Marunao Musou 16-Sided Ebony Chopsticks Review
I bought these at Haneda airport in May 2023. It was not an airport impulse: I knew Marunao already and had handled this exact model at Takashimaya in Tokyo before deciding. They replaced random chopsticks, nothing worth naming.
Usability & Features
These are not my everyday chopsticks. They come out once or twice a month, when I cook something fancier and want the dinner to feel like an occasion. Most of the time that means sliced steak, otherwise whatever Asian food suits chopsticks.
The first thing you notice is the weight. Ebony is dense, and these feel heavy for chopsticks, which is most of why they feel expensive in the hand. You can feel the facets under your fingers too, but I would not claim they change my grip. The shape is more for the eye.
I have never tested the fine tips for precision. In normal use they pick the last small pieces off a plate without trouble, and that is as far as my evidence goes.
Aesthetic & Design
I bought them as much for looking at as for eating with. The grip starts octagonal and turns sixteen-sided toward the tip, and each head is capped in nickel silver stamped with the Marunao logo. At 235 mm they are a normal length, so nothing about them is awkward at the table.
The rests are a separate purchase. Budget for them, because chopsticks like these lying flat on the table would look wrong.
Durability & Care
After three and a half years the wood has not changed. The edges are still sharp and the tips are intact, with no chips and no fading.
The one sign of wear is on a metal cap: the logo on one has faded, while the others are still crisp. It does not bother me, but it is uneven, and at this price you might expect the stamp to outlast the owner.
Care is a hand wash and a dry straight after. Marunao rules out the dishwasher, the microwave and the dish dryer. I have not oiled them yet and probably should. They live loose in a drawer, which is a risk I keep taking. Marunao does offer maintenance and repair, and I have not needed it.
Final Thoughts
The price is the main downside. A pair lists at 20,900 JPY today and the rests cost extra. You are paying for the craft and the looks, not for a better way to move food.
I would buy them again for what I use them for. The Kramer santoku is my daily driver. These are the opposite: something I am not comfortable using every day, and do not need to. If you want everyday chopsticks, skip them.
