This is a small business run by Carol, the sweetest shop owner. We came on Christmas Eve to pick up some last minute gifts. We found the most beautiful platters and dishes with various designs. Craftsmanship was lovely and the prices were reasonable. The absolute best part was Carol's packaging and wrapping services. I will be back! read more

Mention "Carol" and everyone knows this amazing lady!! She has supported our Little Tokyo Sparkle clean-up raffle from the very beginning! With her beautiful wares from Rafu Bussan, we appreciate her so much! Arigatogozaimasu, Carol, for all you do for Little Tokyo and everyone around you!! read more

The owners are very friendly and informative. They explained why the item we were looking for was hard to come by in the US and offered alternatives. read more

Great place for gift shopping and very friendly staff. I've been here often and there's always a great find.

Amazing selection of authentic Japanese wares. Owner is super knowledgeable and very nice and helpful

Thank you Carol-さん from Rafu Bussan, a Japanese Boutique Gift Shop in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles for the wonderful hospitality and kindness. I received 2 traditional glass display cases for my Maneki Neko - Asahi and Nishiki !!! They are now safe and settled at home. For personalized shopping visit www.rafubussaninc.com to book an appointment Help Support Family Businesses !!! どうもありがとうございました !!! #rafubussan #littletokyo #小東京　#日本町 #日本プラザ read more

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Rafu Bussan has the BEST customer service. Wow! I was looking for 250 sake cups for guest favors for my wedding, and it was very difficult to find something that I liked in bulk at a reasonable price after shipping. I found this shop on yelp and reached out. Carol responded back right away to get more info and gave me tons of options to choose from based on what she knew she had in stock and what she knew she could obtain that would arrive on time. Carol also facilitated pick-up, and she was SO nice in person too! On top of all of this, the price was super reasonable. I would definitely go back here any time I needed Japanese-style dishware/drinkware. read more

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Received a book called Japanese Patisserie for the holidays. It is an excellent book. My husband left the receipt in the book in case I wanted to exchange it. However, I noticed that they charged him 5 dollars more than the retail price stated on the book. I had to look up the price because they marked out the amount on the actual book. Super shady and disgraceful. Make sure you check the prices on their books. Plenty of other books stores to consider! read more

Rafu Bussan - Book cover - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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For years this shop was originally on second street. It was fully supplied with items for the kitchen, dining, and other Japanese items. This shop is much smaller, no room to roam around like the other shop, where you could ogle and awe at wares. The owner of this shop is helpful. They have an adequate selection of ikebana vessels from Japan unlike anywhere else in LA. The prices are average considering import costs. Overall this shop is an important mainstay in the Japanese community. read more

When I was a little girl living in the Crenshaw area, my family would go to Rafu Bussan. Now that I live in Orange County, there was still only one place I could think of when I was looking for ramen bowls. Carol texted me photos of just some of their huge selection of ramen bowls. When I saw the photo of the Tokusa bowls, I knew those were the ones for me. Carol explained to me that they were made in Nagoya, Japan. I live in Orange County, so I had them ship the bowls to me. Although I said there was no rush, I received them within 3 days in perfect condition. They double boxed the bowls by carefully wrapping each bowl and inserting a couple of bowls in a box. Then they packaged those smaller boxes in plenty of "peanuts" within a larger box. I was surprised that they included a lovely gift commemorating their 62nd anniversary! With their great selection of quality products and excellent customer service, I'm not surprised Rafu Bussan is one of the few original Little Tokyo businesses still going strong. read more

Rafu Bussan - Tokusa ramen bowl - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Carol is such a joy to work with!! She was able to FaceTime with me so I could shop virtually. I picked the pieces that I wanted and she shipped them to me right away. Highly recommended if you are looking for beautiful dishware! read more

So glad that Rafu Bussan found a storefront in Little Tokyo. They were originally on 2nd street by the Francis Hashimoto plaza. But they are now located in Honda Plaza. So if you need a gift for a wedding or just a gift in general like Japanese platters, kitchenware, knives or ceramics. Then you can go here and you will have a wide variety to pick from. Yelp 100 Challenge (49 out of 100) read more

Presentation is everything when you're serving Japanese food. I stopped here today to pick up some tableware for my daughter. I've been here for years. It has a wide selection of tea sets, chopsticks, plates, bowls, Japanese dolls and so much more. It even has snack items and gift dessert sets. It's a great place for gifts. read more

