Wagara Patterns Set of 5 Pairs Wooden Chopsticks

These wooden chopsticks come as a set of five pairs, each pair dressed in its own traditional Japanese wagara pattern in navy blue and white. Wagara are the repeating motifs found on Japanese textiles and ceramics, and here you'll find rolling ocean waves, scalloped wave crests and small blossoming flowers, one pattern to a pair, so every place at the table gets its own. The patterned band wraps the upper part of each chopstick, where your fingers rest, while the lower part is left as plain pale wood, tapering to a fine point. They are made from schima wood and measure 22.6cm long and 0.8cm wide at the top, a comfortable everyday length.

Set them out for a bowl of ramen, a stir-fry or a sushi supper, and the blue and white patterns sit happily beside plain white tableware and bright, colourful dishes alike. With five pairs to hand there is enough for a family meal or for friends round for a homemade takeaway, and because the patterns are all different, nobody mixes up whose pair is whose. They are just as useful in the kitchen for turning noodles, tossing a salad or lifting dumplings from a steamer basket.

Each chopstick tapers from the patterned top to a slim tip, with a plain wooden end above the pattern, and the whole set feels light in the hand. As with most wooden utensils, we'd wash them by hand in warm soapy water and dry them straight away rather than leave them to soak, which keeps the wood at its best. Keep the set in the cutlery drawer for weeknight noodles, lay a different pattern at each place when you have company, or wrap them up as a thoughtful present that will be used again and again.

How long are these chopsticks?

Each chopstick is 22.6cm long and 0.8cm wide at the top, a good everyday length for eating noodles, rice and stir-fries at the table.

What are the chopsticks made from?

They are made from schima wood, with a blue and white traditional Japanese pattern on the upper part and plain pale wood towards the tips.

How many pairs are in the set, and are the patterns all the same?

The set holds five pairs, and each pair carries its own wagara pattern, from ocean waves to small blossoming flowers, so every pair looks different.

How should I clean wooden chopsticks?

As general good practice for wood, we'd wash them by hand in warm soapy water and dry them straight away rather than leaving them to soak.

Can I use them for cooking as well as eating?

Yes, they are handy for turning noodles, tossing a salad or lifting dumplings, though as with any wooden utensil we'd keep them away from direct heat.

Would this set make a good present?

We think so: five pairs in different blue and white Japanese patterns make a practical present that will be used at the table again and again.