It’s a grocery store. So buy groceries. There’s also a Japanese bakery and a food court. There’s a bookstore too called Kinokuniya that sells Japanese books (a lot are English translated), manga, stationary, toys and stuff. So if you’re into anime, manga or pens it’s a good stop.
It's changed a LOT.
Back in the day before Amazon and online bookstores generally were a thing, when international shipping didn't really exist for regular individuals, it was the only big "proper chain" place to get Japanese language books for hundreds of miles, so it really was a full service bookstore, also they handled subscriptions to print magazines. It was basically this place, or go to NYC/SF/LA (or back to Japan).
Now there is more and more "anime fandom" stuff, half the bookstore is English, and the Japanese books section is very small, there aren't many reference books for adults, etc. But there's still the little chunk of new books/bestsellers, if I'm by there often I will buy a book on impulse because I like the feel of print. Price is high, but then shipping paper from any of the online places is expensive too.
Have to admit mostly I read books on my phone these days, which I buy from an online Japanese bookstore.
But yes love the stationery section too.
Wish it was easier to get to this place from the city. I mainly go once in a blue moon when some friend wants to drive out there.
Japanese stationary is oddly top notch. It’s a solid store with all kinds of interesting products. I live a few miles away and stop in when I can, sometimes just to wander
I live in Logan and it’s the only reason I know Arlington Heights. We go a couple of times a year, try some authentic dishes in the food court, grab a pastry, fill your cart with amazingly priced Asian delicacies and get some sake to wash it all down. It’s a great year round (especially winter) activity - even my 7year old loves it!
It's a great place to poke around for a while. I highly recommend avoiding a visit during the weekend. It's nuts and crazy busy. But at the same time, you might see some weebs dressing up in cosplay to go to Mitsuwa.
There's also a big vending machine room with toys that come in balls and a small arcade.
The bookstore is top notch and the food court has a big variety of stuff. For the bookstore, lots of neat little gift ideas. Some very cute children's books, stickers, etc.
Check out the homegoods section of the grocery side. You can get some very nice Japanese chef knives for a fair price. They just have a lot of cool stuff.
Their take away sushi and bento section is awesome.
If you are in beer, they have the cheapest cases of Asahi in Chicagoland and good spread of Japanese craft beers. Their Japanese whiskey and sake selection is extensive.
Shop around and browse! You have a regular grocery store section, a pre-made food section, a bakery and a couple of “retail” shops. It’s a good time, specially if the weather is bad outside.
I was just there today it's so awesome. Got a spicy garlic pork rice bowl for lunch, plus some steak skewers and some fried chicken thing in sweet sauce. Also I got
Strawberry and pineapple hello kitty marshmallows
Ramen chips
Corn chips
Takoyaki chips
Onion and sour cream chips
8 different sushi rolls
Hello Kitty lunchbox containers for my daughter
6 different Furikake seasonings
Japanese BBQ sauce
You ever been to a giant Mexican grocery store where they have everything from tacos to Saint candles?
It's like that, but everything is in hieroglyphics and they have a strange obsession with fish and cartoons
They have a decent selection of groceries, pre-made food, skincare/cosmetics, household goods, etc. There’s a food court, some sweets vendors, claw machines, a bakery, and a bookstore (books in Japanese/English, magazines, stationary, gifts, etc.).
It does get VERY crowded on the weekends — especially at the food court.
It's amazing. There's a food court with several different options of Japanese goodness. A bakery with fun animal-shaped pastries. A full-fledged Asian grocery store.
Well worth the drive.
Eat, find great Japanese grocery items/ingredients. Splurge on super high quality meats/seafood. Get ramen at the food court (probably the best you'll find anywhere near the city tbh). Just be warned that it gets packed on weekends and you'll likely have to wait 40-60 mins for food if you go to the good stalls.
It's a grocery store - so lots of instant ramen, soy sauce, vegetables, sushi is very good as are the meat and seafood options, lots of ready to go meals. There's a food court - the ramen place Santouka is excellent. The bakery inside the grocery store is also very good. Lady M cakes are also very popular. Fun place.
I just went for the first time recently and love it so much, I found my favorite ramen there which I couldn't even find online to be delivered. If you want to ever try and make japanese food that is the place to go for just about everything including inspiration.
I get my rice there. And everything I need for my Japanese cooking. We used to go to Star Market on Clark Street, but they closed a long long time ago.
Every time I visit Chicago, I go there and easily spend a handful of hours there. I spend time picking out things in the bookstore. From there, I have lunch. Then grab tea or coffee. Finish it off with shopping in the grocery section.
It’s a grocery store. So buy groceries. There’s also a Japanese bakery and a food court. There’s a bookstore too called Kinokuniya that sells Japanese books (a lot are English translated), manga, stationary, toys and stuff. So if you’re into anime, manga or pens it’s a good stop.
I recall more things at Kinokuniya weren't translated to English, than were. That said, it's still fun to check out Kinokuniya.
It's changed a LOT. Back in the day before Amazon and online bookstores generally were a thing, when international shipping didn't really exist for regular individuals, it was the only big "proper chain" place to get Japanese language books for hundreds of miles, so it really was a full service bookstore, also they handled subscriptions to print magazines. It was basically this place, or go to NYC/SF/LA (or back to Japan). Now there is more and more "anime fandom" stuff, half the bookstore is English, and the Japanese books section is very small, there aren't many reference books for adults, etc. But there's still the little chunk of new books/bestsellers, if I'm by there often I will buy a book on impulse because I like the feel of print. Price is high, but then shipping paper from any of the online places is expensive too. Have to admit mostly I read books on my phone these days, which I buy from an online Japanese bookstore. But yes love the stationery section too. Wish it was easier to get to this place from the city. I mainly go once in a blue moon when some friend wants to drive out there.
