This store is definitely a store for me and my son. Funko pops and lots of shirts. I love the katana selections that they have. That also have knives and daggers. You can get them sharpened before you leave the store. Service wasn't great. They don't welcome you in when you walk inside the store. I loved the ping pong that they have in the beginning of the store. The value is SF prices (highly not recommended) because you can get Funko pops way cheaper at stores in Concord. read more

Really cute store with all the classic anime represented! They had an entire wall of stickers and pins to choose from. Saw some Pokemon pins and Naruto stickers that stood out to me. Most pins were $10 Other home decorations, trinkets, graphic tees, and knives also available here read more

The only place in San Francisco for quality knives and swords. Friendly staff, great experience. Grateful they are so customer focused. Thank you read more

Just want to say thank you so much for arranging to refurbish my old war horse - Stryker with Benchmade. I went to war with this wonderful knife and carried it as a trusty friend for years. I have and have purchased others...but not like this issued model. The warranty process through the staff at "Katachi" in San Francisco was so smooth...Benchmade is lucky to have them selling / servicing their knives and customers. They do a military discount: but you blades here! read more

Katachi - My Benchmade - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Francisco, California

$27 PER PACK for Terastal Festival and other japanese sets is a huge rip off wait for the vending machine nearby to restock or go to amazon do not pay that t ridiculous price. Not to mention a lot of their stock is unofficial goods with stolen art. read more

Whenever I get a chance to come to Japan Town in San Francisco, this particular store " Katachi " always draws me in. I'm not sure if it's all the samurai swords, knives, tactical equipment, or the bronze samurai figurines. Being of Japanese decent, I always wonder if any of my distance relatives were samurai ? Or maybe I in one of my pass lives was a samurai. From an early age I enjoyed watching "Chambara" movies , which means samurai movies. My wife nicknamed me "Samurai Wannabe ". Katachi has an large inventory of Japanese swords in all price range. Some for display only ( blade not sharp ) to swords that are functional ( blade is very sharp ). For those of you that are not into swords or knives, Katachi also sells a wide assortment of different odds and ends. Tea sets/ cute stuff animals/ dolls/ Japanese clothing / bronze figures , and the list goes on ...... So the next time you samurai want-to-be are in Japan Town, stop by and check it out ! read more

See all

Do you remember in the very early days of "Saturday Night Live" when John Belushi played Samurai Stockbroker, Samurai Be-Bop Musician, Samurai Delicatessen and of course, the classic Samurai Night Fever? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBx5sRtZXaA&feature=related Well, Katachi is the shop Belushi would have opened if he lived long enough to see his career peak, plateau and then tank into post-SNL obscurity. Lots of sword sets, daggers and knives in a strip-mall setting. Geisha figurines and those portly cats with the arms that sway in a half-circle. Helmets and Noh masks. Even sake sets for the light-hearted. They have all the Japanese paraphernalia you could possibly want to impress your favorite Shogun fetishist. The staff is very friendly in here even though I was not in the market for combat weapons. However, the next time I want to channel my inner Toshiro Mifune, I know where to go now. read more

See all

This store was one of my favorites in Japan town. They have a lot of variety and they're prices were very reasonable. Out of all the stores in the area I think this had the best quality. The people who work here are very helpful too. Overall cute store must go. read more

A great shop for a quick visit they have great service with a great selection of anime items but there is a lack of benchmade when I was visiting but it's understandable due to COVID read more

Katachi - The nice worker that helped me let me know a lot about his knife - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I came here with my brother in search of swords. Yah. I dunno either. We thought it was going to be an authentic sword shop located in the heart of Japantown but it's actually just a gift shop with a fairly small selection of knives and swords in the mall. Im admittedly no expert but it seemed more novelty than authentic, which made sense given the location. They have some cute knick knacks if you're aching to spend some dough but nothing that stood out too much. It wasn't stuff I would personally pull my pocketbook out for but I could see it being a place to get a cute gift for a teen. read more

Katachi - Storefront - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very strict policies. We arrived at 7 pm just asking to use the penny press not realizing they were going to close at 7. We are leaving the city forever and they said no exceptions to using the machine. I get it, but just don't expect any heart. read more