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A japanophile's wonderland, Rafu Bussan is my last-minute go-to place for Something Nice to Give. That said, I don't know why I don't try there first. The store, just west of the J-Town Pinkberry is recognizable by its orange sign and large display that gets festive during the holidays. The inside is spacious and well lit, with all sorts of gifty japanese products: large expensive ornate plates you wouldn't dream of putting food upon; kimono-clad dolls in their delicate display cases; gift boxes of pretty dishes and tea cups almost too good to use; lacquerware that's equally practical, yet only suitable for special occasions; really nice ceramics and flower vases, and thick photo albums with embroidered covers, the type you wouldn't feel embarrassed giving out as a Nice Gift. Rafu Bussan also has a practical side: everyday Japanese-style tableware, like dishes; bowls for rice, soup, and noodles; various cooking utensils and kitchen appliances; ikebana (japanese flower arranging) supplies; a limited selection of greeting cards, and also, Japanese-style money envelopes. They even have some equipment for the japanese tea ceremony. The customer service here is pleasant and knowledgable, but watch your step; if you break something, you gotta buy it, and there are little signs all over the place reminding you of this little fact. Also, the gift boxes of dishes and cups are packaged in sets of five, not four. The reason is that the Japanese word for the number four is the same word for death; not as bad as an envelope of anthrax, but it's still unsettling; one less question for the salepeople to answer from you, I guess... There is also gift wrapping available, and the staff behind the counter are all trained to make the outside of your gift as nice as the inside. This mecca for your inner japoneses even has a varied candy selection for your Japanese sweet-tooth, and an entire shelf dedicated to dry-goods items for enhancing a japanese menu; stuff you'd be hard-pressed to find in your Von's ethnic food aisle, like furikake, nori, instant miso soup, etc. A good selection of cookies from some european brand I can't remember are also available near the registers, but I'm not complaining. Rafu Bussan also has well-attended sales with Japanese table basics suitable for mixing and matching; a bowl here, a small dish there, something to serve your hot noodles, and yes, even bowls to serve that instant miso soup. You'd be hard-pressed to give something from this store that's in danger of being regifted. read more

A great gift store for Japanese objets d'art, handsome ceramic practical and decorative pieces, small kitchen appliances, non-perishable foodstuff. Rafu Bussan has a nice variety of Arare (ah rah reh) or Japanese rice crackers, candies, as well as good quality Japanese green teas & Matcha (powdered green tea), Nori (seaweed sheets), Dashi (Umami filled soup base), Japanese rice vinegar, etc. The prices vary from very modest to rather expensive depending on what you buy there. They even display the full array of Hina Matsuri dolls starting with the Emperor and Empress on down for celebrating Girls' Day on March 3rd. Nice, helpful staff who are there if you need to ask questions and suggestions for a gift for any occasion. I found out that their day off is Wednesday and not the usual Sunday or Monday when one day I went midweek, and the store was dark. Bunka Do- is the other Japanese gift store in Little To-kyo- which has a different slant on what items it stocks so a visit to both would give a broader selection for the customers in satisfying different tastes and preferences. read more

The store is closed as of December 1, 2015. The website says they will announce the new location, opening in spring 2016, after January. I hope this store continues to do well. I remember coming into this store with my mom when I was a little girl and now I bring my own kids there to pick up chawans and ohashii. Can't wait to be back at the new opening! read more

Rafu Bussan - Closed as of 12/1/15. No mention of new location... inside was empty and everything was boxed up. - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Need something as a gift or the house that is Japanese? This is the real deal. Platters, bowls, tea sets, vases, No electronics other than a huge selection of rice cookers. Service is top notch. Don't speak Japanese? Do? They have it covered. We found what we were looking for at a good price, had it wrapped and we were out the door. Check their hours...closed I think on Wednesdays. read more

One of the only original shops left in Japanese Town. Now in Honda Plaza. Always check here first for any gifts you're looking for. There is an assortment of beautiful dishes, dolls and decorations read more

My sister, friends & I would ride the train up from San Diego to go shopping at Rafu Bussan once or twice a year. All of us always found something we needed or had to have after seeing the items on display. None of us have ever been disappointed with our purchases. We are all looking forward to when we can ride Amtrak up to Union Station, walk over to Little Tokyo and do some serious shopping at Rafu Bussan. Toshiye E. San Diego, CA read more

