Kimono-Ya

I don’t like spending my money on a whim. If I see something I like a lot, I have a habit of waiting and checking other stores for their prices. I found an adorable hover cat plush, but it was almost $ 40 at the main Little Tokyo mall shop. This place had it for $ 30! Yes!
They had the typical stuff that most stores have and something that stores didn’t have. A set of large and small Dragon Balls? It’s here!
And ‘Kimonos.’ These aren’t traditional kimonos– those are way too expensive and a lot thicker. There is a bridal kimono store in the mall near Animé Jungle. The kimonos here a type of kimono called a yukata. Yukatas are a thin material mostly used for summer. That being said…
The woman working here was very sweet and asked me if I’d like to try one on. I didn’t want to bug her because I didn’t think I’d buy one. But they were all had such beautiful colors and prints. So I tried on the only green one (my favorite color). This yukata was a light green tea color with delicate pink flowers elegantly splayed. And I had to get it.
Here, the yukatas were cheap compared to other places and better quality. And authentically made in Japan. I highly recommend this cute store. There are not many like it.

Little Tokyo is littered with dozens of shops like these carrying trinkets and shirts imported from Japan. They are always fun to wonder around but by the third one you have probably seen everything these shops have to offer. However this little shop caught my eye because of the stunning kimonos they have for sale in a small back section. The kimonos were displayed around three walls of the room and my friends and I spent more time looking here than we did at the trinkets. Every hue of the rainbow was represented in these works of art. I have a feeling that this shop has a dual role as knickknack store for the tourists and a clothing store for those all important events for the local community. Now there is a huge sign that states «NO PICTURES» which we respected and I hope that others follow as well because it would be a shame to never see these beautiful items up close again.

A new kimono store @ Weller Court? Not just a kimono store!
$ 2.99 slippers.
$ 6.99 T shirts with Japanese writings.
$ 9.99 long night shirts.
Earrings, hair accessories and stationery can be found here too. Hello Kitty galore, this place is full of Sanrio’s famous cat. I was tempted to buy some HK tank tops and shorts because they were so adorable.
Domo, Mario and Rilakkuma hang out @ this place too.
Maybe I’ll come back here for Halloween to buy my geisha outfit ;)
3.5 stars!