BayAnime.com

Double Punch, originally the online-only store Ningyoushi.com, is located in the North Beach district of San Francisco. They specialize in Japanese import toys and collectibles as well as limited edition designer toys, art, clothing, and books. Their shop also features a gallery space in the mezzanine level with art and exhibitions from local artists.

Address: 1821 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 [View Map]
Phone: 415-399-9785
Email: store@doublepunch.com
Hours: 11am-7pm Monday – Saturday, 11am-6pm Sunday

Website: www.doublepunch.com

Jpntoys is a new Japanese import toy store located in the SF Japantown Kintentsu Building. They have a small but good selection of anime and video game toys and goods such as models/figurines, plush dolls, anime-themed snacks and drinks, and t-shirts. They also sell high end “Tokyo Marui” Airsoft guns imported direct from Japan.

They do special orders and you can arrange to have items shipped directly to you or to their store.

Location: SF Japantown, Kintetsu Building

Website: www.jpntoys.com

First established back in 1980 as a Japanese antique and kimono store, Kimono My House was the first retail store in Emeryville (their shop is still situated in its original warehouse rooftop location), and may well have been the first in the U.S. to specialize exclusively in imported anime and sci-fi toys. Their long history and vast selection makes them THE place in the Bay for rare vintage toys and collectibles. They also stock current toys, t-shirts, and trading cards (no kimonos, though).

Location: 1424 62nd St, Emeryville, CA 94608 [View Map]
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11-6, Sunday 12-5
Phone: 510-654-4627
Email: info@kimonomyhousetoys.com

Online Store (appears to be out of date): www.kimonomyhousetoys.com

This post was submitted by Ann.

The highlight destination for many anime and manga fans especially those visiting the city, Kinokuniya Book Store is the best place to find Japanese books and magazines. They also sell a selection of movies, music, clothing, trinkets, toys, and anime goods (including calendars).

The Japantown store was recently remodeled with the addition of a brand new downstairs shop dedicated to manga in both English and Japanese.

There are two branches in the Bay, one located in San Francisco Japantown and the other in San Jose (Kinokuniya is a large chain bookstore with locations all over Japan, but there are only six branches in the entire United States).

San Francisco

Address: 1581 Webster St., San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: 415-567-7625
Fax: 415-567-4109
E-mail: sf@kinokuniya.com

San Jose

Address: 685 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129
Phone: 408-252-1300
Fax: 408-252-2687
E-mail: san_jose@kinokuniya.com

For more information or to order books online visit: www.kinokuniya.com

Mikado Kids opened their store in the Tanforan shopping mall last summer having moved from their previous locations in the SF Japantown and Daly City Westfield malls. Their shop is bright, large, organized, and fully stocked with new anime goods — including official cosplay items — and toys of all kinds. They have an especially great selection of licensed anime/video game t-shirts and plush toys (Totoro, Domo, and Nintendo characters), and they also sell the full line of Sanrio merchandise (including a ton of Hello Kitty!). If you’re looking for some more “vintage” items, the back area has a shelf of older anime CDs and art books, and I also saw a small stack of single issue comics around (looked like mostly “Battle Angel Alita: Last Order” and “Ghost in the Shell: Man Machine Interface”).

If there’s an import item they don’t have, you can speak to them about placing a special order.

Location:
Tanforan Shopping Mall, 2nd Floor
1150 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066

Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 10:00am-9:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am-7:00pm

A new Sanrio store has opened in San Francisco Japantown. It’s the largest Sanrio store I’ve ever seen and at least twice the size of most other shops in the mall. They have all the Sanrio and Hello Kitty stuff you could possibly want, including Hello Kitty guitars!

Location: Sanrio #295, Kintetsu – Japan Town, 1737 Post Street #315, San Francisco, CA 94115
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 10am – 6pm; Friday – Saturday, 10am – 8pm
Website: http://www.nakajimausa.com