We are back with JapanCulture•NYC’s 2025 holiday gift guide. This year we take you back to storefronts throughout the area as we feature new establishments or Japanese-related businesses that may not be on your radar yet. We’ll cover everything from vintage Japanese clothing to housewares to the finest teas to coveted stationery. Please enjoy this curated list to help secure a special gift while supporting local businesses that carry Japanese product. Happy shopping!

Sōrate

New location: 30 E. 18th Street, New York, NY 10003
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

103 Sullivan Street New York, NY 10012
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

This Brooklyn-based Japanese tea company now has two Manhattan tea house locations that offer superior tea products from Ujitawara, the Uji region of Kyoto. Both locations host tea experiences from tastings to authentic tea ceremonies that would make an unforgettable gift. Reservations are required; please book online here.

Sōrate’s online shop has the finest teas, matcha, and accessories for the tea enthusiast in your life. Celebrate this holiday season with the return of Sōrate’s Matcha Panettone. It’s the perfect fusion of Sōrate’s owner Silvia Mella’s Italian heritage, infused with premium ceremonial grade matcha, creating the ultimate traditional holiday dessert. Enjoy at a holiday gathering or take as a hostess gift. Whether you want to gift an experience, a physical gift like a tea accessory, or even a gift card, please check out Sōrate for gifts for tea lovers.

Iki Kimono NYC

32 Bridge Street, Suite 103, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Saturday & Sunday 12:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., Thursday & Friday 1:00p.m.-6:30 p.m., closed Monday-Wednesday

Located in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn, Iki Kimono NYC is a woman-owned business that stemmed from owner Monica Minier’s culmination of a lifetime of collecting and selling antiques and vintage clothing. After she was gifted a kimono, her obsession began, and she now specializes in vintage kimono and accessories in this gorgeous space that feels like a vintage atelier.

Iki Kimono NYC partners with women in Osaka, Kyoto, and Thailand, carefully sourcing vintage kimono, haori and happi jackets, obijime belts, and maekake aprons, some that could date as far back as the 1920s. Iki Kimono has some listings online, but we recommend visiting the shop for the full experience. If you are looking to gift someone a kimono, Iki Kimono NYC offers private shopping by appointment. Imagine the experience one would have when choosing a beautiful vintage kimono as a gift from you.

New York Tile Factory

6 W. 38th Street, New York, NY 10018

Monday-Sunday 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.

Don’t let the name fool you, everything New York Tile Factory sells are ceramics crafted in Japan, from the mainland to Okinawa. There are Japanese housewares such as dishes, chopstick rests, and coasters to home décor such as oil diffusers and decorative tile candles in this charming store that opened in March 2025.

Their selection boasts many unique gifts from stocking stuffers to main gifts. If you need to shop for someone who strives for sustainability, New York Tile Factory has aroma stones that are made from leftover clay roof tiles. Aside from items with classic Japanese imagery and icons, they also sell many NYC-themed ceramics, still made in Japan. New York Tile Factory does not have a website or sell online, so please visit the store as you shop this holiday season.

Nepenthes

307 W. 38th Street, New York, NY 10018

Monday-Sunday 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Japanese brand Nepenthes has a storefront location in the heart of New York’s Garment District. Founded by Keizo Shimizu in 1988 in Tokyo and later joined by designer Daiki Suzuki of Engineered Garments fame, the two brought this international brand to Manhattan. Nepenthes offers both men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, and footwear from various in-house brands such as CFDA 2008 Best New Menswear Designer winner Engineered Garments to the worldly Needles brand, as well as Hokkaido-based South2 West8, a brand known for merging function and fashion.

These Nepenthes brands sit alongside curated items from other known brands and stocks footwear from the likes of Vans, Reebok, and Clarks Originals, as well as many others. For high quality fashion that combines both workwear craftmanship and durability with streetwear looks, head to Nepenthes for an amazing independent boutique shopping outing.

Tokio7

83 E. 7th Street, New York, NY 10003

Monday-Sunday 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Established by Makoto Watanabe in 1996, this high-end East Village consignment shop is a regular stop for vintage designer collectors. Taking pride in his Japanese heritage, Tokio7 carries Japanese designer brands such as Yohji Yamamoto, Comme Des Garcons, and Issey Miyake. Alongside the Japanese brands you’ll find other luxury brands such as Rick Owens, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and the like. All handbags are authenticated using a software system that weeds out fake products to ensure the staff is always sourcing the very best items. Tokio7 is a great place to shop for a fabulous gift for the fashionable person in your life, all while being sustainable by purchasing second hand and giving these incredible designer pieces a new life.

