Beams
Black Reusable Chopsticks
CA$31.00CAD
In Stock
These are black reusable chopsticks by BEAMS, made from lacquered wood and crafted in Japan. The chopsticks have a textured matte surface and tapered tips, designed for easy handling of a wide range of foods. Lightweight and reusable, they are suitable for everyday use at home, restaurants, or travel.
- Color
- Black
- Material
- Lacquered wood
- Category
- Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Tools & Utensils
Color
Black
Size
ONE SIZE
Specifications
Lightweight and textured reusable chopsticks made of lacquered wood from Japan.
Reusable, lightweight, textured, lacquered wood, made in Japan.
- Color
- Black · black
- Material
- Lacquered wood
- Occasion
- everyday
- Gender
- unisex
- Condition
- new
- Category
- Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Tools & Utensils
Additional Attributes
- lightweight
- textured
- reusable
- lacquered wood
- made in Japan
- black
Product Insights
These Beams chopsticks, crafted by Ishida Co. using Wakasa dry-lacquer on wood, command a $31 CAD premium for their traditional Japanese construction. They grip slippery foods without absorbing flavors and are lightweight to reduce fatigue, with a 22 cm length standard for Japanese meals that sacrifices reach for precise control. The main tradeoff is the requisite hand-washing and immediate drying; with proper care, the urushi lacquer deepens in luster and the chopsticks can last over a century.
Verified claims
- Pricing
- At $31 CAD, this Ishida collaboration carries a 60% craft premium.
- Dimensions
- At 22 cm, these chopsticks conform to standard Japanese length.
- Grip
- Dry-lacquer texture grips slippery foods without absorbing flavors.
- Craft
- Wood and urushi lacquer by Ishida Co. using Wakasa dry-lacquer; lasts years with hand washing and can surpass a century.
- Usability
- Textured finish grips well, lightweight wood reduces fatigue, lacquer prevents flavor absorption.
- Usage notes
- 22 cm length typical for Japanese; hand wash only, no dishwasher.
- Longevity
- With care, these chopsticks can last over a century and be passed down.
- Durability
- Lasts several years; urushi coating clears and deepens with use.
- Cleaning
- Not dishwasher safe; hand wash only, no soaking, dry immediately.
- Lifespan
- With proper care, lasts several years; replace if lacquer chips.
- Patina
- Urushi lacquer deepens with use, gaining richer luster over time.
- Length
- 22 cm Japanese-standard length, 3 cm shorter than Chinese, for fine control.
- Weight
- Lighter than metal chopsticks, reducing hand fatigue during long meals.
- Collaboration
- Beams curated these chopsticks with Ishida Co., Japan's leading lacquered chopstick manufacturer.
- Care
- Requires hand washing and immediate drying; not dishwasher safe.
- Sizing
- Sized at 22 cm, typical for Japanese cuisine.
Product record
- Title
- Black Reusable Chopsticks
- Brand
- Beams
- Price
- 31 CAD
- Availability
- In stock
Deep Research
How the value compares to similar Japanese chopsticks
- Produced by Ishida Co., a leading lacquer chopstick manufacturer, the set carries the credibility of a specialist workshop; at $31 CAD, you are buying a product with a verifiable craft lineage — the identical model retails for $24 USD elsewhere, roughly equivalent after exchange, indicating that Simons is not inflating the price.
- The chopsticks employ a labor-intensive dry-lacquering method developed in Fukui prefecture, where dry lacquer powder is dusted and layered to create the fine, slip-resistant surface — this hand-applied finish is the main cost driver separating them from simpler dip-lacquered alternatives, so the $31 CAD tag reflects a craft process rather than a brand upcharge.
- Generic Japanese lacquered wood chopsticks from houseware brands like Okappa sell for as little as $14 USD (~$19 CAD); the Beams version commands a roughly 60% premium, which covers the named-producer collaboration, the Wakasa dry-lacquer process, and the Beams Japan curation — a modest step-up that keeps it within accessible design territory rather than luxury.