I'm a Japanophile, so I LOVED this place. I bought some pretty black and white Japanese dishware (that was 60 percent off and also dishwasher safe!,) so now my sushi meals at home will feel extra authentic now. I was also sooo tempted to buy a teapot and a bento box set and another Maneki Neko, but I have a feeling that I'm going to want to buy these things when I'm actually in Japan, so I was able to hold myself off. :) read more

I needed gold foil origami paper and stopped by. I was really pleased that they had a variety of sizes, so I didn't have to trim the paper to the size I needed. They also have silver foil, but I didn't have a need for that. I found the prices reasonable. They definitely know their clientele and keep needed items in stock. read more

I've been visiting Rafu Bussan ever since I've been visiting Little Tokyo - a trip to Little Tokyo without looking through the beautiful Japanese housewares and gifts at Rafu Bussan just wasn't a REAL trip to Little Tokyo. When I saw that their large space on Second Street across from the Japanese Village Plaza had closed, my heart both stopped and broke /(ToT)\, but they're still here \(^v^)/ - even if their Honda Plaza store is just a "chibi" form from their old space. The selection is smaller now, but I still find something I want whenever I go in. The family that runs it is so friendly, and I hope Rafu Bussan will be here for many, many more years to come. read more

Rafu Bussan - Oops - I took this before I saw the "no photography" sign... (Ó~Ò) - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My wife and I wanted to shop for a new set of tableware to serve Asian dishes and to support small businesses during this difficult time, so we drove from Orange County to Little Tokyo to check this store out. We felt very safe as the store only allowed a few customers to come in at a time. Per the sign, appointment has to be made but we lucked out and was able to come right in. Although the store is small, it still offers a great selection and has everything we wanted. The quality of the products are great and the customer service was warm and attentive. We are so glad we made the trip today. I really hope that the store can survive this pandemic as well as other small businesses and restaurants. read more

I loved the old "big" store but this new location is still awesome and I can always find something beautiful here from Japan. I love the staff too! They always make me feel so welcome. I believe they embody the meaning of "omotenashi" - the spirit of selfless hospitality. I look forward to each visit. read more

The best place in LA for Japanese tchotchkes and home goods. If you need a Daruma, this is the place to get it.

Love this place. It's a hold over from when J Town was still J Town, in spite of the fact that it's a block or two away from their original location. Even though it's been years since I've been to the original location, the new location seems a little smaller, so it doesn't have quite the selection that it used to have. Now, clearly the focus is on the high end items, such as the dolls, plates and vases in the back. If you are looking for a special gift for someone, this is the place to go. The employees are still attentive and very friendly, so it's nice to suppose independently owned stores. read more

Little Tokyo is excited to get one of its old school originals back!! Rafu Bussan is now open in Honda plaza! The original store was much much bigger ,but unfortunately they had to leave . This new store still has many of the same items and feel of the old store . I still remember coming here as a kid to get the botan rice candy... really just to get the prize inside the box! Did not like the candy so much!! I'm so happy they found a new location and hopefully they will be here for years to come . Come get your Japanese lucky cats here along with teapots, pottery , wind-chimes, knives, dolls, and other Japan imports . It's family owned and the owner is usually there ... You can't miss her! read more

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The store is located adjacent to Pinkberry. Rafu has Japanese kitchen houseware, sake & tea sets, dolls, charms, and snacks. Parking: Street parking or parking structure. Customer Service: Lots of highschool/college students working here. They don't seem to be very educated in the jap items, which i completely understand. Overall, the service was pretty good. In all honesty to the fellow yelpers, I was not impressed. They seem to have many generic japanese items catered to americans. I saw a few items which I would like to have (cast iron with droplid). However, the prices were not cheap. The prices on other items (sake & tea sets) are average and not really deals. I would highly recommend that you yelpers check out Utsuwa-No-Yakata. They have a huge inventory of authentic jap items. read more