Namamica

123 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012

Monday-Saturday 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Sunday 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Nanamica New York is the second location of the brand store to open, and to this day it remains the only location outside of Japan. With the motto ONE OCEAN, ALL LANDS, the brand embodies the key words of “utility” and “sports” by mixing fashion and functionality in creating high quality clothing.

Often collaborating with authentic sports brands, they do limited edition drops with brands such as Japanese shoe brand REGAL Shoe & Co. and Japanese sandals brand SUICOKE. From outerwear to casual styles and sportswear, Nanamica stocks many options of versatile, high-performance clothing for all aspects of life.

Yoseka Stationery

63 West Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Wednesday- Sunday 1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., closed Monday & Tuesday

Founded in Taiwan in 1981, Yoseka is now in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, thanks to husband-and-wife duo Daisy and Neil Ni. Neil grew up in Taiwan with the original Yoseka, his parents’ shop, as his playground. Yoseka was introduced to the NYC area via pop-ups in 2017 and its first storefront in Queens in 2018. In 2020, the store relocated to Brooklyn and has been stocking various brands of Japanese stationery, along with other Asian brands, since.

Carrying quality items such as notebooks, pens, inks, stickers, stamps and washi tape, Yoseka offers many gift ideas on their online gift guide located here. 2026 planners and calendars from various Japanese brands such as Midori, Travelers Company, Hobonichi and many others are now available—order before they sell out! Smaller items like this Mt. Fuji eraser or Mt. Fuji pencil sharpener make the perfect stocking stuffers for the creatives on your shopping list. Yoseka sells gifts in all prices ranges, ensuring that you’ll be able to get gifts for a few people at this quaint shop with an extensive Japanese stationery collection.

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Susan McCormac 12/7/23 Susan McCormac 12/7/23

The 2023 JapanCulture•NYC Holiday Gift Guide

We are back with our annual Japan Culture NYC’s holiday gift guide and this year we are focusing on some of our favorite women-owned businesses!

Nico Neco Zakkaya

263 E. 10th Street, New York 10009
Monday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.; Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

First established as an Etsy shop in 2015, Nico Neco Zakkaya New York’s brick-and-mortar store opened in 2019. Siming, the owner, had previously lived in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kagoshima before moving to New York. She missed aspects of Japanese life, specifically its stationery and zakka, a Japanese word that means “encompassing all things that enhance your home, lifestyle, and appearance.” The word zakkaya in the shop’s name is derived from that because Siming believes that “these small, yet meaningful details can truly elevate your life, create memories, and even spark inspiration.”

This shop carries a range of options for the perfect gifts that are carefully curated and sourced from Japan. They offer everything from stationery to crafting tools to household items such as incense burners and other ceramics. Their selection of stamps, seals, stickers, and washi tape make great stocking stuffers. Nico Neco Zakkaya sells planners and planner supplies, but please act fast as they are quickly selling out for 2024! While there, you can also pick up your gift-wrapping supplies and thank you cards to send after the holiday season.

If you are unable to get to the shop, you can also order online. Be sure to get those orders in as soon as possible to ensure delivery for the holidays.

M.M. LaFleur

Bryant Park Showroom – 130 W 42nd Street, Floor 13, New York, NY 10036
Tuesday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Closed Monday.
Upper West Side location – 182A Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023
Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Closed Monday.
Upper East Side location – 1225 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10128
Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Closed Monday.

M.M. LaFleur’s founder and CEO Sarah LaFleur teamed up with Miyako Nakamura, former head designer at Zac Posen, to launch the brand in 2013. Their clothing is created around three design principles: functional details, comfort, and style with today’s woman in mind. Known for their high-quality basics, they create polished pieces made for real life by offering features like machine-washable and wrinkle-resistant fabrics.

M.M. Lafleur sells everything from clothing, outerwear, footwear and accessories like jewelry, belts, and cold weather knitwear. Please check out their 2024 gift guide for ideas. Also, check out their calendar of events because there are some upcoming holiday events in stores for the month of December. There’s nothing like breakfast with Mrs. Claus, complimentary hot cocoa, and live music to enhance your shopping experience.

If placing online orders, please see their holiday shipping cut-off dates here.

Seicho

Online only:

Website
Etsy shop

Seicho is a New York-based Japanese calligraphy artist whose name translates to “Quiet Butterfly.” She first picked up a calligraphy brush around the age of six, but her talent grew in college. Studying under Seifu Makino, a well-known master calligrapher in Kyoto, enhanced her skill even further, which led to winning many prizes and having her work exhibited all over Japan. In 1996, she became a master calligrapher herself, and two years later she moved to New York and has shared her talents here ever since.

