Kogura Co

Kogura Co. is the kind of store you expect—and hope—to find in every Japantown across the U.S. It carries a wide variety of Japanese household goods, from rice bowls and donburi sets to Tanuki figures, books, and much more. The selection is broad, practical, and full of charm. It’s also a surprisingly good place to pick up essentials like a quality bath towel. The staff is friendly and helpful, adding to the warm, nostalgic vibe. Whether you’re shopping for kitchenware, gifts, or something uniquely Japanese, Kogura Co. is always worth a stop.

A great shop in the heart of Japantown, San Jose with a long history in the neighborhood and good Japanese products and gifts. As a fourth generation Japanese American, it's wonderful to see shops like this that still exist.

Beautiful store with Japanese vase, dishes, cookware, dinnerware, etc, etc... The store was clean and well organized. The staff was helpful. Great collection of chopsticks. Not very many people in store so you can look around comfortably.

Fanastic place for all things gifts. Ceramics, trinkets, decor, origami paper, vases, and kitchen ware.

I was raised in the neighborhood. I know the family from the past. Great people. I delivered newspapers in Japantown as a young boy long ago. This is an honest people and great quality items sold here. Incredible beauty in this store. Bless to them always🙏💮🕊 I wish they sold items online. I live faraway now. No good store in Southern California.

This place always has something I need. My ramen bowl was about to break, and I found a really nice one here. Nice assortment of chopsticks and all kinds of things a household needs like dishes, cookware, even rice cookers and a good selection of MAC knives. Lots of interesting books, and sumi-e/shodo supplies.

Love this store. You will find so many unique things. Think about Christmas stockings and gifts now. People are very friendly there and helpful too

Nice gift shop with a lot of unique items

Was able to find a specific in-store item and only available here! Suoptort your Local business!

Visiting KOGURA literally almost brought me to tears. Growing up Japanese American in SoCal, we had a few shops in Little Tokyo just like this one- family owned businesses that specialized in products from Japan. You went to these stores with your family to purchase anything from hand embroidered photo books to dishware to Koden envelopes to dolls. Sadly, most of these stores in my area have either closed or now sell cheap products that aren't even made in Japan. But KOGURA was like stepping back in time- the shop is filled with beautiful home goods and art from Japan. The service is friendly and helpful and the selection of products is impressive. Will definitely be a must stop for any future trips to San Jose!

Hard to resist buying things here. Everything is beautiful and they have a special section in the back dedicated to Japanese vases, flower cutters and those things you put on the bottom of vases. Lots of treasures to be found. I was able to pick up some nice gifts.

What a cute store in Japantown, San Jose, CA. We were exploring and decided to stop in. They have a lot of useful and fun items for purchase. Ramen bowls, saki tea sets, sushi plates, figurines, vases, and other Japan-focused items. I kind of wished I had come alone so I could have browsed for ages. We did end up buying a few items. I would have given this shop a 5 star except the lady who checked me out was not friendly and seemed disinterested. Overall, it was worth a stop.

5-stars rating Japanese retail gift shop in San Jose Japantown for sure. Who doesn't want this type of business in their neighborhood? It's great and conveniently located for the community, especially with their volunteer work and private or public workshop activities offered to kids sometimes. Everything was unique and beautiful. Most items are considered high in prices and expensive here, but the quality and selections are excellent. Excellent customer service as needed. Credit cards accepted. What you want to buy in Japan may likely be found here or maybe the staff knows how you can purchase. Cute tote bags, keychains, knives, teacup sets, dining table souvenirs, statues, toys, note cards, books, hairpins/accessories, stationery paper, arts & craft items, dollhouse accessories/toys, pottery for plants, etc. Everything was absolutely colorful and beautiful in style to my liking. I really enjoyed the cool vibes of a gift shop that has been in town for decades. Expect to pay a few bucks more, but they do have great varieties and selections of gifts to choose from. This is worth the stop, especially across street from the small Japanese grocery store. If you're looking for Japanese cultural gifts or unique gifts, then this may be an option for you to explore.