Swords and knives in the heart of Japan Town at very reasonable prices. They have amazing deals going on here and you're in Japan Town for crying out loud! You can't beat that. They have the dull swords and even the real deal swords. The stuff of samurai legend. If you ever have an intruder bust into you house, don't use a gun, but a samurai sword! There were two guys working here. One was pretty cool, and one was pretty short with his answers and attitude. Not everyone can be winners. Still, the prices are very reasonable and if you're looking for knives and weapons, then this would be your place. read more

Walking through Japantown with my 6-year-old son for the first time....he looks inside Katachi and....HIS HEAD EXPLODES.... Anime Cartoon Replica Swords! Samurai swords! Numchucks! Katana Blades! Knives! and more knives! I was totally caught off guard by how cool this store was. I LOVED it. For the record, I did not buy anything, but just thought this store was SO cool. I've never seen anything like it. It totally sells things that I am not in the market to buy, but whatever. Will I return next time I'm in Japantown? - Hell yes! read more

Katachi - Outdoor Gear Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Saw penny machine inside the store, dragged bf, smashed pennies. After the smashing of said pennies, immediately went to the front of the store, where they had their knives. They had their novelty fake knives, of course, but they also had some of the nice stuff, such as Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw. I think I saw a Zero Tolerance somewhere. They typically only have one or two of each of the knives on display, so chances are that what you try out is the one you'll take home. I did get to take home a blue mini-Griptilian, though, and for 20% off. Awesome. =) They have a good amount of anime stuff (keychains, figurines, etc.), as well as Japanese items (teapots, ceramic/porcelain figures, chopsticks, etc.). It's a small store, but the bf and I enjoyed it because the cashier knew his stuff with the knives the store carries, and he was very professional and polite. Had no issues whatsoever, and items weren't too badly priced. Definitely love the mini-Griptilian that I got! read more

We walked by the store and the displays outside of the store caught my eye. There were various tea sets with cute cups and teapots which I would have loved to bring home but I didn't want to chance they would break and not fit in my luggage. They also had these rice bowls that were too cute to pass up. For $15 there were 4 bowls decorated with a cat. We went inside and I didn't pay much attention to the swords and other items but we saw more bowls and matching plates! The plates were just as cute as the bowls so I knew I had to get them for $15 as well. We weren't done shopping in the mall so we brought the boxes to the front counter and asked them to hold them until we would be back before closing. We went back to pay for our purchases and the staff behind the counter were so helpful to make sure the bottom of the bags were taped up and taped our boxes so it would be easier to travel with. The store is cramped when busy with other shoppers. I don't know what else they sold but I was very happy with my matching bowls and plates! I didn't see anything like it in Chinatown and the bowls and plates I did see were sold individually for a higher price so I'm happy with my purchase! read more

Such an awesome store!! I love the figure selection here. They seem to mainly carry popular anime merch here. For example, as of this date, they will mainly carry merch of beloved anime Demon slayer and Jujitsu kaisen. They also sell knives, t shirts, stickers, blind boxes, cosplay, cups, and more. Love this store lots and the workers are super nice read more

I absolutely adore their products. As far as I can tell, it's all fair priced and where else are you really going to get a pair of last-minute katanas? Seriously though, their staff are very helpful and very quick with communication. Can't wait till the physical store opens again!! read more

This place is located within the west shopping mall of Japan town. It's got nice little anime items and a lot of unique merchandise. I've been shopping here for years and I have never received bad service. All of their staff have been friendly. Most recently I went there in search of Benchmade knives. They're an authorized dealer and also offer MAP pricing. They were very informative and let me handle multiple items to get a feel for the one that I like. read more

It's a guy thing. What the hell is it? The hell is this. Ninja-sword and Gaysha doll. What a combo! And you can get a Ninja doll, Lucky "Maneki Neko" and Japo imitation swords and funnky knives. Are they made in Japan? I don't think so! It's all imitations. I like imitation shit. Cheaper than the real thing. it doesn't have to be a real thing, does it? maybe better than the real thing. I don't know. But it's all great for pretenders for sure. Pretenders don't need a real thing. Yeah, we are all dick heads. It's a guy thing. Many times the guy thing is very stupid but we can't help it. Every time I walked in here, i can't stop thinking about this U-tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54oNafYqvD4 This place is fun and people are nice but I would NOT come here and QVC for a REAL sword. Btw, who still wants to imitate NINJA when you are 30 something? I am OK with Gaysha though. read more

The staff here is always super friendly. I've popped into the place a few times and it's a always packed! Everything was very organized, clean, and their collection of affordable swords are great! I must have spent at least $80 on random useless home decoration stuff. Next time, I want a sword! read more

These guys are great! Son asked me to bring back a sword while on vacation. We came across Katachi at the mall, and Victor patiently waited on us and answered all questions. He showed us the different qualities, makes and narrowed down our selection. I didn't know a thing about swords, but felt comfortable making a decison after talking to Victor. We selected a battle sword, forged, which was about mid ranged priced. Even before I asked, Victor wanted our address and assured us he would send it off UPS that afternoon. It's good to know that there are businesses that still take care of their customers without being asked. read more

Guys- Love this store, but unhappy with the no return policy. I'm sure it could be abused, and that might be why you have it... However, I came back within 1 day to return a $70.00 sword untouched/unused, and could only get store credit. There wasn't anything I needed for the same price. Not a fan, yet I know I was the stupid consumer to buy something outside my budget.. read more

This store is one of a kind. Where else can you buy a sword, a knife, and nunchuks? There are other non-weapon merchandise, like figurines, houseware, solar-powered toys, and decorative nightlights. The store had me I walking out, wondering...hmm...do need some nunchuks? And imagining all the fun I would have practicing at home and what type of injuries I can incur (jk...the ones in the store were made of foam, but it can most definitely summon your inner Bruce Lee). read more

I got SO excited when I first saw this place open up in Jtown. I'm known among my friends as getting a little TOO excited around cutlery (real guns kinda freak me out tho) ever since my HS days. As long as you realize that this place is for entertainment and the swords are for everyday fans and NOT FOR THE HARDCORE SWORD AFICIONADOS then you'll like the place. Think about it as more of a fan/tourist shop in Jtown, much like those ones you find in Ctown. Most of the swords they sell mostly are the cheaper/replica type swords you keep for collection and not for real heavy use. I like how they sell knives and pepper spray and stuff but yeah, like someone else said, you can prob find these at cheaper prices on eBay or other online sites. I just like going there and checking out the new swords and maybe pick one up here and there. I also like the dolls and other stuff they sell which are nice trinkets and make good gifts. This place is a guy's playground! read more

The price mark up!! They have some sword that you can remove the blade from the koshirae and use it for your antique swords instead. Nothing interest me here. read more

Yo Fallopian Swim Team... Come back to earth. This is a great store for what it is: a place to buy very affordable swords, knives, and Japanese Novelties. If you want a high quality sword costing a bundle, they've got them too, but it's not fair to compare a $30 or $40 sword with one that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. And if the handle is loose on a sword, the owner will cheerfully fix whatever it is that's getting his customers upset. We've been buying stuff there for a while, and the owner is a straight-up guy. Very helpful, great attitude, and no problems with returns/exchanges. And the prices are great -- I've seen the same stuff in other stores for more. read more

I love this place. I try to squeeze in time to go whenever I'm in SF, and every time that I've gone I have never felt disappointed. The last time that I went, the cashier helped clean my knife and gave me some tips about removing the rust. Their also very friendly about letting people muck around with the more expensive knives (Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, etc). If you're in the area it couldn't hurt to check this place out. Unless you cut your self. Ouch. read more

Love love love this store. It's a must see if your ever in Japan Town San Francisco. Good place for gifts for everyone. The prices are reasonable. The atmosphere is exciting and fun. Take your time walking through because there are so many things. You don't want to miss anything. read more