You can purchase beautiful calligraphy and unique gifts through Seicho’s online shop. She offers five different custom-order calligraphy gifts with names written in both kanji and katakana, including our personal favorite: a custom kanji sake masu! All items come wrapped in beautiful Japanese paper (except decorative envelopes and stickers).

Like all online shopping, we recommend placing your order at your earliest convenience.

MaKaRi Japanese Antiques and Fine Art

97 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Tuesday through Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

Since 2009 MaKaRi Japanese Antiques and Fine Art has had a shop on Third Avenue that specializes in quality antiques, contemporary art, and housewares from Japan. Owner Yuko Nose, who is originally from Tokyo, has lived and had other businesses in New York for decades. With MaKaRi, she loves mixing contemporary pieces with antiques in her inventory.

The shop offers pottery from various Japanese artists to other housewares such as tea pots, glassware, tenugui, and antique furniture. The website also offers a gift guide as well as digital gift cards, which are always a great gift for the person who is hard to shop for or someone you need to send a gift to outside the NYC area.

Atlantic Grace

115 W. 29th Street, Suite 902, New York, NY 10001
Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

One of JapanCulture•NYC’s sponsors is Atlantic Grace, a Japanese esthetic salon, which they call a Japanese relaxation and beauty house. This woman-owned business specializes in Japanese beauty treatments such as painless hair removal, facials, teeth whitening, and face tightening, using state-of-the-art technology from Japan. Their experienced Japanese technicians and estheticians provide safe, gentle, and effective treatments for both women and men.

Book a service or gift a bundled package to your loved one. You deserve a gift this busy holiday season, too, so consider treating yourself to a treatment to help relieve the holiday stress. Check out their holiday special, which offers a bundle of two facial-treatment sessions and one teeth-whitening session.

Photo and graphic courtesy Atlantic Grace

Riverside Wrapping Co.

Online shop

December pop-up schedule:

Saturday 12/9 - Sunday 12/10 at the Brooklyn Museum from 11:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Saturday 12/16 - Sunday 12/17 at the Museum of the City of New York from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 12/16 - Sunday 12/24 at Japan Village for the Niji Holiday Makers Market (Times listed in link)

What started as gift wrapping business in 2022, certified gift wrap coordinator Emi Tachibana’s business has evolved to include handmade jewelry using mizuhiki, the ancient Japanese artform of decorative knots. Born in China and raised in Tokyo, Emi has lived in New York since 2016, perfecting her skills at traditional Japanese crafts. She’s a familiar face who can always be found at various artist pop-up markets in the city throughout the year. Be sure to find her at one of the holiday markets listed above.

Riverside Wrapping Co. is best known for her intricate mizuhiki earrings hand-crafted with modern touches like pearls and delicate chains. From simple knots to cat-shaped mizuhiki and mini flowers hanging from gold chains, check out her selection of earrings that work for many occasions. Emi will be featuring new styles for this holiday season.

During the Riverside Wrapping Co.’s pop-up at the Niji Holiday Makers Market, Emi will have New Year Shimenawa Kazari for sale in collaboration with Heartfish Press. Another local woman-owned business, Heartfish Press is run by artist/graphic designer Hijiri K. Shepherd. Her letterpress studio offers prints and cards along with her recent dried floral designs. These one-of-a-kind Shimenawa Kazari are limited quantity; be sure to pick yours up before they sell out.

If placing orders online from Riverside Wrapping Co., please do so by December 17 for shipping or December 22 for pick up at Japan Village.

MEINFINITY Kimono Bags

Also available at the Niji Holiday Makers Market, MEINFINITY kimono bags by founder/creator Akiko. What started as a hobby in 2021 developed to an official business this past January. Akiko was first inspired by the way non-Japanese people worldwide wore haori or kimono as jackets styled in a fashionable way instead of the traditional, proper way kimono is worn in Japan. All the bags are made from upcycling vintage kimono and silk obi with straps made from vintage obijime that Akiko carefully sources in Japan. Sourcing vintage kimono fabrics and repurposing them into bags gives the kimono a second life. Often selling at pop-ups in Japan, MEINFINITY made its NYC debut last summer at a previous Nijii Makers Market and is thrilled to return with new designs and silhouettes this holiday season.

