How do I put this briefly? Kohshi is simply the peak of Japanese artisan goods? No, that's not it... Kohshi is the friendliest store I've been to? Hmmm not quite. Kohshi is THE BEST store in Japantown. I cannot recommend this business enough. From incense, to burners, to beautiful tea towels, to scented oils and unparalleled customer service Kohshi does it unlike anywhere else. I love the calm, prudent, affable, and insightful demeanor of the staff. They even remembered my birthday one year I have been completely satisfied by every purchase & look forward to stopping by, even if it's just for a quick chat. The owners have been in business for well over 30 years with a growing passion for quality service & stocking absolutely phenomenal goods year-round. Personally I L O V E their Esteban París collection of incense. But don't just take my word for it. Stop by and gather your own opinion. read more

The owner of this store is so helpful and kind. Years ago he helped me find my all time favorite incense so I always come back to Kohshi to refill my supply. Yesterday he spent time with my daughter helping her find an amazing fragrance she loved. read more

I buy the most amazing and fairly priced matcha here! I also got a super pretty matcha bowl and the owner is always so nice to chat to. I'm sad they close so early because I always want to browse after dinner. Catch them before 6! read more

Wanted to check this place out and was specifically looking for Marukyu Koyamaen matcha, but unfortunately, they were sold out. I ended up picking up the Kanbayashi Shunsho matcha powder instead, along with some matcha bowls and chopsticks--found everything else I was looking for! The store is cute and small, with a cozy, curated feel. The owner was very friendly and helpful, which made the shopping experience even better. Finding the place was a bit tricky--it's tucked right next to Anderson Bakery, so keep an eye out! read more

Kohshi - Matcha Bowls - Spiritual Shop Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great little store with great owners who are super kind and knowledgeable of their products they sell. Always a must stop when I'm in Japantown! read more

I called about an hour before arrival to ask what matcha powders they had in stock (I was originally looking for Marukyu Koyaemen, which are currently out of stock) and was told only their Kanbayashi in in stock. They had a good amount of varying types of the Kanbayashi in stock, starting $36 for a 40g tin which is fairly priced compared to online stores or resellers. The store is small, but well-kept and neatly displayed. Thank you to Kotaro for the amazing service :) He also asked to make sure I had the proper supplies for matcha making as I'm a beginner. Overall an amazing experience, when I can visit again, I will for sure buy from this store again! read more

I guess I am not the only one who happened upon this place and was amazed at the range of beautiful unusual stuff they have- fine incense teas, iron tea pots and antique knickknacks. Woman behind the counter was very friendly. Reminds of being in Japan... read more

Cute little store tucked away in the Japantown mall. Was shopping around for cool little Japanese Knick-knacks I could use for decor and I definitely found my favorite piece all day there! The owners were so very helpful, kind and polite. Knowledgeable about their products and completely transparent about where their products were made/obtained. Seriously though, their customer service is second to none. Highly recommend checking out their store, be it for little items or incense. Honestly, would come back just to greet the awesome owners alone. 100% recommend. read more

Kohshi - 1980s Tengu piece made in China, a little display stand and a koi teacup. - Spiritual Shop Near Me - San Francisco, California

Such a cute little shop that sells incenses, ceramics, and teas that is tucked in the Japantown center near Andersons Bakery. The employees here are very knowledgeable in what they sell, and I was most excited to find my favorite Marukyu Koyamaen matcha powders here, when they are sold out at most places. Their prices for the matcha powders are comparable to other vendors that sell within Japantown, and it's actually a bit cheaper than purchasing from matcha stores that sell the same brand. They also sell another matcha brand called Kanbayashi Shunsho, which is a comparable alternative when MK is out of stock. read more