I was looking for a Specific Paul Chen / Hanwei Tori XL Light Katana and called Katachi and met Victor. Victor was very impressive with his knowledge of the entire Paul Chen line and is also a Hanwei Partner. Even though he did not have my exact Katana in stock I was convinced I must drive over from Oakland and meet him in person to discuss the sword. Once at Katachi I was amazed at the huge selection of Swords. Everything from decorative wall hangers, 3 sword sets, Musashi, Ryumon to the high-end balanced Tamahagane steel hand forged folded blade Katana's. If Victor doesn't have it in stock he can get it, if he cant get it it probably doesn't exist. The customer service is where Victor and Katachi really perform. I had a small blemish on a $1,500 sword I purchased (about the size of a grain of sand) and with a quickness Victor had a replacement over-nighted from the Manufacturer. I was amazed at the attention to detail and service I was given for this purchase. Katachi also offers a large assortment of Knives (low, medium & high-end), Tactical Flashlights, Figurines, Masks as well as other lines of items I still haven't had a chance to see. It's always a pleasure going in and seeing Victor and shopping at Katachi. It's located in the heart of Japan Town in San Francisco and surrounded by many interesting shops and cafe's... I am always looking forward to my next visit. read more

A very cool store, with a nice sword collection, and friendly staff. Nothing of high quality, but then again nothing is expensive here, and you get what you pay for. I love the atmosphere of this place, it was very inviting, organized and clean. I also purchased myself a Japanese sword for decoration, since none of these swords can last my intense sword play, and training. Most of the swords were made of low grade stainless steel. Again good for decor, not for sword play. Overall a cool place, will come again when I visit San Francisco again in the future. I hope they will have a pricey sword of quality at the time. read more

These guys are really something. Helped me put my knife back together. They have an extensive selection of affordable knifes and real knifes such as benchmade spyderco. Helped me pick some knifes out and made the process super ez thanks a lot guys. read more

Katachi is one of many toys and collectibles stores in the Japantown mall, but this shop specializes in martial arts weaponry and equipment. My friend was drooling over the back wall of samurai swords and the expensive knifes (the kitchen knifes in particular) displayed in the front counters. They've also got some cool books on Japan/Japanese topics. Counter guys were nice and helpful. read more

i never noticed this place before on my numerous visits to japantown. it's pretty tucked out of the way in the back of the larger mall, next to some other forlorn shops that sell mostly cheap chinese accessories. they have some very inexpensive tea sets on clearance, about 10$ for 4 ceramic cups or $15 for 4 cups and a ceramic tea pot. they have a bunch of little modern accessories like sushi that swells up 500% when you put it in water. the biggest part of this store is the knives and swords. the glass cases and displayed swords probably take up half the store. in the front of the store there are a bunch of cheap silk accessories from china, including a bunch of coin purses. all the silk stuff is buy two, get one free. they also have a large selection of japanese design paper lamp nightlights. read more

Awesome place to check out knives. Come get your SOG, Spyderco, and Benchmade knives! Very friendly and knowledgable staff as well.

I love these guys!!!! Always super helpful and they will special order if they dont have wat you want in the store. I warn you, don't go in there if you are not ready to get something. I can never leave empty handed! read more

Stop by here and buy some training nun chucks (10$) so you can kick some Overlord ass.

We found Katachi by accident, on a visit to Japantown. My son is interested in Japanese culture, and likes to decorate his room accordingly. We found it the most exciting shop in Japantown. Katachi sells swords, knives, daggers and kunais at prices much lower than a simililar shop in Chinatown. If you want to make your kid happy for a reasonable price, Katachi is the place to shop! read more

This is such a cool place! i have bough several swords, paper wallets, a royal tea set, a sword handle umbrella and many more items from here. They have stuff here i just can't find online and cool stuff and didn't know existed. they can even order items for you have have it delivered to your home. awesome place! read more

this place had reasonable prices on dishware. (strange combination of dishware and weaponry) we got a sake set (5 pieces for $13.) and a teaset (5 pieces for $15) and we had a coupon for 10% off. the cooking knives here were way out of our range. But i was impressed with the beautiful sake set we bought. not even Shiki could top what we got. the staff was very nice. one star knocked off for the annoying teenagers that come in here to play with the weaponry. read more

The guys here are so nice and they had replica swords and swords animate characters carry. I purchased a replica dagger for $14 and a parasol for my four-year-old for six dollars. When there was a sword we could not find the guy looked it up in the catalog give us the catalog number and the name of the catalog so that we could find it. They were more interested in customer service than anything else. read more