At this pop-up, MEINFINITY will be featuring their classic styles like the original silhouette, Square Bag, the Crossbody style, and Phone Bag while debuting the newest silhouette, The Baguette! Each bag is from a different cut from vintage kimono or obi, which means no two bags are exactly alike, making this an exclusive, one-of-a-kind gift. The bags come in a variety of looks from pastels, metallics, and bold large graphics. These bags are the ultimate accessory that combine traditional Japanese kimono with modern fashion, the perfect gift for that accessories lover in your life.

Angel’s Share

45 Grove St, New York, NY 10014
Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00 p.m. until Midnight

The legacy of Angel’s Share continues in a new location and under new ownership. Erina Yoshida, the daughter of Tony Yoshida, who opened the original Angel’s Share in 1993, is at the helm. In 2012 Erina started working with her father and served as COO of Japan Village when it opened in 2018. After the iconic Stuyvesant Street location of Angel’s Share closed in March 2022 due to a rent hike, it had an eight-month pop-up at Midtown’s Hotel Eventi. It was Erina’s idea to reopen Angel’s Share in a new location and to keep the same staff. Determined to do this on her own, she pulled from her own savings and received loans from friends. Searching for the perfect location, she finally found it in a landmark building on Grove Street in Greenwich Village and created this new 65-seat location with some familiar elements. The iconic cherub mural and antique chandeliers recreate Angel Share’s recognizable look.

Well known for its craft cocktails, this incarnation of the acclaimed bar features three of the old favorites from the East Village location along with 24 new cocktails as well as a food menu with small plates. A visit here would make a perfect holiday date. Just in time for the holidays, Angel’s Share is also launching new merchandise such as totes, baseball caps and t-shirts. This merchandise will be available for purchase at the new location, and it’s possible to buy it in the waiting room area without visiting the actual bar. If you have someone in your life who was devastated when Angel’s Share closed in 2022, something from this new merchandise line would be a memorable gift.

Bessou

Market 57, Kiosk 9 at 25 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Monday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

The loose translation of “Bessou” means “home away from home.” Founder Maiko Kyogoku created a menu that allows her to share her family’s Japanese comfort food traditions in reimagined ways. Having grown up in New York in a restaurant-owning family, Maiko has always been familiar with food and hospitality. After spending 15 years running operations for Daniel Boulud, the Bromberg Brothers, and the Thompson Hotel group, she opened Bessou in 2016. Currently Bessou is part of Market 57, a food hall and market curated under the guidance and mentorship of The James Beard Foundation.

Along with the kiosk at Market 57, Bessou has an online shop with a selection of great gift ideas. There’s a Holiday Feast at Home for four people which not only makes an amazing gift, but if you are hosting friends or family over the holidays but don’t want to cook, this would be perfect! There is a Holiday Popcorn Gift Box just launched for this holiday season. It features innovative flavors such as nori crunch, miso caramel corn, shiso sour cream, and soy butter. Other pantry items including furikake, miso marinade, chili oil, and black garlic are sold individually or bundled. For the home chef in your life, the bundled set would be useful. They also sell baseball caps, t-shirts, and totes.

Different Roads to Learning

Online resource

Our final business is not Japanese-related, but it is run by one of the most important women leaders in New York’s Japanese American community. Different Roads to Learning is a company that provides educational resources for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is one of JapanCulture•NYC’s sponsors. Its founder and President, Julie Azuma, is a tour de force who brings people in the Japanese and Japanese American community together.

Julie grew up in Chicago to Issei parents who were incarcerated during World War II. After moving to New York City, Julie worked with Yuri Kochiyama, Michi Weglyn, among others in the Redress Movement in the 1980s. She serves on the boards of multiple nonprofits and organizes many fundraising and networking events, in addition to running her business.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 36 children in the US has autism. Chances are you may know someone who will benefit from the products that Julie’s company provides.

One of Different Roads to Learning’s newest educational products is the Photorealistic Visual Schedule. With its full-color, photorealistic communication cards, the visual schedule makes tasks and expectations easier to process and is a great tool to help children with autism plan for the New Year. Another educational game is Mighty Mind, which develops creativity and helps children understand visual and spatial relationships. With the purchase of one of these products, Different Roads to Learning will offer free shipping in the Tri-State area.

We hope our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide has not only given you great ideas for everyone on your holiday gift list but introduced you to a few amazing women-owned local businesses as well. Happy Holidays!

The 2023 JapanCulture•NYC Holiday Gift Guide was researched and compiled by JCNYC Fashion Editor Jen Green with an assist from Susan McCormac. Follow Jen on Instagram to get year-round inspo.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide