Bunbun Chopper: Japan's Pull-String Food Chopper

In the short video "Basic Knife Skills | 5 Basic Cuts for Carrots," Aoi cuts a carrot four ways with a knife. For the fifth cut, minced carrot, she puts the knife down and uses a pull-string chopper instead. She calls it a "Bunbun Chopper" and says it is sold at 100-yen shops in Japan. Here is what this tool is and what to look for outside Japan.

What is a Bunbun Chopper?

• A manual chopper with a pull cord. Blades sit inside a covered bowl. When you pull the handle on the lid, the cord spins the blades and they chop whatever is in the bowl. It needs no electricity.
• The name. Bunbun Chopper (ぶんぶんチョッパー) is a popular series sold in Japan by the housewares company K&A. In 2021 the series had eight models with different sizes and numbers of blades, starting at around 1,000 yen. The Bunbun Chopper R, for example, holds 640 ml (a little under 3 cups). "Bunbun" is the Japanese sound of something spinning or swinging fast.
• At 100-yen shops. 100-yen shops sell their own pull-string choppers under other names. In October 2026, Daiso's official online store listed a "Handle Vegetable Cutter" for 330 yen, a smaller two-blade version for 220 yen and a five-blade version with a mixing attachment for 550 yen (prices include tax). Not everything at a 100-yen shop costs 100 yen; see our guide to 100-yen shops.

The video doesn't show the brand of Aoi's chopper.

How it's used in the video

• 0:46 For the fifth cut, minced carrot, Aoi uses the chopper instead of a knife (to 0:52).

The first four cuts in the video show knife work.

Tips

• Cut the food into chunks first. These choppers work on small pieces, not a whole carrot.
• Pull a few times for a coarse chop, more for a fine one. Your chopper's instructions give a guide.
• Mind the blades. They are sharp. Take the chopper apart and wash it carefully, and keep it out of children's reach.

Can't find one?

• Look for a "pull-string chopper" or "pull-cord food chopper." Many brands sell this kind of manual chopper outside Japan. Zyliss's Easy Pull is one widely sold example.
• Try Daiso stores outside Japan or Asian grocery stores. What they stock varies from store to store.
• Use a knife. Cut the carrot into thin strips, then cut across the strips into tiny pieces.

Related recipes

These school-lunch recipes start with finely chopped carrot.

• Keema Curry
• Taco Rice
• Dry Curry (Japanese Curry Rice)
• Tofu Hamburg Steak

Sources and further reading

• BCN+R: Article on the Bunbun Chopper, February 4, 2021 (Japanese)
• Daiso's official online store, product listings for its Handle Vegetable Cutter, checked October 29, 2026 (Japanese)