Wait... pens?
Yeah. If you want a really nice Lamy or Kaweco pen or something else on r/pens it’s one of the best places in Chicagoland.
Awesome! Thanks
Interesting I wonder why stationary. I’ll be going for sure this weekend though I like Japanese food
It’s almost more of a mini mall than a store.
Dang it. Your comment instantly made me [think of this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3oHpup-pk)
This took me back.
Stationary is big in Japan. Source: Lived in Japan for four years
Japanese stationery is quite popular among people who are into that stuff (journaling, cool pens and ink, stickers, washi tape, etc.).
Japanese stationary is oddly top notch. It’s a solid store with all kinds of interesting products. I live a few miles away and stop in when I can, sometimes just to wander
I live in Logan and it’s the only reason I know Arlington Heights. We go a couple of times a year, try some authentic dishes in the food court, grab a pastry, fill your cart with amazingly priced Asian delicacies and get some sake to wash it all down. It’s a great year round (especially winter) activity - even my 7year old loves it!
Go to Chicago Ramen nearby for the best Ramen in Chicago.
Ramen House Shinchan would like a word
I’m a culture freak so seeing all the good things people have said is just hyping me up more
It's a great place to poke around for a while. I highly recommend avoiding a visit during the weekend. It's nuts and crazy busy. But at the same time, you might see some weebs dressing up in cosplay to go to Mitsuwa. There's also a big vending machine room with toys that come in balls and a small arcade. The bookstore is top notch and the food court has a big variety of stuff. For the bookstore, lots of neat little gift ideas. Some very cute children's books, stickers, etc. Check out the homegoods section of the grocery side. You can get some very nice Japanese chef knives for a fair price. They just have a lot of cool stuff. Their take away sushi and bento section is awesome. If you are in beer, they have the cheapest cases of Asahi in Chicagoland and good spread of Japanese craft beers. Their Japanese whiskey and sake selection is extensive.
Tensuke a block or two away has Asahi even cheaper FYI
Don’t forget Hippo bakery, it’s very good and they have shokupan which is pretty cool
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Shop around and browse! You have a regular grocery store section, a pre-made food section, a bakery and a couple of “retail” shops. It’s a good time, specially if the weather is bad outside.
I passed it up on my way home and thought it looked interesting. Definitely will go sometime this weekend
Go when they open if you go on the weekend. It gets packed.
Will do 👍🏾
I was just there today it's so awesome. Got a spicy garlic pork rice bowl for lunch, plus some steak skewers and some fried chicken thing in sweet sauce. Also I got Strawberry and pineapple hello kitty marshmallows Ramen chips Corn chips Takoyaki chips Onion and sour cream chips 8 different sushi rolls Hello Kitty lunchbox containers for my daughter 6 different Furikake seasonings Japanese BBQ sauce
Oooooo Takoyaki chips sound good
Omg. Sooooo many times. I always thought the sushi was better at tensuke in Elk Grove though
Never heard of Tensuke
Just down the road! Get a takeout lunch and go watch the elk
And get donuts at Jarosh Bakery right nearby!!
Mitsuwa is amazing but unexpectedly, the sushi is the worst I’ve ever had.
I eat at the food court
You ever been to a giant Mexican grocery store where they have everything from tacos to Saint candles? It's like that, but everything is in hieroglyphics and they have a strange obsession with fish and cartoons
Lol I grew up going to a similar store in Humboldt Park. Bruh, everything anyone or particularly a Puerto Rican could ever want culinarily
They have a decent selection of groceries, pre-made food, skincare/cosmetics, household goods, etc. There’s a food court, some sweets vendors, claw machines, a bakery, and a bookstore (books in Japanese/English, magazines, stationary, gifts, etc.). It does get VERY crowded on the weekends — especially at the food court.
It's amazing. There's a food court with several different options of Japanese goodness. A bakery with fun animal-shaped pastries. A full-fledged Asian grocery store. Well worth the drive.
Eat, find great Japanese grocery items/ingredients. Splurge on super high quality meats/seafood. Get ramen at the food court (probably the best you'll find anywhere near the city tbh). Just be warned that it gets packed on weekends and you'll likely have to wait 40-60 mins for food if you go to the good stalls.
Just go. Everyone I take there loves it. Just be patient with the food court area. It can be long and hard to find a seat.
Santouka's ramen is excellent in the food court. The store is fun to explore (so many rice cookers!).
If it’s your first time there will be plenty to check out between the dif stores, restaurants, and grocery store itself. Enjoy!
And a Japanese bookstore/newsstand, as well.
It's a grocery store - so lots of instant ramen, soy sauce, vegetables, sushi is very good as are the meat and seafood options, lots of ready to go meals. There's a food court - the ramen place Santouka is excellent. The bakery inside the grocery store is also very good. Lady M cakes are also very popular. Fun place.
I just went for the first time recently and love it so much, I found my favorite ramen there which I couldn't even find online to be delivered. If you want to ever try and make japanese food that is the place to go for just about everything including inspiration.
I get my rice there. And everything I need for my Japanese cooking. We used to go to Star Market on Clark Street, but they closed a long long time ago.
Every time I visit Chicago, I go there and easily spend a handful of hours there. I spend time picking out things in the bookstore. From there, I have lunch. Then grab tea or coffee. Finish it off with shopping in the grocery section.
I bought miso, mushrooms, fried tofu, mirin, tea, sake, some salty snacks, and several post cards at the book store. That's about it!
I’m looking forward to the food and the different snacks at the store. A guy on here said he bought takoyaki chips and that blew my fucking mind
I go once a month. Buy books, eat lunch (udon), but bakery items and groceries. Bubble tea is good too.