Although I visit Japantown in SF quite often I don't often go inside this store because I am sensitive to strong fragrances. Even though they have cute little plants and pots in addition to incense I usually avoid this place because the smells give me a headache. I was desperate to find a nice gift box for a fancy pen I bought for a friend at Maido upstairs (the pen I chose didn't have a nice box sadly). After going to several gift shops and jewelry stores and asking about boxes I decided to go in here on a whim. They had a perfect plain Paulownia wood box that the pen fit in perfectly! It was $10, more than I would normally ever spend on a box, but it was worth it because I don't think I would have found a nicer option elsewhere. The box is normally supposed to hold incense. I usually know this as the place near Oma (omakase restaurant/stand) where they have taped up a cute, lost earring on the glass. So if you're missing a cute fan earring, they've had your earring taped up on the glass for a long time. The owners were friendly and nicely wrapped up the wooden box in paper to protect it. read more

Most down to earth person! I really appreciate Kol and he was so helpful and sweet. I hope his business keeps growing and people continue to support him :) read more

This little shop is great! They sell a bunch of home scents and ceramics. The people are really nice and helpful. It's a gem of a store.

Great store with tons of different japanese incense; very knowledgable and willing to stop what they're doing to answer all my questions and help me sample different scents. read more

I can't say more wonderful things; such a cute store, the variety of incense is insane, all made in Japan. The people are so kind and helpful, they even changed my mind about an incense I thought I didn't like! read more

One of my favorite shops in Japantown for high quality scents, and Daruma. Super interesting store to browse and I got some very cool things here for myself and gifts for others. read more

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super sweet owners and have the best matcha in the world! beautiful store! loved my visit and recommend

No trip to Japantown is complete without a stop at Kohshi. It is such a nice environment. There is a fantastic selection of high quality incense and one can learn and expand an incense appreciation with every trip. The owner is so nice as are the employees. In addition to incense there are unique gifts, tea drinking accessories and beauty products, all of the highest quality. A most welcoming place. read more

I'm not normally an incense buyer but I was checking things out while waiting for dinner and had such a lovely time. Incredibly helpful and friendly service, pointing out some interesting scents based on what I expressed an interest in and tossing in a few of their favorites. Then I bought a mug with a shiba ink on it, started chatting with Kotaro, and found out that our dogs are related. Such a sweet store, a lovely owner, and they both came outside to track me down when realizing I had left behind part of the purchase. I gave Reese some pets for you, Kotaro, and she enjoyed it! Now she just needs some lessons in being more friendly from your black & tan boy. read more

Extremely great service. I walked in with my boyfriend and immediately felt a HUGE sense (or dare I say, scents???) of tranquility and peace due to the good vibes (and really pleasant scent) radiating from the shop. I was sold already if only one or two steps into a place, I swoon at the scent. Fresh, magnetizing energy that I needed in my place. I was pleasantly greeted with a smile by the kind men in the shop and left to sniff scents lightly with my boyfriend, and we found a few scents to turn my dingy apartment into more of a home vibe, to make the feng shui better. As I thought I found the perfect one, the shopkeep heard me cheer in joy at finding one of their amazing scented candles (VERY strong, but not overbearing whatsoever, and BEAUTIFUL glass containers,) and chimed in "If you like that, then you'll love this!" I sniffed the Huckleberry candle they have and fell in love, it's what my house NEEDED. Plus we found great low smoke incense, (I like smoke but my roommate is adverse to it,) and its smell was light but seemed good enough for the days my roommates did a number two... 100 count of incense for roughly 8 dollars is S O L I D ! And it ended up being cheaper than we expected, it was labelled as a 12 dollar incense pack but was actually 8 dollars, so we got it for cheaper. AMAZING! Definitely come here if you want a nice vibe, excellent customer service, and more. read more

