For nearly a century, Books Kinokuniya has been one of the most impressive Japanese bookstores in the world – better known in the United States than domestic rival Tsutaya, thanks to its 1969 and 1977 launches in San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as its 1981 arrival in New York City. While a large Costa Mesa location fizzled out in 2012, shrinking to a store within Costa Mesa’s Mitsuwa before further downscaling into a Mai Do stationery shop at the end of 2017, the Los Angeles store relocated in 2025 and dramatically expanded into a new Little Tokyo space in 2026. Now with roughly as much space for magazines, books, and stationery as the SF shop, the single-floor LA store has also added a considerable inventory of blind box items and other collectibles, while not (initially) stocking quite the depth of Japanese language magazines or books as one might expect from its earlier locations. A surprisingly large collection of American comic graphic novels complements Japanese-language manga and anime collections, as well as video game and art books, as well as a section for kids.
Expect to spend around 30 minutes exploring the store, plus any time necessary to wait in an often slow, one- or two-register checkout line. Paid parking is available throughout the neighborhood, including at adjacent Weller Court, with few to no free parking spaces. If you’re coming up from Orange County, plan to visit other Little Tokyo restaurants and businesses to make good use of your time (and parking).
