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If you’re about to buy a new pair of chopsticks, read this article before you decide which to purchase! We chose 6 different chopsticks from BECOS's large collection of made-in-Japan chopsticks and put them to the test to see which type of chopstick is the best. There are several important factors to consider when choosing the perfect pair of chopsticks for you, and this article will walk through each, as well as introduce our ranking of the chopsticks that we tested to make this article.
The chopsticks we tested for this article
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1.SHIZUKU (GOLD) CHOPSTICKS SET | HAKUICHI
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2.KOKUTAN PAIR CHOPSTICKS SET | HASHIKURA MATSUKAN
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3.KOTOBUKI CHERRY BLOSSOMS CHOPSTICKS SET| HASHIMOTO KOUSAKU SIKKI
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4.OCTAGONAL CHOPSTICK SET | HASHIKURA MATSUKAN
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5.HASHIKURA SEASON01 | HASHIKURA MATSUKAN
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6.OCTAGONAL CHOPSTICKS | 87.5
Points we consider when choosing a pair of chopsticks
1. Comfort while holding
2. Ease to pick up food with
3. Feeling in the mouth
4. Stability when set down (how much they roll around)
5. Ease of cleaning (whether they are dishwasher safe or not)
6. Appearance
1. Comfort while holding
Since they are made with various materials and come in various sizes, shapes, and weights, chopsticks can feel very different when holding them in your hand. Although there is certainly an element of personal preference involved, there are undeniably certain types of chopsticks that are easier to hold than others.
Of the 6 chopsticks that we tried out, we found that the easiest to hold was the Shizuku chopsticks by Hakuichi. These chopsticks are made of wood, and have a nice medium weight and a rounded shape that feels very comfortable to hold. In addition, the resin and gold leaf coating is covered with a layer of water droplet-like dappling, which gives the chopsticks a gentle grip that keeps them easily in place in the hand.
2. Ease to pick up food with
When it comes to grabbing morsels of food, the shape, texture and rigidity of the tips of the chopsticks all have an impact on the ease with which things can be picked up. While it is true that different types of food are better suited to different types of chopsticks (picking fish off the bone requires delicate chopsticks while noodles are usually more easily eaten with fatter chopsticks, for example), for this article, we judged the chopsticks based on their all-around ease of use.
All 6 pairs of chopsticks that we tried out performed very well during our testing, but the stand out was the lacquered Kokutan chopstick set by Hashikura Matsukan. The shafts of these chopsticks are slightly narrower than an average pair of chopsticks to begin with, but the tips are shaved to an even finer point, making them capable of accurately grabbing very tiny morsels. Plus, the fine dappled texture that runs the length of the tips also allows them to easily grip a variety of larger foods such as noodles, making them quite versatile.
3. Feeling in the mouth
An often overlooked characteristic of chopsticks is the feeling (or preferably the lack of feeling) that they have in the mouth. A good pair of chopsticks will place all the focus on the texture of the food itself, without distracting the eater with a rough or unpleasant touch from the chopsticks themselves.
Of the 6 chopstick pairs that we tested, the best were both from Matsukan, the previously-mentioned fine-tipped Kokutan pair and the Octagonal Chopstick Set with a natural wood appearance. The fine-tipped Kokutan chopsticks, despite having a good deal of friction on the tips, are hardly noticeable in the mouth due to the super-fine point. The tips on the natural wood pair are slightly fatter (although still quite thin) but have a lovely smooth texture from the natural wood that slides easily on the tongue without distracting from the food.
4. Stability when set down (how much they roll around)
One of the points that can cause a small amount of daily frustration if not considered is the propensity of the chopsticks to roll when set down on the chopstick rest or table. We’ve owned our fair share of rounded chopsticks that roll all over the place, and can say that this is something you definitely want to take into account when choosing a pair of chopsticks.
Of the 6 pairs of chopsticks we tested, there were two which were the clear winners: the Octagonal Chopstick Set from Matsukan and the Octagonal Chopsticks from lacquerware brand "87.5". Both feature a natural wood texture with sharper corners, which seems to help prevent them from rolling on the table.
5. Ease of cleaning (whether they are dishwasher safe or not)
An important consideration for many when choosing a pair of chopsticks is the ease of cleaning. Those who use a dishwasher on a daily basis definitely will appreciate being able to stick the chopsticks into the dishwasher with all the other dishes. If you already wash your dishes by hand, however, this may not be as important for you.
Most high-end made-in-Japan chopsticks use natural lacquer (urushi), which will fade after repeated exposure to high heat. As such all but one of the chopsticks we tested need to be washed by hand. However, if being dishwasher safe is a must, one of the pairs we tested—HASHIKURA SEASON01 from Matsukan—is a great choice. Although it retains a beautiful natural appearance, the chopsticks are coated with a top layer of urethane, which makes them dishwasher safe.
6. Appearance
Although the appearance of chopsticks is really just personal preference, we still decided to include this category as it can sometimes be tricky to tell exactly how a product will look without seeing it in person.
All of the chopsticks that we tested look quite good, but our favorite is the Shizuku set from maker Hakuichi. The Kanazawa gold leaf on the top of the shaft gives them a fancy appearance, and the transparent water droplet-like dappling that covers the entire shaft ties the gold and black sections together and gives the impression that a gentle dew has settled on the chopsticks.
A close runner up is the Octagonal Chopstick Set by Matsukan, which is simple yet very elegant and would be very easy to match with almost any table setting.
Our overall rating for best chopsticks
| Chopstick | Comfort | Ease of use | Mouth feel | Propensity to roll | Ease of cleaning | Appearance |
| SHIZUKU (GOLD) CHOPSTICKS SET | HAKUICHI | a+ | a | a | b | c | a+ |
| KOKUTAN PAIR CHOPSTICKS SET HASHIKURA MATSUKAN | b | a+ | a+ | b | c | a |
| KOTOBUKI CHERRY BLOSSOMS CHOPSTICKS SET| HASHIMOTO KOUSAKU SIKKI | a | a | b | b | c | b |
| OCTAGONAL CHOPSTICK SET | HASHIKURA MATSUKAN | a | a | a+ | a | c | a |
| HASHIKURA SEASON01 | HASHIKURA MATSUKAN | a | a | a | c | a | b |
| OCTAGONAL CHOPSTICKS | 87.5 | b | b | b | a | c | b |
Our overall top pick got an A in every category except for ease of cleaning, as the natural lacquerware chopsticks need to be hand-washed. However, this is a small price to pay for such excellent chopsticks, which are a joy to use and look at.
Conclusion
When choosing a pair of chopsticks, be sure to consider the points we introduced above. Also be sure to buy from a reputable source and support Japanese craftsmanship by choosing made-in-Japan products.