Been wanting to get incense but I was hesitant to order them online since there's no way for me to know how they smell. Was walking around Japantown and I happen to stumble in to Kohshi. I saw some bonsai plants outside the store and decided to check in. Little did I know they are selling incense too! So I thought it was finally my chance to get some. Looking through a gazillion of choices, the lady at the register offered me her expertise on incense. She even offered to light some for me to smell. That was really nice. I decided on Sandalwood. I bough 3 varieties of Sandalwood (just plain Sandalwood, Sandalwood with Green Tea and Sandalwood with Lavender). They were all relaxing and I can definitely say I picked the best ones for me. I will definitely come back here once I ran out of supplies. They even gave me some samples of Diamond Lavender incense. Hospitality was top notch!! Location was superb!! 10/5 read more

Kohshi - Spiritual Shop Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This business has always been amazing. I collect traditional Japanese Tanuki statues and they always have amazing imports from Japan. Fair prices and fantastic customer service. I try to visit at least once a month! read more

The owner is AMAZING, wonderful, and kind. It's clear from the moment you walk in the store you will have a special and unique experience. We walked in and were warmly greeted. They were extremely helpful and kind. I can see why this place has all 5 star reviews. I heard you can ask them to ship so think if them when ordering unique and beautiful holiday gifts. read more

The word "incense" to me has always conjured childhood memories of being dragged to the Buddhist temple with my grandmother, or my old college housemate who was always burning the stuff to mask the pungent weed smell coming from her room. I never would have guessed that in my late 20's I would develop an interest in using it myself. I came upon this interesting shop for the first time this week, while meandering about Japantown looking for last-minute gifts. I ended up finding a few items for myself, and some for a friend. I chose a beautiful black tray by Hasami Porcelain, paired with a matching ball-shaped incense holder, which looks so beautiful on my table I can't stop staring at it! I also picked 2 different incense to try out. The first is Hinoki by Nippon Kodo, smokeless and long burning (about ~20-30 min) with the clean scent of Japanese Cypress. The other incense I got is Brilliant Peaks by Kiho, which carries a light, playful sandalwood aroma and has a shorter burn time. For my friend, I chose a small leaf-shaped incense holder and a roll of Usuzumi no Sakura by Nippon Kodo (the beautiful packaging was enough persuasion for me..) which was then nicely wrapped together in gift paper by the store clerk, upon my request. Overall I was pleased with my experience here, not to mention I thought that everything was pretty affordable. Definitely stop by if you're looking for a gift, or just want to treat yourself to something nice that you can enjoy at home during these times. read more

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These guys are great! I used to go to the store, regularly, up 'til about 4 1/2-5 years ago, before I left the Bay Area. The guys who own the shop, Kotaro and Jay, I believe, are always very helpful and willing to let you try almost any incense in the store, as well throwing in some samples, here and there. I placed an order, recently, for a 6-stick sampler of one of the reasonably higher end incense sticks they carry, and they made a mistake and actually sent me a 15-stick box, instead, which was roughly $80-$90 more than my actual order. When I offered to send it back, they graciously told me not to worry about it and enjoy their mistake. Kohshi, or Japan Incense, in San Francisco, is literally probably one of the finest incense shops in the world, outside of visiting some of the actual manufacturers in Japan like Shoyeido, Yamada Matsu, Baieido, Seijudo, etc. While I can't in good conscience call myself a real connoisseur, I'm definitely a pseudo, wannabe, or armchair incense connoisseur and can't recommend Kohshi highly enough. If you're really into incense, which Japanese incense is pretty much the pinnacle of incense, aside from obtaining high quality raw materials (woods, resins, etc.), which of course they specialize in, as well, this place provides one of the finest experiences you can have, online or instore. Thanks again, guys. Sincerely, David D. read more

Wow, this place has a lot of 5 star reviews! You know what that means right? Must be a great place! Oh and it is. It truly is. Been coming here yesterday and normally walk away with something very unique. The staff is incredibly kind and will sometimes throw in something small for free. We finally bought the "raccoon" or bear dog sake set. It's truly cute and useable at the same time. To describe this place in words, doesn't do it justice. You need to check it on your own and make your own reflection of this place. read more

