Japanese goods & manga · Japan Center (Kinokuniya Building at 1581 Webster St
Japantown
Japan Center and Buchanan St.
One of three historic Japantowns left in the US, centered on the Japan Center malls and the pedestrian stretch of Buchanan Street. It suits manga and stationery fans, tea buyers, and anyone shopping for Japanese snacks, beauty products and housewares.
Japan Center · Manga & stationery · Tea & snacks
Photo: Ewan Munro from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- In our directory
- 21 shopseach one verified
- Where
- Japan Center (Kinokuniya Building at 1581 Webster StJapanese goods & manga
- Right now
- Typical hours11am–7pm
- Getting here
- MuniBuses 38-Geary, 2-Clement, 22-Fillmore and 31-Balboa serve Japantown.
Insider guide
Shopping Japantown.
The story
San Francisco's Japantown centers on the Japan Center malls (the Kinokuniya Building at 1581 Webster St, the West Mall at 1737 Post St and the East Mall at 22 Peace Plaza), plus Post St and the Buchanan St pedestrian mall.
It suits manga and stationery fans, tea buyers and anyone shopping for Japanese snacks, beauty products and housewares. Because so much of it is indoors, it works in any weather.
A Little History
This is one of three historic Japantowns left in the US. Kinokuniya Bookstore opened here in 1969 as the first Kinokuniya in the country, and Paper Tree, the family-run origami shop on Buchanan St, has been there since 1968. The Cherry Blossom Festival marks its 60th year in 2027.
What to Expect
Kinokuniya Bookstore gives its first floor to anime and manga in Japanese and English, with general books, magazines and gifts upstairs. In the same building, ChaTo sells teapots and regional loose-leaf teas from Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Uji and Fukuoka, and Tokaido Arts on the second level shows Japanese prints. Paper Tree sells origami paper from Japan, Thailand and Italy, kits and sumi-e supplies.
The West Mall is the long browse. Asakichi has Japanese teaware and ironware, Kohshi Master of Scents sells incense, and Maruwu Seicha pours green tea. Candy Doll Beauty and The Face Shop cover J-beauty and K-beauty, Nippon-Ya, Katachi and Animon Life stock gifts and character goods, Kiddleton has toys, and Nijiya Market is the Japanese supermarket. In the East Mall, Daiso Japan sells housewares, stationery and an aisle of snacks like Pocky, Hi-Chew and Ramune, most around $1.50 to $2.50.
Best Time to Visit
The malls are open daily 8:30am to 10pm, but most shops keep shorter hours, typically late morning to early evening. Kinokuniya is open 10:30am to 7pm daily and Daiso from 9am. Several shops close one weekday: Paper Tree and Kohshi on Tuesday, Miseki Jewelry on Wednesday, and Tokaido Arts on Monday and Tuesday. The Cherry Blossom Festival runs over two weekends in April and the Nihonmachi Street Fair takes one weekend in August; otherwise Japantown is usually quiet.
If You Only Have an Hour
Start at Kinokuniya, then ChaTo in the same building. Cross into the West Mall for Asakichi and Kohshi, grab mochi donuts at Mochill Donuts, and finish with snacks from Daiso in the East Mall.
Where to Eat
Oma San Francisco Station in the West Mall is a small sushi counter, MICHELIN Recommended, serving nigiri at reasonable prices. Nari, inside Hotel Kabuki at 1625 Post St, holds one MICHELIN star for Thai cooking. For something quick, Andersen Bakery has pastries and breads, Mochill Donuts makes flower-shaped mochi donuts in matcha and black sesame, and Uji Time in the East Mall does desserts. Yasukochi Sweet Stop, inside Super Mira Market (walk in and turn right), sells its coffee crunch cake by the slice until it runs out.
The directory
21 shops, all in one place.
Tap a shop or a dot on the map to see it.
Specialty4 places
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Japanese discount variety store in the East Mall with most items about $1.50 to $2.50: housewares, stationery and a big aisle of Japanese snacks and drinks like Pocky, Hi-Chew and Ramune.
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Family-run origami shop on the Buchanan Street pedestrian mall since 1968, selling origami paper from Japan, Thailand and Italy, kits and books, sumi-e supplies and incense, with a small origami gallery.
