Rafu Bussan Inc

This is one of the historic anchor businesses in Little Tokyo. It's small, but tidy and organized, with lots of fun and beautiful Japanese household staples and gift items. The owners and staff are helpful and really nice. They can put items on hold for you if you call ahead. Support this local, family-owned business and enjoy wonderful service. 😊

Japanese ceramics in traditional and unique designs colorful floral patterns and simplicity friendly and helpful staff every day utility items and gift reminders for special occasions

Great products! A great shopping experience with authentic Japanese merchandise.

I still love this place but miss their old location that was much larger. I used to like taking my time walking and seeing all the different things from dishes, to air hot pots, to rice cookers, to dolls, to little items. They also used to have a big area for ikenobo vases. This new location is so small and it's not the same to walk the store. But the workers are still great and are very helpful. I am sure that a lot of items may need to be asked for or ordered but they can still get them.

I love all the gift items on display from ceramic ware, to origami papers, books & beautiful Japanese dolls in glass display cases. There's something there for everyone! I even found cute children chop sticks for my family kids!

Japanese gift shop that tends to have high quality ceramics, laquerware, electric rice cookers, etc. as well as small gifts, Japanese packaged snacks, premium Japanese teas. Small, friendly, Little Tōkyō favorite for over 60 years.

They have a HUGE selection of Japanese pottery and nick-nacks for great prices. Utsuwa-No-Yakata in the Little Tokyo Mall is my favorite place for higher end Japanese dishware. But Rafu generally has the same exact dishware selection and it is cheaper in most cases. It's one of my favorite places that I have to stop by every time I'm in the area.

Cute little spot for Japanese dishes, hashi, tea and other things. A wonderfully friendly lady runs the shop. Definitely worth checking out!

Mention "Carol" and everyone knows this amazing lady!! She has supported our Little Tokyo Sparkle clean-up raffle from the very beginning! With her beautiful wares from Rafu Bussan, we appreciate her so much! Arigatogozaimasu, Carol, for all you do for Little Tokyo and everyone around you!!

The owners are very friendly and informative. They explained why the item we were looking for was hard to come by in the US and offered alternatives.

Thank you Carol-さん from Rafu Bussan, a Japanese Boutique Gift Shop in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles for the wonderful hospitality and kindness. I received 2 traditional glass display cases for my Maneki Neko - Asahi and Nishiki !!! They are now safe and settled at home. For personalized shopping visit www.rafubussaninc.com to book an appointment Help Support Family Businesses !!! どうもありがとうございました !!! #rafubussan #littletokyo #小東京　#日本町 #日本プラザ

For years this shop was originally on second street. It was fully supplied with items for the kitchen, dining, and other Japanese items. This shop is much smaller, no room to roam around like the other shop, where you could ogle and awe at wares. The owner of this shop is helpful. They have an adequate selection of ikebana vessels from Japan unlike anywhere else in LA. The prices are average considering import costs. Overall this shop is an important mainstay in the Japanese community.

Rafu Bussan has the BEST customer service. Wow! I was looking for 250 sake cups for guest favors for my wedding, and it was very difficult to find something that I liked in bulk at a reasonable price after shipping. I found this shop on yelp and reached out. Carol responded back right away to get more info and gave me tons of options to choose from based on what she knew she had in stock and what she knew she could obtain that would arrive on time. Carol also facilitated pick-up, and she was SO nice in person too! On top of all of this, the price was super reasonable. I would definitely go back here any time I needed Japanese-style dishware/drinkware.

Received a book called Japanese Patisserie for the holidays. It is an excellent book. My husband left the receipt in the book in case I wanted to exchange it. However, I noticed that they charged him 5 dollars more than the retail price stated on the book. I had to look up the price because they marked out the amount on the actual book. Super shady and disgraceful. Make sure you check the prices on their books. Plenty of other books stores to consider!

Carol is such a joy to work with!! She was able to FaceTime with me so I could shop virtually. I picked the pieces that I wanted and she shipped them to me right away. Highly recommended if you are looking for beautiful dishware!

When I was a little girl living in the Crenshaw area, my family would go to Rafu Bussan. Now that I live in Orange County, there was still only one place I could think of when I was looking for ramen bowls. Carol texted me photos of just some of their huge selection of ramen bowls. When I saw the photo of the Tokusa bowls, I knew those were the ones for me. Carol explained to me that they were made in Nagoya, Japan. I live in Orange County, so I had them ship the bowls to me. Although I said there was no rush, I received them within 3 days in perfect condition. They double boxed the bowls by carefully wrapping each bowl and inserting a couple of bowls in a box. Then they packaged those smaller boxes in plenty of "peanuts" within a larger box. I was surprised that they included a lovely gift commemorating their 62nd anniversary! With their great selection of quality products and excellent customer service, I'm not surprised Rafu Bussan is one of the few original Little Tokyo businesses still going strong.

