better served by 21 cm
How to Use
- Rinse before first use and wipe dry.
- Use for anything — rice, noodles, hot dishes, salad.
- Wash in the dishwasher laid flat in the cutlery basket, or by hand in warm water.
- Do not leave standing in water and skip the high-temperature pot cycle.
- Dry fully and store flat, away from metal cutlery.
Frequency: After every meal
Materials & Construction
Body: wood. Coating: acrylic urethane, applied as a gradient along the length. Finish specification: dishwasher-compatible.
What Aoba is. 株式会社アオバ, founded 1968, is a chopstick house in Obama, Fukui — the town at the centre of the Wakasa lacquered-chopstick industry — working in planning, wholesale and sale of lacquered chopsticks. Aoba is the house behind the design and the specification of this pair; where the sticks are physically turned and coated is not something the company publishes, so we attribute the house and the country and leave it there.
Cautions
- Not a toy. Keep away from children under three — chopsticks are a puncture hazard and a choking hazard.
- Never use in a microwave and never use to stir something on the heat.
- Do not leave soaking. Water sitting in the grain or under a lacquer edge is what lifts a finish.
- Dry before storing. Stored damp, wood chopsticks develop mould at the tip where you cannot see it.
- Stop using a pair once the coating chips or cracks — the exposed edge harbours food residue and can splinter.
- Keep away from direct sunlight, radiators and high humidity.
Package Contents
- 1 × pair of Aoba Symphony chopsticks, 23 cm, blue
- Japanese retail sleeve
- No chopstick rest and no case are included
Shipping & Store Notes
- Ships directly from Japan
- Processing time: 2–6 business days
- Tracking number provided after dispatch
- Import duties and taxes may apply depending on destination country
- Unused chopsticks in unopened packaging can be returned; a pair that has been eaten with cannot, for hygiene reasons
- Lacquered and wooden items travel well but are not indestructible — tell us within 48 hours if yours arrives chipped and we will replace it
Authenticity Guarantee
Every product at Tsujimoto Market is bought in Japan on the domestic market and packed in Kobe. We do not sell replicas or grey-market goods, and we do not relabel. Chopsticks are one of the categories where imitation is common outside Japan, so this matters more here than it does on a bottle of shampoo.
FAQ
Which colour will I receive?
Blue. This listing is the blue pair, maker item 245391. The Symphony line exists in other colours; blue is the one we stock. If you want a different colour, write to us and we will ask our supplier whether it can be brought in.
Why does the number 245391 appear next to the colour?
It is Aoba's item number for this pair, not a colour code. It is worth quoting if you ever need to reorder the same blue rather than a similar one.
Are they really dishwasher-safe?
Yes. Acrylic urethane over wood is the coating specifically used to make chopsticks machine-washable. Lay them flat in the cutlery basket, avoid the high-temperature pot cycle, and do not leave them standing in water — under those conditions they last for years.
How do they compare to a lacquered pair?
Lighter and less formal. At about 15 g these sit at the light end; the Tanaka Hashiten pair is closer to 20 g and reads as a formal object. Neither is better; they are for different meals.
Is 23 cm right for me?
It is the general adult length and suits most people. If your hand is on the small side, 21 cm is the better fit — see the length rule in the description, or look at the 21 cm MUJI pair. More in Japanese Kitchen Products.
