Shopping Guide To LA's Little Tokyo

Photo Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

credit: Simon & Schuster

Barry Lancet grew up in California and has now lived in Tokyo for more than twenty-five years, an experience that has granted him access to many exclusive traditional and business circles. He is the author of the Jim Brodie mystery-thriller series, featuring an American Japan expert living in San Francisco. The first entry, Japantown, received three Best First Book citations and has been optioned for a television drama by J.J. Abrams's Bad Robot Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Tokyo Kill, the second thriller in the series from Simon & Schuster, is out now and available wherever books are sold.

Little Tokyo exists at the intersection of the traditional and the new. Over 100 years old and squeezed into just six square blocks, it is host to events ranging from parades to live music. While there is no shortage of shops here, the number and density can be overwhelming. Barry Lancet has used his vast knowledge of Japanese culture and his California roots to select his favorite shopping spots that sell everything from serene teapots to the clothing that embodies the wild Japanese street style.

Photo Credit: http://qpopshop.com/main/

Q Pop
128 Astronaut E S Onizuka St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 687-7767
http://www.qpopshop.com/

Although it looks modest from the steet, inside this small space, a lot is happening. Owned by Emmy-nominated illustrator Chris Mitchell and Thai model and pop-culture figure, Miki Panteepo, the store reflects both of their influences. It is chockfull of J-pop and J-fashion items and you'll find original art by animators and illustrators from Japan, the U.S., and elsewhere. If you're looking for "cool Japan" and related items or distinctive T-shirts, this is the place.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Anzen Hardware
309 E 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 628-2068
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anzen-Hardware/

Little Tokyo's favorite hardware store is not your typical nuts-and-bolts place – it's where people go to discover new things. You'll find an array of Japanese kitchenware (teapots, kettles, chopsticks, cast-iron pots), Japanese garden gear (rakes, seeds, etc.), tools (woodworking, modern, antique), and a stunning collection of Japanese steel culinary knives all packed into this long and narrow store.

Related: Dining Guide To LA's Little Tokyo

Photo Credit: YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images

Kinokuniya
123 Astronaut E S Onizuka St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 687-4480
http://www.kinokuniya.com/

Tucked away on the second floor of the Weller Mall, the Little Tokyo branch of the Japanese bookstore chain offers a great selection of books, including Asian fiction Japanese themed mysteries. You will also find LA's best collection of books on Japan, encompassing martial arts, Asian philosophy, Japanese cuisine, swords, language books, manga, and dozens of other topics. They stock current books, magazines, and manga in Japanese as well as English, and sell Japanese stationery and other knickknacks.

Photo Credit: https://www.fairytale-boutique.com/

Fairytale Boutique
319 E 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-1032
https://www.fairytale-boutique.com/

A J-fashion shop with an emphasis on kawaii, the girlish styles worn by young Japanese women. Clothing styles include Lolita, Japanese punk, OTT (over-the-top), and casual. For those who like to dress up or shift into a cosplay mode, this is fun, frilly stuff.

Photo Credit: http://www.raggedythreads.com/

Raggedy Threads
330 E 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 620-1188
http://www.raggedythreads.com/

The vintage store of your dreams carrying boots, blouses, hats and antiques. The stock has been handled with care and selected with an eye to quality and style. There is nothing overtly Japanese here, other than the care in which they handle their ware and the steady stream of Japanese customers (wholesale and retail), but if you like vintage, this store will speak to you.

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