How lacquered wood stacks up against other materials
- While plain wood chopsticks require replacement every 3–6 months due to cracking and bacterial buildup, these lacquered chopsticks can last several years with hand washing — a lifespan that approaches metal's without the weight penalty.
- Unfinished wood and bamboo chopsticks can absorb food juices and impart a woody or stale taste to delicate dishes, but the lacquer coating seals the wood, keeping every bite flavor-pure — a subtle yet essential trait when eating sushi or lightly seasoned broths.
- These lacquered wood chopsticks are significantly lighter than stainless steel pairs, which tend to be heavier and can strain the hand during a long meal — the lighter mass is especially appreciated when eating a leisurely multi-course dinner.
- Stainless steel chopsticks are notoriously slippery with oily dishes, but the dry-lacquered surface on these chopsticks creates a fine, irregular texture that securely grips noodles and sushi — combining the non-porous cleanliness of metal with the slip resistance of textured wood.
What to expect from urushi lacquer over time
- Urushi is the same material used in restoring Japan's National Treasures and has been a primary coating for 9,000 years — under kitchen conditions and with occasional recoating, these chopsticks can remain serviceable far beyond the single-year lifespan of generic wooden chopsticks, becoming a durable personal item rather than a throwaway.
- The urushi coating undergoes oxidative polymerization that increases transparency and depth, and the surface burnishes from daily contact — these black chopsticks will develop a richer, more dimensional luster over months and years, a finish that improves rather than degrades with age.
Image Analysis
2 images- 01
Product
A single pair of black reusable chopsticks with a textured matte surface, tapered tips, and a white paper band around the midsection showing a small orange logo and text.
- Overall geometryTwo long slim sticks shown as a matched pair running diagonally from top-right to bottom-left; each stick tapers from a thicker rounded end toward a narrower pointed tip.
1 region
x 0.41 · y 0.02 · w 0.18 · h 0.96 (high) - Surface textureMatte black surface with a fine granular or pebbled texture visible along the full length of the sticks.
1 region
x 0.43 · y 0.12 · w 0.12 · h 0.76 (high) - Tapered tipsNarrow rounded tips visible at the lower-left end, each tip coming to a small rounded point.
1 region
x 0.44 · y 0.72 · w 0.06 · h 0.20 (high) - Top endsThicker rounded ends visible at the top-right, showing the circular cross-section of the sticks.
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.00 · w 0.08 · h 0.18 (high) - Midband wrappingA white paper band wrapped around both sticks near the middle, holding them together.
1 region
x 0.44 · y 0.40 · w 0.12 · h 0.13 (high) - Logo and band text“Orange semicircle logo above the word 'BEAMS' and smaller text beneath, all printed on the white band.”
1 region
x 0.46 · y 0.42 · w 0.08 · h 0.09 (high) - Band small text detail“Smaller word under 'BEAMS' appears as 'JAPAN'.”Partial
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.48 · w 0.05 · h 0.03 (medium)
Packaging
A single white paper band encircles the chopsticks; the band carries an orange semicircle logo and legible text.
- Paper band formatNarrow white paper sleeve wrapped once around the pair of chopsticks at mid-length, covering a small rectangular area on both sticks.
1 region
x 0.44 · y 0.40 · w 0.12 · h 0.13 (high) - Packaging logo text“BEAMS”
1 region
x 0.46 · y 0.43 · w 0.07 · h 0.04 (high) - Packaging small text“JAPAN”Partial
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.47 · w 0.05 · h 0.03 (medium)
Other
Product is photographed on an orange textured background with a distinct diagonal cast shadow; lighting comes from the top-right creating a long shadow to the left of the sticks.
- Background color and textureFlat orange paper or board with a subtle textured grain filling the whole frame behind the product.
1 region
x 0.00 · y 0.00 · w 1.00 · h 1.00 (high) - ShadowA long dark drop shadow falls to the left and slightly downward from the chopsticks, indicating a strong directional light source from the top-right.
