On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Cards & Stationery, Ethnic Food, Kitchen & Bath
Neighborhoods: Pacific Heights, JapantownMon-Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Lowest ever pricing on kraftmaid kitchen & bath cabinetry - Guaranteed to beat Home depot, Lowes, etc Mention this ad for Yelpers discount
Loading...
I couldn't resist this time, I bought some EYELID TAPE. To give me that bright-eyed, double eyelid look.
I wanted to get the eyelid glue but for some reason I didn't. Fear, maybe?
They have some crazy things. Like "skimming paper." To skim the grease off stew in a pot, just throw this sheet of paper on it! Or, fry your egg on this piece of baking paper, instead of oil. I can't read Japanese so I was just looking at the pictures and trying to figure it out. Crazy inventions.
I got more bento boxes and lunch bags. I'm really going to make an effort to pack my lunch. It will save money. And calories. And the whole lot cost $25 for a week's worth of bentos (in case I'm too lazy to do the dishes).
Tako-yaki, Tako-yaki....I forget how the rest of the song goes b/c it's in Japanese, I don't speak… Read more »
Seriously, open a store in Chicago somehow.
Ichiban Kan is essentially a Japanese dollar store. I bought bento boxes for $3! Crazy socks for $1! HI CHEW!!!!!! I spent $10 and came home with a bag of goodies. This is a fun store for things that you likely won't find anywhere else. The store was clean, and in a great location in the mall. Looooooved this store.
They carry many kinds of "bath powders' that you can enjoy various hot springs (onsen) in Japan.
They calm you, relax you, promote your blood circulation and make your skin smooth. Recommended not only for ladies and also guys.
It is really good for chilly nights in San Francisco.
I love Ichiban Kan! This store is the main reason why I venture over to J-town. It's cheap and carries a variety of products, ranging from candy to kitchen supplies. I was just in here yesterday browsing the aisles and I couldn't stop myself from picking up several items, because they were either (a) cheap and useful (b) too cute not to pick up, or (c) just too cool to pass up! They have the cutest japanese pattern slippers here for $3.50, sandal style socks for $2.50, stationery set for $1.00, lunch boxes, totes, chopstick set, office supplies, car fresheners!!!! The list goes on!! I love Ichiban-Kan!! *heart
I'm a sucker for cute packaging. I ended up grabbing most of the stuff I see, but I was able to put back some of them before going to the cashier... *pats self in the back*
Ichiban Kan is soo much better than the dollar stores I go to in Chinatown. The store is laid out very well, and everything looks nicer with the Japanese cuteness aspect to it. I can't think of things that they don't have, since they have most household-y stuff you can think of.
I'm just going to list everything I got yesterday. Every single item was $1.00 to $1.50 and super cute.
2 Ice trays
2 bag clips
2 pot holders
2 deep frier thingies
1 pair of tongs
1 fridge tray
1 purse magnet holder thingie
1 package of plastic wrap
1 box of tissues
1 tube of wasabi paste
1 box of japanese candies
1 japanese pastry
1 tooth brush holder
1 funnel
Total was 30 bucks. Need I say more????
Ichiban Kan = Japanese dollar store
You can find very useful and cheap stuff from here whether it be organizers for the house, mini tool sets, noodles/snacks, accessories, etc... (you get the picture)
I would recommend checking this place out prior to going to a department store- you may find yourself a deal!
Due to the Daiso's recent opening in the adjoining Miyako Mall, Ichiban Kan has renewed it's lease, which is cool, because the SF the Daiso is sub par.
Santa's Yelper sez: "Ichiban IS ichiban compared to the SF the Daiso!"
Ichiban Kan features unique, practical, affordable items from Japan. Ok, stuff w/ minor Japanese… Read more »
This place was a "go to" place when it 1st opened, but it has been declining over the years as it's popularity rose. Still a better choice than Daiso in the same mall.
The place should have better standards (never seen another general merchandising store allow employees to wear 3 inch heals) and employees that cared a bit more about the store and customers.
Selection seems to be smaller than before. I used to find unnecessary gems in EVERY isle, but now I get just what I want/need.
Will try the Tranforan Location soon!
egg molds!!!! hurray! And let's not forget the bento boxes galore! uber cheap!
There is just about any plastic gizmo that you'd possibly want here! As well as a variety of yummy processed food treats from Japan. Pocky of all flavors!
Almost perfectly sized Japanese dollar store. Just enough merchandise to satisfy my bargain hunting ways. They were sold out of the aforementioned bunny egg molds and i was out of luck.
My mom always calls this place "The dollar store", which of course it isn't, but it's pretty darn close. You can find everything from dishes to stationary to beauty products to fob visors to your dinner here... and you can get a lot of it without going broke! They have hella cheap bento boxes, and a really sleek black one that's $17.50. And of course the most expensive one is the one I want. Sigh.
Another section I spend a lot of time in is the beauty section! This part is probably the priciest in the store, but you know, pretty comparable to other places. Plus it's one of the few places I can find the Japanese brands at. Anyways, I think 1 day tattoo eyeliner is worth paying $15 for, don't you?
I've gone here more than once. I hadn't been here in a while and when I went in last month I was surprised at how much they had changed the store. They don't have as much stuff as before and have rearranged the store from what I remember. It's good that everything has a place, but it seems like the more stuff they had I was happier personally.
Now with the change of everything I don't enjoy the store as much. I'll still come here for the stuff and to see what they have for $1.50 (I remember when it was $1.00), but not spend as much as before.
Grab a basket when you enter here because you are guaranteed to find something to buy! Plus, you won't fill guilty of the prices. I must admit the Japanese make the most cute and clever products which you can find here. Snacks galore, practical kitchen items and useful household items are under this roof.
I couldn't resist from buying these tupperware style containers with a squirrel on it (since we don't have any here in HI!). They even had hard boiled egg molds of adorable animals, musubi makers and bento boxes if you're interested in making your own lunches.
This place reminds me of the Marukai 99 in LA and HI but the selection seems like they are imported exclusively from Japan. It's like a mini version of the hyaku yen store for those of you lucky enough to visit one.
I love finding cheap things here! I bought 3 lead pencils for either $1 or $1.50 and it last me for several years. A good place to buy some school supplies like flash cards and what not.
And I always have to buy something to satisfy my sweet tooth. Just look at the expiration date because some food items may be expired.
I LOVE all the cute shit at this store!
Everything is super cheap and fun. :) I was able to get egg molds, a Natural Lunch bento "lunch will make everyone happy," and socks. haha. They have a variety of things ranging from kitchen, to bedroom, to bathroom, to cosmetics, to office, to food...etc. This is my new favorite store. ^_^ OH! and they accept debit/credit, unlike the other similar "different things" store...which is helpful for people like me who don't like carrying around ca$h.
While waiting for all of our group to gather on a recent Monday excursion to J-town, I wandered around Ichiban Kan. This place is GREAT! I found a bunch of things that I had to have . . . good thing that I didn't have THAT much time to browse. Still, I found the perfect little teacup to transplant some new baby cactuses (or is it cacti?).
I hope they like their new home.
note: don't do J-town on Mondays... too many restaurants are closed.
I took a field trip to Japantown last week. Partially inspired by needing some items for an upcoming party I was throwing, and partially inspired by those funny ads on TV, I stepped in to Ichiban Kan.
What a trip! There is a huge variety. The front of the store, near the registers, is the area for beauty products. The rear of the store has dishes, food, paper, and other housewares.
My favorite part of the store was the lunchbox section. They had a storage solution for everything, including a portable set of reusable plastic utensils (complete with chopsticks and carrying case). I think these would be perfect for a picnic.
Prices were very low. I left the store with some pretty paper (for gift wrap: $1.50), a few small dishes (I'll use them for nuts: $1.50), and a wooden muddler (for mojitos!: $1.00).
Staff was nice and they took credit cards. Seriously-- you should just go to take a look at the dishes along the wall. Great if you're looking to get dishes on the cheap, or fun little gifts for people.
This is a smaller version of Daiso, and things here are a lot more expensive. Well, that's compared to the fact that Daiso is a dollar store...
The one thing that sticks out most, is the uber amount of snacks they've got here and a few other odds and ends.
I literally stopped dead in my tracks at the whole wall of snacks that they've managed to whore, thinking, "Incase of an apocalypse or an armageddon, I'm coming here to forage."
I couldn't decide on what kind of flavored Japanese calories I'd like to add to the belly, so I decided to close my eyes and walk blindly away from the isle.
I love this store!!!
FRESH snacks...a whole ginormous isle full of snacks. Cookies, crackers, fruit candy...yummy.
Chris and I walked up and down each isle, looking at cute and funky little containers, widgets, and gizmos. I was tempted to buy some of the beauty products but I don't like using products when I can't read the labels :( I picked up 4 different sized plastic containers so I could organize some of my shelves a little neater. The plastic was pretty thick, containers felt VERY durable and not cheap like the ones that are sold ad Diaso. Cute colors, too! I have 3 in teal and 1 in a clear smokey grey. ALL $1.50 each. Chris also picked up a super cute pill case to use as a change holder in his car. A couple bags of Hi-Chew candy @ $1.49 each, 2 cute key chains @ $2 each and we're out the door.
9 items for $15.30. How can we not leave happy? I will definitely be back VERY soon.
Holy hell in a hand basket. The simplest things amuse me. Correction, the simplest Japanese things amuse me.
Love, love, love this store.
They have everything. I mean everything. Things that amused me the most:
The lunch boxes!! So many different sets. I want my lunch to fit in there, all cute like! Thanks to my pal, Kenny, who had one to give me for free, I didn't have to buy one, but I would have.
So many little things to organize your stuff!
A very scary neck massager that looked instead like a noose you use to hang yourself!
Slippers! I bought a pair!
Kitchen utensils! Bowls!
Snacks!
Fortune cookie coin pouches!
Stationary!
OH MY!
Just know it has all the little gadgets you need and when you get hungry you buy some snacks, and you just enjoy all the silly little things that you don't need.
This isn't some American dollar store type thing. Just know that this is your go to of Japanese goodies. A trip to Japantown, must include this store.
This is the best dollar store on the planet. Where else can you get tabi split toe socks, iron on tape, a knee brace, mochi and barley tea all in one place and for under ten bucks?
If you see something you like, get it, because it might not be there on your next visit!
Haha dude! This place is DIRT!...cheap. A badminton set for $1.50 lol. Seriously though, when I need little things around the house I come here from plastic containers and a sewing kit to tiny fold-up chairs and pocky.
Etc: You'll find kitchenware, shoe horns, pill boxes, shampoo, toilet plungers, staplers, mirrors, sushi boats...Then go watch a movie at the Sundance Theater a block away.
Back from when I was around 5, I thought that EVERYTHING made in Japan was awesome. So awesome I collected used batteries made in Japan (quite possibly the coolest kid on the block b/c of it).
Forward to 22 years later, Japan generally still made one heck of a quality product. Yes, they do make crap and Ichiban Kan sells them here but it's better than buying crap made in China (Not everything here is made in Japan so look for labels!) And to my fellow Taiwanese, AVOID Chinese made crap! Why support people who have about 2000 missiles pointing at the island as we speak?
No major Japanese brands here (to keep their prices down). Mitsuwa, Marukai, and Nijiya has better quality products but for what they specifically do, **** stars!
Not as good or organized as the old downtown San Mateo location (my favourite) but still not a bad place. I did score a couple of cheap Snoopy pens here though so I can't complain too much. I have a love affair with Japanese dollar stores though so I am kinda biased when I rate them. It's definitely a good place to check out if you're in the neighborhood or if you're looking for cheap goodies that would normally cost a lot more at a department store.
if i could i would give this pl even more stars!
awesome stuff and awesome price!
many items that could make the little things easier.
and not ghetto at all!!!
i was just shocked at the check-out cuz i didn't realize that i had grabbed that much stuff!
Did you know that Ichiban Kan means different things.... and thats exactly what this store is chalked full of... from soup bowls, to japanese snacks, to foot detox pads... oodles of aisles full of different things!!! My personal fav is the beauty isle... total plus that they list all the products in English as well as Japanese... This visit scored me fruity bubble gum, a black headband with pink bows for when I wash my face, beauty bar soap, and pink and blue sponges! I dare you to come here and leave empty handed.
The actual address of this location is:
22 Peace Plaza
Ste. 540
SF, CA 94115
They had a large selection, better than Nijiya Market down the street. I was able to find some bento boxes here (for food), they seemed hard to find, even in Japan Center.
I visit Ichiban Kan every time I'm in Japantown and never leave empty handed. The Japanese have a knack for inventing cool things, this place proves it! I've got so many cool knickknacks from here (mint wet wipes, bamboo shades, a pill box shaped like a bar of chocolate, Q-tips). In terms of gifts, both cute and practical, this place is great and has everything you could imagine for a friend or family member.
They also sell food and there is always a few shelves worth of expired snacks which are heavily discounted. There is always reason to go back to this place as their inventory is always changing, though sometimes like the best of places, it can run out of what you were looking for. Good idea to stock up, most things sans the cosmetic goods are in the $1 range. Also, I found that nearly all the items they sell are either made or designed in Japan.
This is a place you should always stop by when you're walking around Japantown. This is like a smaller version of Daiso (another great cheap Japanese junk store). They have a great selection of unique items, some useful and interesting stuff you won't find elsewhere.
I usually come here for their car fresheners, or really just their room deodorizers but I put them in my car cause they smell so good!
I love the kitchen and bath things. Contact case for $1? Blue Bear face sponge for $1? Sooo cute. I spend $30 here and got a huge bag of stuff. Best place to get gifts for friends.
When in town, I shop here daily.
Lots of good quality, inexpensive stuff.
Now you can shop online, but it's not the same as the in store experience.
I like variety stores almost as much as I like Hardware Stores. Home Depot and Lowes are not hardware stores. Paganos, Dale Hardware and Orchard Supply are. This place is the Japanese equivalent to Target.
I was amazed at the products they have...little plastic containers, brushes, kitchen devices. The woman's facial products and hair products... wow. I thought the patches that you place on the bottom of your feet to remove toxins were interesting (OK I bought some). I ended buying some utensils for my kitchen and bathroom plus a variety of rice crackers. All of this stuff for $12.00. The Price is Right.
"Ichiban Kan: Different Things" is right. This place has different things; this place has everything! From food to housewares and everything in between, Ichiban Kan is a great place to explore for one in the Japantown area.
I never leave this place empty-handed. Sometimes I'll come in here to grab a little snack. Other times, I'm shopping for kitchen supplies. If you need it, this place probably has it. If it doesn't, then you probably don't need it.
My favorite part of Ichiban Kan is the food storage container section in the back. They have all sizes and shapes imaginable! Great selection at a great price. Food storage containers come at about $1.25-$1.50 a pop, which is totally reasonable. These containers are very sturdy.
It's comparable to a dollar store in terms of selection and price point, but I'd say the quality of Ichiban Kan's goods are higher.
Have you seen the television commercials for this place? They are SO RANDOM. Seriously. And bad. And when I saw them, they made me not want to go to this store because I thought it looked like it sold a lot of crap. However, when my Japanese mom comes to visit me from the east coast, she always shops at Ichiban Kan so I thought if it is good enough for my mommy then it is good enough for me.
The pros:
-Super cheap (like, some of the stuff there is half price of Nijiya Market which is one block away
-They have super random stuff....probably stuff that you could certainly live without, but things that can certainly value add to your life.
The cons:
-The aisles are narrow and packed with tons of stuff so it is always really hard to get around in there. It can be sort of annoying to be honest.
-The line to the register is usually pretty long, but it isn't a huge issue since it moves pretty quickly.
Overall, a good place to go for seriously random stuff, I guess I am just a little clausterphobic so I don't enough the squishiness factor here.
quality stuff from japan thats put in a dollar like store. I ALWAYS THOUGH JAPANESE stuff was expensive.
I've seen the commercials, I've heard from friends, and now I've seen for myself. Ichiban Kan has your typical Japanese dollar store items, but it just happens to be closer to home than Daiso in Daly City. I must say, the seaweed snacks are delicious and the price works well too.
Thanks to Wendy L for recommending this place!
While my heart will always belong to Daiso at Serramonte, Ichiban Kan is a place I will check out more often. I'm always on the lookout for cheap but elegant/cute housewares, stationary and knick-knacks, and this place seems to deliver.
Today I picked up a box of lotus incense with 50 sticks, a yellow shower cap and a bottle of aloe drink for under $5. Also noticed their decent selection of snacks, bento boxes, stationary, office supplies and beauty products while browsing the store, and definitely worth another look in the future.
I bought three cell phone charms (rabbit, cat and cow), gummy-choco candies, white out, bath salts. pens, a coin purse for under $10! TOOO cute. This place is too freaking cute. Be sure to go here if you are looking for necessary items, or something cute to add to your collection! Bento Boxes there are adorable, if you have children be sure to pick one up, they'll love them and they're highly affordable.
I love ichibankan. like a "100yen shop" but not 100yen.
A lot of stuff in there. and very cheap!!
clean up stuff a great, and kitchen stuff too.
open daily 10:00~20:00
Miyako mall 2F
20% off Holiday & Invitation…
Neighborhood: SOMA
"Interior Design for the…
Neighborhood: SOMA
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Thrift Stores
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Cards & Stationery
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Specialty Food
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Kitchen & Bath
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Landmarks & Historical Buildings
...or looking for my roots around J-Town. I'm…
Japantown's finest, from a former local. (In…
Places I go when I am depressed or in need of a…
all i got is loose change so i'm givin' my all…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
I've become an expert tour guide after 8 years and…
Okay, so I need to try some real sushi joints in…
Look at me, I'm so hip, I'm so counter culture,…
