Utsuwa-No-Yakata

One of my all-​time favorite places to go for dishes. I have been to other Utsuwa-​No-​Yakata locations, but this one has the best selection and best deals of any I have been to. It has shrunk over time and that is sad, but it is still a great place to go.

Located inside Little Tokyo Galleria Market.
They sell bowls, plates, cups, sushi/​sake items, home décor, tea sets, etc. I love how unique the items are and the attention to detail. This is a great place to find some cool gifts for loved ones. Things in here are on the pricier side, but I believe most everything is made in Japan. Employees are super friendly. They wrapped all our goodies neatly.

The best place to purchase pottery, ceramics, and Japanese kitchen items. One of the last true Japanese stores in the area. Very cool accessories that are great gifts as well. They just moved inside the Little Tokyo Galleria. They usually have end of the year sales around October… as well as clearance items special every day. I love the cast iron teapot selection, and the hanging Japanese printed linen door dividers as unique home décor.

I’ve been coming here for years! I would come with my grandparents when I was still in elementary school and they would never let me go into the store with them in fear that my CLUMSY ASS would knock something over. There was a time when this plaza was Japanese own and the market was Mitsuwa instead of Woori, but that just goes to show how long this store has been around. This is one of the few OG Japanese shops that stuck around and are still in business.
This store is great because they ALWAYS have great sales and deals on cup/​plate/​bowl sets. Their products are stunning and of great quality. Most of the kitchenware are hand painted or glazed. My mom is obsessed with containers, and we would always come here to get bento boxes and microwavable containers. I didn’t appreciate this store as a kid of even a teenager, but now that I get excited about purchasing home goods, this store has become so dear to my heart. I love coming here to pick up gift sets for friends or coworkers.
On multiple occasions I have bought a tea set here and some loose tea leaves at the market for housewarming gifts, and they really make the perfect gift! The tea sets are packaged in beautiful boxes and you can even get them gift wrapped here!

It is such a rare gem in Little Tokyo. This cozy and exquisite boutique store offers a wide variety of delicate Japanese artifacts including tea pots, clay pots, bowls, ceramics and, etc. I had been to Japan and knew what authentic Japanese artifacts are like, they are not the ones you could buy in a super mall or Chinatown.
Price can be moderate if you only stick to the specials, however, others are pricey. It’s nice to look at them but not make a purchase.

The inventory is smaller these days, but they still sell beautiful ceramics at great prices. I bought gifts while visiting LA, and my friends loved them. Pretty bowls, elegant teapots, and adorable accessories.

They are so rude here ! Was here around 6:50 pm tonight & this lady was like «we’re closing ! «They started moving stuff around like blocking the doorways & stuff, closing doors abruptly. That’s not a way to treat customers. Put a bad taste in my mouth & even if they have cute stuff I will not be coming back …

This place is great! They sell a variety of things, from cute to cool to beautiful and more.
I buy all of my teaware here — the prices are fantastic! Everything is nicely priced and amazing quality. I would buy all of my housewares here if I could — everything is so nice and in such a nice variety.
The ladies who run the shop are wonderful too. They’re very nice, try to answer all of your questions, and package everything to withstand anything! :)
I highly recommend stopping in — it’s great for gifts, too! (especially gifts for yourself!!!)

Omgosh this place is so cute and quaint! How did I not know about this establishment before?
I came in just to peruse the goodies and most of them were dainty ceramic pieces that ranged from either super pricey or super cheap. The products ranged from microwavable tupperware containers to mugs, teapots to bowls. There were also eating utensils, traditional Asian crock pots, as well as delicate home décor items for sale.
Did I mention on sale?
Yes, they’re going through a giant Holiday Sale for most of their products right now so if you’ve been looking for cheap kitchenware, go getta! :)
Note:
* You get 1 hour validation from here with purchase.

My Mom always taught when I was a kid, helping her prepare meals, it’s just as important to have the right plate and the right presentation to make the meal appetizing.
This place has a great selection of Japanese plates, bowls and other kitchen stuff.
With places like Yamaguchi’s in West LA gone, there aren’t as many places to have a big selection of plates. Yeah, you can go to Marukai and other Japanese markets but this specialty plate store is a joy to browse and find some surprising finds.

I love visiting this store when I’m in the area grabbing groceries from Woori.
They have a great selection of Japanese pots/​sake sets/​dishes, and beautiful cookware that you won’t find anywhere else.

Came here on a sunny Saturday afternoon with my parents after having lunch upstairs @ Manna KBBQ. I always fear that places like these that sell glassware will be too crowded and my clumsiness will knock over a whole table of sake cups. That wasn’t the case here — pretty empty and quiet.
Located on the 1^st floor next to the Woori Market entrance, you can find Japanese tea sets, chopsticks, and microwaveable lunch glass bowls here for relatively cheap. I found cute pastel dotted mini bowls to put rice or sauce in for $ 7 a piece. Not the cheapest thing there but it was too cute not to purchase.
They have a chopstick section next to the cashier which I will check out next time (saw it after I had already paid). I also might get their plastic bowl/​plate sets next time which were pretty cheap and made for everyday use!
They accept cash/​card and package your purchases very well to withstand the drive home.
Parking garage is right outside the storefront but was a nightmare to get out of because there was only 1 attendant and 1 exit. I live in the area so definitely walking next time to avoid the hassle.

Located inside the Little Tokyo Galleria Market, Utsuwa-​No-​Yakata is a cute store that sells Japanese kitchen and home goods. They have a huge selection of ceramic & porcelain cups, bowls, plateware, etc. They also have tea sets & sake sets that make great gifts.
Typically when I think of anything Japanese, I think pricey. Surprisingly, most of the items here are very affordable and they often offer discounts on top of the low prices.
I’m so excited… today I picked up 2 new bowls to bring leftovers to work for lunch. There’s a knob on the lid that you keep closed for storage/​transport, then open for steaming when heating food in the microwave. I can’t wait to use them!

I absolutely adore this shop. Ive been coming here for over 10 years. When Mitsuwa Market closed and my people took over the mall, I thought this lone Japanese shop would close its doors, as well, but luckily, that was not the case.
They have such great pottery here. Options of high to lower end. From hand painted, porcelain, tea cups made in Japan to your every day bowls and plates. All having a very elegant and unique esthetic. I can not walk in here without purchasing something. Plenty of sales items tempting you at every corner.
If you’re looking to buy a gift or need new dinnerware sets, don’t go to Crate and Barrel where everyone else has the same damn thing. Be exquisitely different without breaking the bank.

Cute shop that sells tea pots, plates, cups, sake sets, etc. They have gifts for everyday use, families, kids, and the nicer expensive stuff. Lots of cute Japanese designs, colors and shapes. It’s a nice place to browse for nice gifts or new additions to your house. They also have a sale section that has great deals (dishware for 50% off).

Great shop with tons of tea sets, ceramic bowls & cups, bento boxes, microwavable containers, and kitchen gadgets. I picked up a couple of beautifully decorated bowls that were on sale at half price. There are some good deals to be had here and the staff are very helpful and friendly.

They’re having a closing sale!
I really like the selections they have here. They have sets of plates and tea cups that look pretty neat and fancy at the same time. They also have a tons of various sizes and types of plates that restaurants can use. Most of their items are pretty light.
The bowls they sell are pretty limited in sizes but all of them have cute decorations – sakura flowers, rabbits, panda, etc.
There is also a great selection of tea/​sake cups, but most of them are a bit pricey.
The staff is nice. They carefully wrap everything up so neatly.

Presentation is paramount in serving food, and more particularly when serving Japanese food. Utsuwa No Yakata even makes me look like an excellent chef-​all at an affordable price.
I’ve been its patron for years and then some. It has a robust selection of tea sets, sashimi plates, sake servers, ramen bowls and even nabes for occasional chanko nabe or shabu shabu that I make at home.
Prices vary on items. There are plenty of items on sale here. Plates and bowls at 3 for $ 10; 2 for $ 10; and sometimes even $ 1 a piece.
The ladies here give attention to details. They do a great job at wrapping the fragile items to protect them from damage. Nothing less than a five star for Utsuwa No Yakata.

Parking: Jap Village Plaza parking
Location:They are located inside the japanese village plaza right next to the market.
They sell a variety of items: sake sets, tea sets, dishes, utensils, bowls, cast irons, donabe, dolls, decorations, etc all from japan. There is so much here. I’d recommend that you check it out for yourself.
If you looking for a house warming gift or any gift in general, you’ll walk out with something. There is no other place like this in LA. There are several locations.

One of the earliest reviews details the beginning of economic change through the wares of this shop. I’ve been going here far before Unilocal,and in it’s day, this shop was 5 stars for its reverence of the art of the bowl. But the walls are closing in and fewer bowls are housed there, and it’s easy to see where the old shelves used to be. The items that fill the space are still beautiful; from functional to exquisite, but there is space which is new to my eyes.
I’ve been enchanted by the smallest gift of a bowl and the vast emotion that goes with making food, providing food, and sharing food through this simple vessel.
This most recent shopping spree of mine stumped me as there were no bowls that I wanted but I did find some bowls that were beautiful to look at. And here is where I find that bowl color is very important. I’ve always enjoyed lighter colored bowls without the thought that is it the background of the bowl that shows off the skill of the meal. Although the dark bowls I purchased are beautiful (I can hope they are handmade), I can no longer see the color of soups or the contrast of vegetables and garnish. My history with dropped dishes keeps me a customer of Utsuwa, yet I cannot joyously plan a trip to correct an uneven bowl count because I know I will be stuck picking from items that don’t call to me.
There is almost an impulse to call and check if they are still open and to go buy a few extra bowls in case the future arrives without my bowl store. At this, I can say when that day comes, when my bowl store is no more and I don’t have to tip-​toe and keep my elbows in and pick up things with both hands, I will be jealous of my young self that thought I would always be able to replace yet another broken bowl. Until then, I know I won’t cure gravity, but I have hope that business will pick-​up and my new bowls will be waiting for my next visit.