Explored the store during the obon festival on a Sunday evening around 5:30 pm! Grand store with lots of personality with items from ornate vases, pottery in the back, oranate fans, and picturesque scrolls. Lots of things to interact with to learn more and understand Japanese culture! Their specialty is in drink water like tea sets and intricate designs on tea cups. There's a whole section on the back with orignal vases and pottery. The owners are super sweet to the customers and it's family owned!

I love this place. They have a wonderful selection of Japanese gifts, cook books, flower arranging supplies, etc. I especially like the selection and quality of their plates, ceramic bowls and cups. The employees are always helpful and kind. It's a lovely, old fashioned shopping experience whenever I pop in. I bought a set of beautiful soup bowls several years ago and they are seemingly indestructible.

Such a neat and organized shop. They pack a lot of things for you to look at in a small space and it wasn't haphazardly thrown onto the shelves. The back has pottery that's displayed like a museum. They have tchotckes for every price point. We picked up small key chains. The owner was friendly.

A wonderful shop full of all things Japanese. The selection of bowls, vases, utility items and so much more is astounding. It's lots of fun walking through and picking out new treasures. Will be back again!

One of the great things about going to Japantown is stores like this. Packed full of everything Japanese you can think of, from stationary, greeting cards, to pottery and decorative dolls. I could have spent an hour in here! So cute and laid out so well. One sad thing to see is Japantown in SJ is not as bustling as before, and I hope stores like this get the attention it deserves. It's a treasure.

Really cool Japanese gift shop. Lots of cool and useful items, such as teaware, cups / mugs, pottery, eating utensils, calligraphy stuff, and much more. I was specifically looking for teacups and found many high quality, yet reasonably priced options. There were also tea sets with matching cups that looked gorgeous as well. The staff was friendly and enthusiastic.

Cute gift/home goods/stationary shop located in Japantown SJ. I visit this shop often, because they have cute little 'just-because' gift items like tea sets, kokeshi dolls, mugs, chopstick sets, Maneki-Neko figurines, greeting cards, and a ton of other items. The decor is very minimalistic, but if you want decent Japanese gifts, you'll probably find them here. The owner is sweet and knowledgeable of her products, so that always a plus. There's always street parking in front of the store (not on weekends tho, since they have other events and a farmers market in the next block, but it's never hard to find street parking nearby) I'd recommend this place for your Japanese-themed gift needs.

They have a huge assortment of Japanese tea sets, ceramics, Japanese kitchenware and cute souvenirs at reasonable prices. There are also lots of trinkets for under $10. I bought two "good luck" dog charms that were made in Japan. The white ceramic one was $2.95 and the fabric one was $5.95.

I really liked it here. I bought three insulated bags that can be used as lunch bags. It would be helpful for work instead of carrying your designer bags. :o) I wanted to buy more than that but luckily Simone stopped me. There are just a ton of cool things here. Cute cartoon Japanese character key chains, stationary and more. They also have japanese style tea sets, dishes and more. It was just fun to browse through. I ended up buying three insulated bags. Two for me and one for Simone.

I'd consider Kogura Co to be a cornerstone of San Jose Japantown. If you're in the vicinity, you definitely have to check out Kogura. I absolutely love coming into Kogura to browse all of the Japanese and Japanese American essentials. I've bought more than my fair share of kitchen equipment here that my grandmother used to have and that I remember fondly from my childhood. They seem to have something for everyone, and I always walk out with more than I intended to buy. They have some amazing pottery in the back that is absolutely beautiful. Also, they have a small selection of music from some local Japanese American artists which is definitely cool.

I dunno what it is about Japanese kois and insulated bags but I am hooked with it. I already have one at home that I bought from a different store in japan town however when I saw this.. I am floored by how vibrant it is... Like nearly 3-D perfection. I love it so thank you Kogura. I have been in Japantown several times but I haven't been inside this shop until now. Mainly because I thought this was just an art/novelty shop full of pottery and figurines by which I wasn't fond of. When we did come in I saw more than meets the eye. They have alot of various merchandises for sale and most are affordable. The place is huge compared to the other store adjacent to the strip so I encourage you to check it out. You wont miss it when you walk by Jackson St. cause it has that huge display of shark sushi on its window next to the "Shark Territory" sign.

I'm a huge fan of the Japan Town in SF, and even though I live in San Jose, I rarely find myself at the Japan Town there. I had never set foot in this store until yesterday, mainly due to it being closed most of the times I'm here. It's actually on the larger side and you're greeted by a giant sushi shark when you enter. Awesome! Wasn't really greeted by anyone when we entered, but there is a lot to look at. Actually there is a ton to look at! Many unique and vintage products from the heart of Japan. If you're a lover of all things Japan, check it out.

I've loved visiting this store ever since I was a kid in the early 1980s. As a kid, we first moved to an aunt's house on 6th street a few blocks away. My mom would shop at the Nishoka (spelling?) Brothers market around the corner and I'd run off to this store to look at all the pretty things. Every once in a while my mom would let me buy a trinket. Fast forward 40 years and while my aunt sold her house and we've moved out of San Jose, I still return to my hometown. I love to get mochi down the block and walk around the store, maybe buy a little something just because. Love this place!

Big shop full with long winding aisles of stuff I will never buy (I don't really have room in my life for fragile, knick-knacky dust magnets), but it's fun to window shop.

I have so many memories of roaming the aisles here with my mom over the decades. I love the pottery here, the atmosphere, everything. This is such a special place. I hope they are doing alright during the pandemic.

Stepping into Kogura is like traveling back in time. Nothing flashy about this store, but they have a good selection of Japanese items. I was looking for Ikebana supplies and the vases, kenzans, and tools here and found everything I needed. Some cute tea sets and plates too. Some items are fairly old, collecting dust. Some items I haven't seen around for the last 20 yrs. The staff here is not particularly motivated as they don't bother with any questions asked - even basics like "how often do you get new vases?" But if you know what you need and want a no-frills shopping experience, this place works.

My favorite shop in San Jose's Japantown. They have a great assortment of Japanese gifts (e.g., chokin plates, vases, etc.) and statues(e.g., beckoning cats, Buddhas, etc.) I know that's a really ambiguous description of their inventory, but you just have to go in there for yourself and see the vast assortment of stuff they have in there. The people who own it are really sweet and friendly. If you ask real nice they'll even gift-wrap your item for free. Now that's service!

The World According to Noelle Allergic Girl's Guide to Life The Kogura Company is a great place to purchase many different types of home goods- platters, tea pots, tea sets, magnets, cook books, rice cookers. The day I stopped by I was in need of a ten cup rice cooker. The lady behind the counter was helpful and kind. I purchased a very nice ten cup rice cooker that also steams veggies. I will definitely be back to purchase platters and such for our new home. Noelle's Notes Great place for home goods!

5 stars for the selection!!!!!!!!! Awesome! Seriously, just about any cool little Japanese anything you could want. Half star loss for some things being overpriced and another half star loss for sometimes the staff being grumpy. Not always, but enough to be like "OooohhhKay, bad day again???" A trip to Japantown is not complete without a stop into Kogura

I have seen this store for couple years but I did not get a chance to visit. It was my first visit today. It is amazing inside. They have many kinds of Japanese products.

Kogura is another long time mainstay for gift shopping. Located in San Jose's Japantown, it is loaded with ceramics, liquor boxes, tea sets, sake sets, and artwork. I believe SF, San Jose, and Los Angeles have the only Japantowns in the US. There are textile items as well. It features a more extensive variety of vases and dishes than some of the other shops. There is a selection of children's books, cookbooks, and other culture publications, along with art supplies for origami and calligraphy. This is a good place to shop for birthday or Christmas gifts, and then retire for a nice lunch or dinner in one of the many restaurants in the area. It is right next to Shuei-do, which sells mochi based sweets, and Nijiya, a well stocked Japanese food store. Be sure to bring coinage for parking since Jtown is metered Monday though Saturday.

I went here looking to buy a heart shaped glass container, they didn't have it, BUT I found a bunch of other unique things that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else! The store is filled w/ aisles and aisles of things. There are tea sets, magnets, vases, sake sets, samurai dolls, lucky cat dolls, cute lil ceramic figurines, kitchen stuff, molds for sushi, onigiri & spam. They have books about things, magnets and other knick knacks. I bought a rabbit zodiac bell, a small green Buddha figurine [the one that represented fortune] and a small ceramic crane origami and a rice scooper paddle cuz my gf burnt her moms. I love this store! It has so many cute glass figurines, I wanted to buy more but I had to control myself. When I'm older and have my own house/place I am definitely going back here to buy things to decorate my house or just stuff I need in general. Prices are relatively cheap or reasonable, most of the stuff are imported

Beautiful and hard to find Japanese housewares, dancing stuff, little toys, ikebana, books, dolls, vases, just so many fun things, you have to discover for yourself what you find. We always have fun in here looking for something, and we always pick something out we need or need to try out.

I went around to find an item but the elder folk who run this store are not really friendly. They seem to look annoyed when you ask them a question while they're watching tv. Just retire and give the store to your children. At least those people in Nichi are more upbeat and lively.

The Kogura Company is a pretty neat place. It caught my eye, as I was walking along Japan town. It's a medium sized store filled with beautiful tea sets, Japanese figurines, magnets, sushi table settings, and Asian kitchen ware. Everything looked so pretty and fragile. I was in a rush so I didn't have time to buy anything, but I'll definitely be back to get some gifts. The elderly couple, who I assume are the owners, were the sweetest things ever. I could tell that they take pride in their products and I can't wait to come back.

I walked in the shop today to look at some merchandise...no greeting from anyone...not even a smile or a "hi" and I was the only customer in the shop. Seriously, I would have given more if they gave me something (a smile, a greeting...). An older man was sitting behind the counter, and a lady was standing next to him; maybe I interrupted their conversation; she didn't appear to be a customer. They both stopped and looked at me too! Uncomfortable....

Visited 7/15/18. This shop was great! Lots of imported articles and items from Japan! Books, kitchen wares, magnets, art work, key chains, just imagine it and they probably have it! My boyfriend bought an ornament for a rear view mirror and a cute cat coin purse for his niece.

Back in 2012, I gave this store a 1 star for the icy reception by the elderly people working there. I recently went back in summer 2019 because out of town guests wanted to visit SJ Japantown. The young lady behind the counter was much friendlier. The store doesn't seem to have changed. I still see the same merchandise of Japanese vases, dishes, tea sets which are all beautiful and a bit pricey. But I wanted to upgrade my review to give the store another chance.

Kogura's is another older long time establishment in San Jose's Japantown. They carry all assortment of Japanese dolls, rice cookers, obutsudan (Japanese Buddhist shrine), trinkets, stationary, etc. It is a family run establishment, so it is pretty laid back and you don't have salespersons hovering over you. It's great just to be able to wander around and look at all the aisles of stuff. They have a large assortment of origami paper and books. I remember buying my origami paper here as a kid. Parking is on the street. If it's lunchtime, I would try to avoid going down there because plenty of business people go down to Japantown during that time.

The short: Fantastic place to get some quality Japanese items! This isn't Daiso, so don't expect Daiso prices. However, think of this place as a novelty place to pick up anything and everything for the home. The items range from tea sets, cook books, ikebana vases, ceramic bowls made in Japan, tea sets, sushi sets, cooking utensils and other things I left out. I know my friend loves Japanese items, so I picked up an adorable cute set of a 3-piece kitty bowl set and a geisha doll notepad set. The ladies at the register graciously wrapped up the box and took off the price stickers, letting me choose the wrapping (the gift wrap option is free). Definitely one of my go-to spots for Japanese cookware and dishware!

Ventured in after lunch on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I was amazed by the size of the store; the shelves are filled with beautiful ceramics, figurines, stationary, sculptures, sake sets, dining sets, ... just name it! I've been in search of a quality tea set for months and I'm so glad to have held off until today! The choices were endless - iron cast, clay, etc. and the quality is unbeatable. The sets are imported from Japan, many with unique build and designs. The best part is - the cute elderly couple behind the counter. I assume they're the store-owners and really take pride in that. The elderly grandma took out my tea set and gently dusted each component. She also asked if I need it to be gift wrapped! This is definitely a great store for that special gift. I can't believe I've passed this store for years after living in the neighborhood; I'll be preventing myself from this mistake for future gifting occasions.

These women are wonderful! I came here looking for a very specific present for a friend, and I was met with kindness and exceptional care. They were so helpful in assisting me, going far above and beyond what was necessary. Great store! Great staff! Please go here and buy lots!

My family has been shopping at Kogura's for over 40 years. This is a variety department store that carries a wide assortment of Japanese merchandise - from handmade dolls to cute character cell charms to teapots to sets of pottery bowls to kitchen essentials like different sizes of mandolins and a collection of cards. They have unique items that you won't find any where else. Their prices are reasonable but don't expect Daiso pricing because their merchandise is of higher quality and they have more of an assortment. Kogura's shares the Nichi Bei Bussan and Nikkei Traditions shoppers but all the stores offer different wares and it's great to have an array of choices all within walking distance.

This is about the only place I know of in the south bay where you can get a butsudan (family altar for the home). And SO WHAT if it's for my CAT and my Mom and grandparents and dog and....

This place isn't as pricey as I thought it would be. This is the perfect place to buy gifts for people. Items for the kimono aren't available here, but at nichi bei bussan, but you can buy those round heavy geisha combs, cook books, magazines, cards, the precious super expensive and pretty geisha statues, toys, kitchen ware, tea sets. Fluent Spanish is spoken. If you're looking for the fish kites for boys' day, kogura sells them in green, black and red ranging in prices from small to large($2 and up).

Kogura is my favorite shopping destination in Japantown. It is huge and is worth walking up and down the aisles. I must confess that I love sake sets and Kogura has quite the collection. They also have a fair number of art supplies, lots of kitchen items, note cards, bonsai pots, sushi table settings, a small number of toys, and more. I haven't done any price comparisons; I just get what I'm looking for, admire the ceramics, and get out.

Best selection of bonsai pots I've found in the south bay. I also bought some little buddhas to adorn my bonsai garden. Please Kogura Company, get some more little figurines -- I love them!

I was shopping around Japantown, looking for a rice cooker and happened by this absolute gem of an import store. None of the cheap, touristy-stuff here, but real Japanese imports: tea sets, obutsudan, kitchen ware, origami, Japanese magazines/books, planters, dolls, ceramics, etc. The owners are friendly and more than willing to answer questions. Prices are reasonable. I plan on coming back whenever I need to buy some creative and unusual gifts.

I absolutely love the old-timey feel of this place--reminds me of old Chinatown in Sacramento. It just exuberates the 1950's which really shows you how far we've come as Asian Americans. I love the old guy that owns/ mans the register. There were a lot of cool stuff like ribbons, ceramics, origami paper, and cell phone charms. In addition to all of these, I saw some really old-school Japanese toys that reminded me of when I was a kid. You see, back when I was growing up, it was rare to find stuff made in China or India, or Taiwan. A lot of things were made in Japan, like books, dollhouse furniture, and Barbies. Imagine how happy (and old!) I felt when I saw these little Kewpie dolls my Dad bought for me as a kid. They were exactly the same as I remembered them! I think if this place remodeled it would lose it's comfort and appeal. I want to come back here just to breathe it all in again! I think this is the best thing in SJ Japantown. Final Verdict: The retro feel of this store makes me feel right at home, You can find old school stuff like wooden combs. Coming here is like a step back in time, this store makes Japantown shine!