I really love this place, it's very calming and if you're looking for new scents this is a great place to go to! The owner is really nice too which is always a plus, can't wait until I get to go back :D read more

They have great selection of incense from Japan, I send one to my friend who lives in NY via website. She was very happy!! Thank you so much!! read more

Kokedama - those round balls of moss with cute plants shooting out of the top - make nice gifts for the person who has everything. My mom got me one from this shop for $6 and it loves being in the bathroom with me on the windowsill. I should add that I don't have everything, far from it. I'm just saying that this would be a nice gift for someone like that -- everyone knows that person. In my case, that happens to be my mom. She also bought one for herself (oh the irony) but it died. This shop also sells mugs, incense, Pacifica scents and other gift-y items. I find their prices to be quite reasonable and the folks that work here are really friendly. read more

I absolutely adore this place and make it a point to stop in whenever I visit one of the malls in Japantown. The customer service here is top notch and the owners make you feel welcome the second you walk in. They are happy to provide insight on their products, will gift wrap your purchases for you and are so gracious even when you don't end up purchasing something on your visit. If I lived closer this would be my go-to spot for candles and incense. The higher end candles they carry are competively priced and actually less costly than if you were to purchase them at say, an Anthropologie store. They carry a variety of soy and other candles with long burning times and amazing scents that last. Their incense is my favorite-it doesn't have that overly smokey smell and has a clean and fresh aroma. I'm a huge fan of their White Tea or Lemongrass scents. They come in a variety of pack sizes, lengths and styles (sticks versus cones) and nicely complement the selection of holders they carry. Just this past weekend I purchased a small origami crane incense holder with some shorter sticks as a Christmas gift and paid $12 for the set, along with gift wrap (done at no charge!) I've also gotten some gifts from here-my favorite of which, was an owl windchime-still treasured after hanging it up in my home several years ago. These folks are amazing and I highly recommend them for gifts, personal purchases or just to stop in and see what's new. If you're not a candle or incense fan, Kohshi will convert you for sure!! read more

Kohshi has truly earned a five star rating. This store has Japanese pottery/decor, incense, and plants. I come here mainly for the plants, and I've bought one Kokedama (roots wrapped in moss), two plants attached to volcano rock (pumice), and a variety of air plants. I always buy a small platter or vase to go with each rock too. Everything I buy here is beautiful and unique. You may find volcano rock plants at Flora Grubbs, but this is the only place in town where i've found Kokedama. The owners are super helpful, considerate, and friendly. They epitomize Japanese customer service. I met Kotaro, one of the owners (or the owner), the first time I came in here, and he was thrilled that the business had recently been featured in GQ magazine. This time around, maybe a year later, he recognized that I had been here before, and gave me a 10% discount on many of the items I bought today to show he values his repeat customers. Kotaro also goes the extra mile though--I noticed that a lady stopped by to pick up a Kokedama that she had left him to plant-sit for her while she was away. Moreover, I was mesmerized today by the Suikinkutsu style fountain he had in his doorway, and wanted to buy it, but I couldn't carry it with me. *So what did he do but offer to deliver the fountain to my home! At no extra cost, and this very night after closing time. * So at 9pm he arrives at my house with the fountain in tow, and at least one other person from the store in the car--it was like the whole crew came out to see me! Lastly, Kotaro also offered to contact me if a smaller, resin Buddha statue ever became available in the store again. So I'll be back. If I lived in the Japantown area, this is the kind of friendly, wonderful neighborhood store I would always stop by to admire and say hello. Love it! read more

Kohshi - The latest four plants and vases I've brought home. Speckled granite and metal vases, ferns, and air plants. - Spiritual Shop Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I ordered online. Although I've never met in person, there are clearly some great people on the other end of this internet connection... Do yourself a favor, save your soul, don't buy incense from Amazon, give these kind people your business. read more

Very friendly and great customer service! This is the only place I will buy incense from! They have extensive knowledge of their products and where they are from. They burnt some in store for us to find our perfect scent! I was given a 10% discount for supporting their store, as I came to shop three times in one day! The store is also gorgeous and I would spend hours in there if I could! read more

I only came into this store for my friend on her search for a candle, but I had such a great time. My friend is currently on crutches and they were so accommodating with her - even offering a chair and sending well wishes for her health. Their hospitality made the visit so enjoyable and heartwarming. I did come back immediately after to buy a cup as a gift and kept very kind conversations with us. Would love to come again soon! read more

Extremely high reviews.. did not disappoint at all!! Such a wonderful little shop. I wanted to buy everything!! Great service and great products. Went home with a beautiful crane incense holder! I definitely want to come back sometime. read more

Stopped in to pick up some last minute gifts. The shop is beautiful and they carry a lot of great ceramics/candles/incense. Staff was very friendly. They sell PF Candles which made me very happy (saved me another mile detour on my walk home to pick some up as gifts). They even wrapped my purchase for me! Will definitely be back. read more

Located in the Japantown mall, this is a much larger incense shop than the other one in the same building. There's some brands that I hadn't seen before, and they also carry candles and essential oils plus a bunch of other aromatherapy type stuff. The store is spacious and airy and there's a lot of room to wander around. I picked out a few new brands and scents and asked about ash as well, as I've been wanting to try a different arrangement to catch ashes from sticks that were too long for my holder. The guy at the counter was super nice and friendly and he answered questions I had, plus gave me a free sampler along with my purchase. Service was quick and the prices are pretty decent. I came out of there quite happy with my choices and will definitely be back. read more

The staff there is very friendly. The candles are really good quality and it's overall a really nice store.

A wholehearted five stars, and more if i could give it a few extra stars :) Kohshi's selection of scents is great; the store features premium Japanese incense (at very fine prices for its quality) but the real treasure is the warmth and helpfulness of the shopkeepers. As I don't burn incense (and had wandered in to find a Christmas present for a friend) I was out of my comfort zone. The shopkeeper was so immediately accommodating, asking me what my friend's preference in scents was, and lighting (then relighting- I'm an indecisive shopper) a variety of different incense sticks for me to smell. She also stood by patiently while I vacillated on incense brands, and then on two ceramic incense holders that were *exactly* the same, save the minor details that differ in handmade pieces of pottery... and even peered into the holders, remarking on the slight differences in hue, and humoring my obsessive compulsiveness in a way that made me want to hug her. When I'd finally chosen my haul, she wrapped all of it up beautifully and carefully, in layers of butcher paper, tissue paper and string, despite the fact that the store was already supposed to be closed. 20 minutes later, while browsing another store, I realized I hadn't gotten my parking validated and ran back over to knock on the glass of the dim storefront... she came out, unlocked the store's doors and validated my parking without ever calling me an idiot or letting out even the smallest of sighs. It's easy to see why Kohshi was featured in GQ as a destination store and one of "25 best stores in the world". :) read more

MOM WOULD BE PROUD! If your room smells like crap, then this is a great place to pick up some incense products to help freshen it up. Came here today and the owners of Kohshi were very friendly and didn't try to up-sell any unnecessary items. (They are even fluent in Japanese, which amazed me) They suggested many samples of popular scents but in the end, my girlfriend chose the Brazilian Mango Grapefruit. read more

I love this place! Awesome customer service and great recommendations on all incense and the most adorable tea and Japanese accessories for an awesome price. They're all perfect for gifts. I have became a loyal costumer after the second time, I came here because I can't find any incense like it any where else, plus there's a large selection. The ones I have: coconut sky - mild in scent, but fills the air and smells like warm coconut sakura -light in scent, but its has a more romance, flowery scent to it mocha (its' in the owl container, love it for the box!) - very warm chocolate like smell lavender kiss- lavender scent that helps relax and calm the body I love them all! Great place to look for cute and thoughtful gifts that everyone will like. read more