I'm probably one of the very few people who has no interest in visiting Japan as it seems everyone else is obsessed with the culture and has already been or wants to go to Japan (although I DO lovveeee sushi!). I suppose I'm an outlier. However, I may have just been swayed in that direction all because of a visit to Daiso. What is Daiso, you ask? I have heard the store name and always thought it was a, "Silly Japanese store". To elaborate, I thought it sold only anime stuffed animals and playing cards like those Japanese stores in the mall. Turns out I'm the silly one because Daiso is not that at all!
Daiso describes themselves as a "variety-goods chain" with upwards of 3,500 locations in Japan that has expanded worldwide selling mass-produced, made-in-China products purchased in bulk commodities enabling them to keep prices low at-cost even in countries outside of Japan. The newest LA location recently opened its doors in the Noho West shopping center near the Oxnard/Laurel Canyon intersection in North Hollywood. You know the one: it houses Nordstrom Rack, LA Fitness, Regal Cinemas, Trader Joes, Ulta, Starbucks, The Stand and the list goes on with more to come. * Please note that Noho West had free parking until 10/7/24 at which time parking is free for the first 60 minutes and $1/every 20 minutes there after*. Daiso grabbed a real estate spot next door to 5 Below which is either petty or quite clever in marketing competition.
Entering Daiso is like jumping insise Japanese social media advertisements or a real-life Temu. The store has ample square footage that can be compared to a dollar store (like Dollar Tree or 5 Below, next store) but on steroids selling a wide variety of goods in about every category you can imagine from cookware to makeup, decorations to stationary, house slippers to Asian snacks, space savers to tools and the list goes on and on and ON! Everything is super cute and you will find yourself wanting EVERYTHING! If this is what Japan is like, then I'm in! The problem is that even though the goods are 'cute', kitschy and even useful; the quality is still on the low-end dollar store bargain-bin level yet their prices are too high per the quality. It seems you are still paying for the popularity of the store (or the import?).
Speaking of prices; shopping at Daiso is tricky because there are no USD price tags! Everything is tagged per the Japanese Yen! Daiso provides price currency conversion charts on every aisle but honestly this is quite inconvenient to have to walk back and forth to a chart. I feel like there should be printed charts available in the front to walk around with (that the cashier would take back at the end of a transaction or you return leaving the store). To be frank, it deters shopping because of the annoyance of having to figure out prices.
Even despite actually shopping; Daiso is an experience-offering store and was hopping with Gen Z kiddos during my visit. It is genuinely fun just browsing and looking at all of the products even without leaving having made a purchase. Daiso is a double whammy! I was somewhat disappointed that the front register associates were all teenagers who were unprofessionally gossiping about a "19 year old boy!" in rather loud outdoor voices and giggling nonstop. But I'm also not fun and am old.
Despite these small setbacks; Daiso is not a "silly Japanese store and is absolutely worth visiting whether to purchase innovative and cute products from Japan or to simply browse. Welcome to North Hollywood, Daiso! read more