So glad that Rafu Bussan found a storefront in Little Tokyo. They were originally on 2nd street by the Francis Hashimoto plaza. But they are now located in Honda Plaza. So if you need a gift for a wedding or just a gift in general like Japanese platters, kitchenware, knives or ceramics. Then you can go here and you will have a wide variety to pick from. Yelp 100 Challenge (49 out of 100)

One of the only original shops left in Japanese Town. Now in Honda Plaza. Always check here first for any gifts you're looking for. There is an assortment of beautiful dishes, dolls and decorations

My sister, friends & I would ride the train up from San Diego to go shopping at Rafu Bussan once or twice a year. All of us always found something we needed or had to have after seeing the items on display. None of us have ever been disappointed with our purchases. We are all looking forward to when we can ride Amtrak up to Union Station, walk over to Little Tokyo and do some serious shopping at Rafu Bussan. Toshiye E. San Diego, CA

Presentation is everything when you're serving Japanese food. I stopped here today to pick up some tableware for my daughter. I've been here for years. It has a wide selection of tea sets, chopsticks, plates, bowls, Japanese dolls and so much more. It even has snack items and gift dessert sets. It's a great place for gifts.

The store is closed as of December 1, 2015. The website says they will announce the new location, opening in spring 2016, after January. I hope this store continues to do well. I remember coming into this store with my mom when I was a little girl and now I bring my own kids there to pick up chawans and ohashii. Can't wait to be back at the new opening!

A japanophile's wonderland, Rafu Bussan is my last-minute go-to place for Something Nice to Give. That said, I don't know why I don't try there first. The store, just west of the J-Town Pinkberry is recognizable by its orange sign and large display that gets festive during the holidays. The inside is spacious and well lit, with all sorts of gifty japanese products: large expensive ornate plates you wouldn't dream of putting food upon; kimono-clad dolls in their delicate display cases; gift boxes of pretty dishes and tea cups almost too good to use; lacquerware that's equally practical, yet only suitable for special occasions; really nice ceramics and flower vases, and thick photo albums with embroidered covers, the type you wouldn't feel embarrassed giving out as a Nice Gift. Rafu Bussan also has a practical side: everyday Japanese-style tableware, like dishes; bowls for rice, soup, and noodles; various cooking utensils and kitchen appliances; ikebana (japanese flower arranging) supplies; a limited selection of greeting cards, and also, Japanese-style money envelopes. They even have some equipment for the japanese tea ceremony. The customer service here is pleasant and knowledgable, but watch your step; if you break something, you gotta buy it, and there are little signs all over the place reminding you of this little fact. Also, the gift boxes of dishes and cups are packaged in sets of five, not four. The reason is that the Japanese word for the number four is the same word for death; not as bad as an envelope of anthrax, but it's still unsettling; one less question for the salepeople to answer from you, I guess... There is also gift wrapping available, and the staff behind the counter are all trained to make the outside of your gift as nice as the inside. This mecca for your inner japoneses even has a varied candy selection for your Japanese sweet-tooth, and an entire shelf dedicated to dry-goods items for enhancing a japanese menu; stuff you'd be hard-pressed to find in your Von's ethnic food aisle, like furikake, nori, instant miso soup, etc. A good selection of cookies from some european brand I can't remember are also available near the registers, but I'm not complaining. Rafu Bussan also has well-attended sales with Japanese table basics suitable for mixing and matching; a bowl here, a small dish there, something to serve your hot noodles, and yes, even bowls to serve that instant miso soup. You'd be hard-pressed to give something from this store that's in danger of being regifted.

A great gift store for Japanese objets d'art, handsome ceramic practical and decorative pieces, small kitchen appliances, non-perishable foodstuff. Rafu Bussan has a nice variety of Arare (ah rah reh) or Japanese rice crackers, candies, as well as good quality Japanese green teas & Matcha (powdered green tea), Nori (seaweed sheets), Dashi (Umami filled soup base), Japanese rice vinegar, etc. The prices vary from very modest to rather expensive depending on what you buy there. They even display the full array of Hina Matsuri dolls starting with the Emperor and Empress on down for celebrating Girls' Day on March 3rd. Nice, helpful staff who are there if you need to ask questions and suggestions for a gift for any occasion. I found out that their day off is Wednesday and not the usual Sunday or Monday when one day I went midweek, and the store was dark. Bunka Do- is the other Japanese gift store in Little To-kyo- which has a different slant on what items it stocks so a visit to both would give a broader selection for the customers in satisfying different tastes and preferences.

Need something as a gift or the house that is Japanese? This is the real deal. Platters, bowls, tea sets, vases, No electronics other than a huge selection of rice cookers. Service is top notch. Don't speak Japanese? Do? They have it covered. We found what we were looking for at a good price, had it wrapped and we were out the door. Check their hours...closed I think on Wednesdays.

I've been visiting Rafu Bussan ever since I've been visiting Little Tokyo - a trip to Little Tokyo without looking through the beautiful Japanese housewares and gifts at Rafu Bussan just wasn't a REAL trip to Little Tokyo. When I saw that their large space on Second Street across from the Japanese Village Plaza had closed, my heart both stopped and broke /(ToT)\, but they're still here \(^v^)/ - even if their Honda Plaza store is just a "chibi" form from their old space. The selection is smaller now, but I still find something I want whenever I go in. The family that runs it is so friendly, and I hope Rafu Bussan will be here for many, many more years to come.

The best place in LA for Japanese tchotchkes and home goods. If you need a Daruma, this is the place to get it.

My wife and I wanted to shop for a new set of tableware to serve Asian dishes and to support small businesses during this difficult time, so we drove from Orange County to Little Tokyo to check this store out. We felt very safe as the store only allowed a few customers to come in at a time. Per the sign, appointment has to be made but we lucked out and was able to come right in. Although the store is small, it still offers a great selection and has everything we wanted. The quality of the products are great and the customer service was warm and attentive. We are so glad we made the trip today. I really hope that the store can survive this pandemic as well as other small businesses and restaurants.

I loved the old "big" store but this new location is still awesome and I can always find something beautiful here from Japan. I love the staff too! They always make me feel so welcome. I believe they embody the meaning of "omotenashi" - the spirit of selfless hospitality. I look forward to each visit.

Love this place. It's a hold over from when J Town was still J Town, in spite of the fact that it's a block or two away from their original location. Even though it's been years since I've been to the original location, the new location seems a little smaller, so it doesn't have quite the selection that it used to have. Now, clearly the focus is on the high end items, such as the dolls, plates and vases in the back. If you are looking for a special gift for someone, this is the place to go. The employees are still attentive and very friendly, so it's nice to suppose independently owned stores.

I'm a Japanophile, so I LOVED this place. I bought some pretty black and white Japanese dishware (that was 60 percent off and also dishwasher safe!,) so now my sushi meals at home will feel extra authentic now. I was also sooo tempted to buy a teapot and a bento box set and another Maneki Neko, but I have a feeling that I'm going to want to buy these things when I'm actually in Japan, so I was able to hold myself off. :)

There's a reason they've been in business 60 years! Aiko, Carol, and Rigoberto are always so incredibly welcoming and thoughtful. I've shopped here for years, and when my parents' special anniversary came around, I knew I had to get their present here. And I'm so glad I did. Carol patiently guided me to some beautiful ceramics with traditionally auspicious symbolism. The gift was wrapped elegantly with the utmost care, so that the ceramics remained secure. They even referred me to Mickey Seki for an engraved plaque. Long story short, my parents absolutely loved their gift! Please show your support for this historic, family-owned business.

Little Tokyo is excited to get one of its old school originals back!! Rafu Bussan is now open in Honda plaza! The original store was much much bigger ,but unfortunately they had to leave . This new store still has many of the same items and feel of the old store . I still remember coming here as a kid to get the botan rice candy... really just to get the prize inside the box! Did not like the candy so much!! I'm so happy they found a new location and hopefully they will be here for years to come . Come get your Japanese lucky cats here along with teapots, pottery , wind-chimes, knives, dolls, and other Japan imports . It's family owned and the owner is usually there ... You can't miss her!

Everyone in the store was so nice and patient! Beautiful Japanese dinnerware and the ladies were very helpful. They were very reassuring and kind to all of us and I would love to come back again!

The store is located adjacent to Pinkberry. Rafu has Japanese kitchen houseware, sake & tea sets, dolls, charms, and snacks. Parking: Street parking or parking structure. Customer Service: Lots of highschool/college students working here. They don't seem to be very educated in the jap items, which i completely understand. Overall, the service was pretty good. In all honesty to the fellow yelpers, I was not impressed. They seem to have many generic japanese items catered to americans. I saw a few items which I would like to have (cast iron with droplid). However, the prices were not cheap. The prices on other items (sake & tea sets) are average and not really deals. I would highly recommend that you yelpers check out Utsuwa-No-Yakata. They have a huge inventory of authentic jap items.

I've been going here for as long as I can remember. When I was little my Mom and I would browse around Little Tokyo and we'd always make it a point to stop by here. Rafu Bussan is always nice and neat, the workers are very friendly and always there to help you if you have any questions. They have a wide selection of tea sets, bowls, plates, Japanese dolls and the cases, origami paper and so much more. They also have some Japanese snack items and candy. Rafu Russan is definitely a great place to if you're looking for the above mentioned items for yourself or as a gift. If you're buying a gift I'd definitely recommend having them gift wrap it for you, they always do an amazing job and they do a WAY better job than what I could do.

The main reason I stumbled upon this place is because I left the monstrosity that is Anzen hardware. Finally a place that is refined, organized and beautifully presented. Excellent selection of dinnerware from traditional to contemporary: Bowls, dinner pieces, tea+sake sets. And the true carbon blade that is folded 15 times like the samurai swords. I settled for a nice Mac but the next time I'm looking for my sashimi knife its Rafu Bussan...\ Nice selection of japanese cooking books as well. I'll be purchasing my spam musubi press here...

My family have been going to Rafu Bussan for 15+ years to pick up snacks and buy gifts. I've been to other places which sell Japanese ceramics and there IS NO OTHER PLACE with as much selection. What makes Rafu Bussan really convenient is you can pick out a gorgeous bowl to give as a gift and the store has the perfect box to keep the treasure safe and make it a very memorable gift (as opposed to having it wrapped in just tissue/newspaper). You can't go wrong with Rafu Bussan just be sure to get there early to find parking or go on a weekday or park in a building close to RB so you can have them validate your ticket.

I can't believe I just discovered this shop in Little Tokyo. It has all kinds of Japanese things inside - mugs, bowls, snacks, knick-knacks, dolls, kitchen supplies, etc. Traditional Japanese store that has a lot of those art pieces that our parents or grandparents have. I'm not really sure what they're all called, but I took a trip down memory lane when I was walking through every aisle. I will definitely be making my way back in the future :] Great gift ideas & friendly staff - they will even gift wrap for you if you ask!

great selection of pottery, kitchenware, and other little accessories! I picked up a gift here over the weekend. they keep everything very clean. I saw workers wiping down all their inventory. definitely will come back!

Rafu Bussan is OPEN. And better than ever! Smaller space, but still full of all the old treasures you remember and would go to Rafu Bussan for. I love Rafu Bussan so much for so many reasons - favorite place to buy gifts for people (and myself, I won't lie), wonderful owner and staff who are great people and love/support the Little Tokyo community, and also my family has been shopping here pretty much since it opened 58 years ago. To this day, my dad receives the postcard meant for my now deceased grandma notifying her about sales. And every time I go in, Carol tells me about how my dad just stopped by. They also remember all their customers - so if you tend to buy in the same pattern, they'll remember the pattern and tell you what's new in it. Basically, they are awesome and the best and everyone should shop here so they're around forever and ever. Things I most often buy here: knives for my dad, kokeshi dolls for my sister, bowls for myself (hee), hashi (chopsticks) for ... everyone, and then I stare and covet all the zojirushi products.

I needed gold foil origami paper and stopped by. I was really pleased that they had a variety of sizes, so I didn't have to trim the paper to the size I needed. They also have silver foil, but I didn't have a need for that. I found the prices reasonable. They definitely know their clientele and keep needed items in stock.

Still amazing. They reopened 1 block away closer to Central at Honda Plaza. 414 E 2nd St

I was looking for a wooden display case for a Japanese doll and spoke to a clerk over the telephone. I explained that I needed a case and told him what I was looking for (wooden lacquer, etc.) he than asked me, "Do you have a case?" I guess he wasn't listening to anything I was saying. Well, that was annoying. I didn't want to repeat everything all over again and just gave up. Whoever likes this place must do so out of nostalgia and personal experience with the owner.

This place is awesome. Located in Little Tokyo on 2nd street, this place has been here forever. Anyone looking for high quality authentic goods made in Japan must come here to check this place out. Whenever I go to visit Little Tokyo, I always stop by this place to check out what they have. If you go into their front room area you can see a poster board with pictures that documents the progression of the store through out the years. It is nice to see a place like this continuing to thrive and serve the community throughout all these years.

pros... still a very fun place to go for some japanese housewares and kitchen supplies too. for the wife and i, a trip to little tokyo is not complete until we pay a visit here. we are sure not to leave empty handed. love all the stuff here, mostly for cooking. but there are also nice little trinkets available as well. staff is very attentive and helpful, but not intrusive in any way. the selection of ceramic ware and stuff is mind boggling. they also have a really cool selection of traditional japanese dolls, all in glass cases to buy too. not really my deal, but it's nice to look at. they also have a good selection of cook books in english. also love the good luck charms in the front. they also have a very good selection of mac knives here. if you are like me and like/love sharp objects, especially knives, this is a good place to visit. wanted to buy a knife, even with the 20% discount at the time, but just couldn't. cons... parking in the area is tough. but at least some of the meters here actually take a credit card. how's that, so convenient isn't it, no change no problem, just pull out your credit card and park for 2 hours.

We've shopped here for years, whether with something specific in mind or just browsing, and we always come away with an interesting gift (or something for ourselves).

The best place in town to get Japanese Ceramics. Perfect for gifts and household use, with tons of variety and good pricing.

OK so I am a real sucker for housewares, and this place is one of the better places to get your Japanese stuff. It is mostly ceramic stuff, but they also have some small electrical appliances as well. Some snacks and cookbooks and the best part is the cutlery behind glass. The place does need a bit of a face lift. But it's like a little time warp back to the 70's or something. I was just perusing the place and found the picture board with all the photos from the past. It was quite the place back then, but it is still alive and kicking today. My wife and I bought some plates and bowls on sale, with a cute little panda motif. Most were about $2.95 per piece, which is pretty reasonable considering they were marked down from about $8.95 for the smaller pieces. And if you are looking for some fun Japanese car charms this is the place to get them. They have a super large selection, from the very small to the very large one that just might cause an accident. So if this stuff floats your boat, and you are in the Little Tokyo area, have a little look see and check this place out. I am sure you will find something fun.

This place looks deceptively small at first. For a while I've passed by thinking it's a small store then last week with extra time on my hands I went inside. It's full of great stuff from ornate items to useful kitchenware to small snacks and gift items. And the workrers were help full alwaays wondering if you needed help ( although they could have just been making sure we didn't break anything). If you go to Little Tokyo visit it.

This is by far my favorite gift shop in Little Tokyo. There is a huge selection of high quality Japanese items and even if you don't buy anything, it's a great shop to walk into and browse. The service is wonderful. They notice if you are buying things and take it back to the counter for you and store any of your items in one place. They check all the boxes to make sure nothing is broken and offer gift wrapping as well (at an additional cost). The prices are on the high side; however they usually have a number of items on sale and offer good discounts. Always look for the Chinese year animal decorations that are old. They are discounted so low that you cannot not buy them. Don't miss this place because you'll like it.

WOW!! I love this place!! Lots of japanese housewares and some food...the people that work here are actually japanese and love helping you so ask them questions!! They will even explain to you how to use certain items...we actually stayed till after they closed and they were very nice & patient...i am def returning here!!

This store has such nice things!!! I got a couple bento boxes for my lunches and they are soooooooooo cuuuuuuuute! One is a house and the other is covered with owls! They also gave away a lucky present since it's their anniversary month, which is just so nice. They have a wonderful selection of books on all topics of japan-craft. Really just a lovely store.

I adore this little shop. Aside from beautiful Japanese dish ware, cute trinkets, and fun books on origami and sushi making, the service here is astounding. When they didn't have a bamboo whisk I was looking for to whisk my matcha tea, they took down my phone number and email to let me know when they would be in stock. The ladies here are exceedingly gracious and it's a pleasure to shop at this store.

This store sells tons of dishes, dolls, vases. I don't remember what else they had... the sheer variety short-circuited my brain. Across the street is a little shop that sells takoyaki (yum!) and sheep bookends :)

This is THE place to go if you are looking for authentic Japanese gifts for a housewarming, New Years, basically anytime decorative gift. Been coming here since I was a little kid, but never appreciated it until much later. I'm in my 40s now and live out of town, but I come whenever I need a good gift. The staff here are top notch!

Great selection of geisha dolls, kokeshi dolls, dishes, and ikebana vases.

My favorite Japanese gift shop in Southern California. Very friendly, helpful, knowledgeable staff. Good prices for high quality merchandise.