Saruya toothpics and storefront

Saruya is a toothpick specialty shop located in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, near the Mitsukoshi and Ningyocho area. Saruya was established in 1704 and has been open for over 300 years. This is a very special shop filled with tradition and history.

When Saruya was first established in 1704, there were many other toothpick shops located around the city, but Saruya is the only toothpick store that exists in Japan.

Saruya, is loved by many people even to this day, and the shops traditions have been passed down over time.

Toothpicks inside the shop

Many toothpicks made by the old craftsmen are displayed in the shop and in the shops gallery.
There are designs that say Kinsennryou (lit. money, thousand, yen) and pictures of the year’s zodiac. There are two types of boxes, the lid that covers the box and the lid that slides onto the box.

Toothpicks in boxes with Kinsenryou and zodiac designs are sold during New Year’s and used in celebrations.

Box with Kinsenryou written on it

The toothpicks are handmade from wood by a tree called Kuromoji and are precious products which even an expert craftsman can make only about 2000 per day.

Each toothpick is wrapped by a special wrapping paper and romantic poems of love appear on each piece of wrapping paper.

At first glance it appears that a Japanese fortune was written on the paper, but instead beautiful words are written to make the customers happy.

Hand crafted toothpicks

Toothpicks are usually disposable, but when using these it feels as if you cannot throw them away due to the knowledge that each toothpick was crafted by hand and made with the craftsman’s feelings.

Boxes with sliding tops

Every toothpick sold in Saruya is handmade, which has gone unchanged since the shop first opened. It is one of Edo’s specialties that are used while protecting the Japanese tradition.

The Eto (lit. Zodiac) series is a product that caught collector’s attention and many people wait for the release. How about Saruya’s toothpicks as this year’s gift?