1 region
x 0.52 · y 0.08 · w 0.28 · h 0.86 (high) - Shot compositionTop-down view with the pair placed diagonally across the frame, centered horizontally and offset slightly toward the right side.
Colors
matte black· chopstick bodieswhite· paper band backgroundPackaging#F9F1EEvivid orange· band logo and textPackaging- Overall geometryTwo long slim sticks shown as a matched pair running diagonally from top-right to bottom-left; each stick tapers from a thicker rounded end toward a narrower pointed tip.
- 02
Product
Two black, round reusable chopsticks shown in a closeup diagonal arrangement; shafts have a coarse granular matte texture and visible circular cut ends with smoother faces.
- Overall arrangementTwo cylindrical chopsticks lie crossed diagonally across the frame with one chopstick on top of the other near the center of the image.
1 region
x 0.08 · y 0.05 · w 0.84 · h 0.88 (medium) - Shaft textureChopstick shafts show a dense, coarse granular texture that scatters highlights, producing many small bright specular points across the surface.
1 region
x 0.18 · y 0.08 · w 0.62 · h 0.64 (high) - Cross-section endsBoth visible ends are circular in cross-section with the cut face appearing smoother and slightly more reflective than the textured shaft surface.
2 regions
x 0.68 · y 0.46 · w 0.20 · h 0.22 (high); x 0.34 · y 0.62 · w 0.20 · h 0.22 (high) - Slight bevel or chipThe nearer chopstick end (upper-right) shows a small irregularity or bevel on the edge of the cut face.Partial
1 region
x 0.80 · y 0.49 · w 0.08 · h 0.10 (medium) - Specular shadowThe chopsticks cast a distinct hard-edged shadow on the orange surface, indicating a single strong light source from the upper-left.
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.28 · w 0.44 · h 0.54 (high)
Other
Closeup product shot on a flat orange paper or card background with directional lighting creating sharp shadows; no packaging or text visible.
- Background surfaceFlat, uniformly orange textured paper or card fills the background and supporting surface.
1 region
x 0.00 · y 0.00 · w 1.00 · h 1.00 (high) - Lighting and shadowStrong directional lighting from the upper-left produces bright highlights on the textured shafts and sharp, dark shadows to the lower-right.
- Shot compositionTight closeup crop focusing on the chopsticks' mid and end sections, with parts of the sticks extending outside the frame at the top edge.
1 region
x 0.02 · y 0.00 · w 0.96 · h 0.60 (medium)
Colors
textured black· shaft#140D0Bgloss black· cut ends#141313- Overall arrangementTwo cylindrical chopsticks lie crossed diagonally across the frame with one chopstick on top of the other near the center of the image.
Documents & Data
Q&A
5 answered- What is the length of these chopsticks? Are they standard size (around 25 cm) or shorter?
- These chopsticks measure 8.7 inches (22 cm) in total length, which is slightly shorter than the standard 25 cm chopsticks often used for Chinese cuisine, but typical for Japanese-style chopsticks [1].
- Are these chopsticks dishwasher safe, or should they only be hand washed to preserve the lacquer?
- No, these chopsticks are not dishwasher safe. The lacquer finish requires hand washing with a soft sponge and mild detergent; avoid soaking, and dry immediately with a soft cloth [2].
- What type of texture do these chopsticks have? Is it a matte or glossy finish, and how does the texture affect grip?
- These chopsticks have a fine, irregular surface created by a dry lacquering technique, which provides a textured grip to help prevent food from slipping. The finish is lacquered and likely glossy, typical of traditional Japanese lacquerware [2].
- How many chopsticks are included per purchase? Is it a single pair or a set?
- Each purchase includes one pair of chopsticks [1].
- Is the lacquer used on these chopsticks food-safe and free from harmful chemicals like formaldehyde?
- Yes, the lacquer used on high-quality Japanese chopsticks like these is food-safe. Traditional urushi lacquer, once fully cured, becomes a hard, non-toxic surface safe for contact with food [3]. However, to maintain safety, avoid dishwashers and harsh abrasives, and replace them if the lacquer chips or cracks [4].