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Japanese tea shop in the Kinokuniya Building selling teapots, cups and loose-leaf teas from Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Uji and Fukuoka. Staff can explain the regional differences.
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Japanese incense and scent shop in the West Mall, listed in the Japan Center merchants directory. A quiet counter between Nijiya Market and the tea shops on the same level.
Food & drink4 places
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Japanese supermarket in the West Mall, listed under supermarket in the Japantown directory. A practical stop for Japanese groceries and snacks you won't find in a regular grocery.
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Bakery in the West Mall listed in the Japan Center merchants directory, selling pastries and breads. A quick breakfast or snack stop before the other shops open.
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Counter attached to Takoyaki Yamachan making flower-shaped mochi donuts from rice and tapioca flour. Flavors run from glazed and chocolate to matcha and black sesame.
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Dessert counter in the East Mall listed in the Japan Center merchants directory, a sweet stop between Daiso and the East Mall restaurants on the same level.
Gifts4 places
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West Mall shop listed under cultural merchandise and pop culture in the Japantown directory. Worth a browse for Japanese gifts and character goods alongside the anime shops nearby.
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Pop-culture and general merchandise shop on the West Mall's upper level, one of several stops in Japan Center for anime goods, figures and character items.
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Toy and character goods shop with two Japan Center locations, one in the West Mall and one in the Kinokuniya Building (1581 Webster St #225). Good for gifts for kids and fans.
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West Mall shop listed in the Japan Center merchants directory, a few doors from Nijiya Market. A browse for Japanese goods and small gifts beyond the big variety stores.
Galleries3 places
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Post Street gallery and shop listed under art gallery and general merchandise in the Japantown directory. Sits just east of the Japan Center malls, an easy add-on to a mall visit.
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Art gallery on the second level of the Kinokuniya Building, listed in the Japantown merchants directory. A short walk from the bookstore for Japanese prints and artwork.
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Art space and shop on the East Mall's upper level, featured on the Japantown community site's Instagram feed. Check for rotating shows and artist events.
Beauty2 places
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Small West Mall shop packed with Japanese and Korean skincare and cosmetics, including sheet masks, false lashes and nail polish. Good for stocking up on J-beauty and K-beauty basics.
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Korean skincare brand's West Mall store selling cleansers, sheet masks, serums and body care. Sits near the mall entrance alongside the other beauty shops on this level.
Books1 place
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The first Kinokuniya in the US, open here since 1969. Manga, anime art books and merch fill the first floor; English and Japanese books, magazines and gifts are on the second.
Home1 place
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West Mall shop on the Japan Center merchants directory, known locally for Japanese teaware and ironware. Pair it with ChaTo in the Kinokuniya Building when shopping for a tea set.
Coffee1 place
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Japanese green tea shop in the West Mall listed in the Japan Center merchants directory. A tea stop on the same level as Asakichi and Kohshi for a tea-focused loop.
Jewelry1 place
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Jewelry shop on the West Mall's upper level listed in the Japantown merchants directory. One of the few jewelry counters inside Japan Center, near the beauty and gift shops.
No shops in that category here yet.
This week
In Japantown this week.
Typical hours
Most shops keep the hours below.
Hours vary by individual store. Always check with specific retailers.
Eat, drink, stay
Between shops, close by.
Top restaurants nearby
All of Eat →Top hotels nearby
All of Stay →- Hotel
Hotel Kabuki
Japantown boutique hotel with a lobby bar, a Japanese garden and a sister spa with communal baths. Address and current operation confirmed by the 2026 MICHELIN page for Nari (One Star), which lists it as inside "Hotel Kabuki - JDV by Hyatt, 1625 Post St." (loaded 2026-10-17); the hotel itself is not in the MICHELIN hotel selection.
1625 Post St ·
Ratings are the scores saved in our directory and are not live. Check the listing for the current score.
Getting here
Parking and transit.
- PJapan Center GarageUnder the malls, charging by the hour. Two-hour metered street parking nearby is limited.
- SMuniBuses 38-Geary, 2-Clement, 22-Fillmore and 31-Balboa serve Japantown.
The Japan Center Garage sits under the malls and charges by the hour; 2-hour metered street parking is limited.
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Guides for Japantown
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