There's a reason they've been in business 60 years! Aiko, Carol, and Rigoberto are always so incredibly welcoming and thoughtful. I've shopped here for years, and when my parents' special anniversary came around, I knew I had to get their present here. And I'm so glad I did. Carol patiently guided me to some beautiful ceramics with traditionally auspicious symbolism. The gift was wrapped elegantly with the utmost care, so that the ceramics remained secure. They even referred me to Mickey Seki for an engraved plaque. Long story short, my parents absolutely loved their gift! Please show your support for this historic, family-owned business. read more

I've been going here for as long as I can remember. When I was little my Mom and I would browse around Little Tokyo and we'd always make it a point to stop by here. Rafu Bussan is always nice and neat, the workers are very friendly and always there to help you if you have any questions. They have a wide selection of tea sets, bowls, plates, Japanese dolls and the cases, origami paper and so much more. They also have some Japanese snack items and candy. Rafu Russan is definitely a great place to if you're looking for the above mentioned items for yourself or as a gift. If you're buying a gift I'd definitely recommend having them gift wrap it for you, they always do an amazing job and they do a WAY better job than what I could do. read more

Everyone in the store was so nice and patient! Beautiful Japanese dinnerware and the ladies were very helpful. They were very reassuring and kind to all of us and I would love to come back again! read more

The main reason I stumbled upon this place is because I left the monstrosity that is Anzen hardware. Finally a place that is refined, organized and beautifully presented. Excellent selection of dinnerware from traditional to contemporary: Bowls, dinner pieces, tea+sake sets. And the true carbon blade that is folded 15 times like the samurai swords. I settled for a nice Mac but the next time I'm looking for my sashimi knife its Rafu Bussan...\ Nice selection of japanese cooking books as well. I'll be purchasing my spam musubi press here... read more

My family have been going to Rafu Bussan for 15+ years to pick up snacks and buy gifts. I've been to other places which sell Japanese ceramics and there IS NO OTHER PLACE with as much selection. What makes Rafu Bussan really convenient is you can pick out a gorgeous bowl to give as a gift and the store has the perfect box to keep the treasure safe and make it a very memorable gift (as opposed to having it wrapped in just tissue/newspaper). You can't go wrong with Rafu Bussan just be sure to get there early to find parking or go on a weekday or park in a building close to RB so you can have them validate your ticket. read more

I can't believe I just discovered this shop in Little Tokyo. It has all kinds of Japanese things inside - mugs, bowls, snacks, knick-knacks, dolls, kitchen supplies, etc. Traditional Japanese store that has a lot of those art pieces that our parents or grandparents have. I'm not really sure what they're all called, but I took a trip down memory lane when I was walking through every aisle. I will definitely be making my way back in the future :] Great gift ideas & friendly staff - they will even gift wrap for you if you ask! read more

great selection of pottery, kitchenware, and other little accessories! I picked up a gift here over the weekend. they keep everything very clean. I saw workers wiping down all their inventory. definitely will come back! read more

This place is awesome. Located in Little Tokyo on 2nd street, this place has been here forever. Anyone looking for high quality authentic goods made in Japan must come here to check this place out. Whenever I go to visit Little Tokyo, I always stop by this place to check out what they have. If you go into their front room area you can see a poster board with pictures that documents the progression of the store through out the years. It is nice to see a place like this continuing to thrive and serve the community throughout all these years. read more

Rafu Bussan is OPEN. And better than ever! Smaller space, but still full of all the old treasures you remember and would go to Rafu Bussan for. I love Rafu Bussan so much for so many reasons - favorite place to buy gifts for people (and myself, I won't lie), wonderful owner and staff who are great people and love/support the Little Tokyo community, and also my family has been shopping here pretty much since it opened 58 years ago. To this day, my dad receives the postcard meant for my now deceased grandma notifying her about sales. And every time I go in, Carol tells me about how my dad just stopped by. They also remember all their customers - so if you tend to buy in the same pattern, they'll remember the pattern and tell you what's new in it. Basically, they are awesome and the best and everyone should shop here so they're around forever and ever. Things I most often buy here: knives for my dad, kokeshi dolls for my sister, bowls for myself (hee), hashi (chopsticks) for ... everyone, and then I stare and covet all the zojirushi products. read more

I was looking for a wooden display case for a Japanese doll and spoke to a clerk over the telephone. I explained that I needed a case and told him what I was looking for (wooden lacquer, etc.) he than asked me, "Do you have a case?" I guess he wasn't listening to anything I was saying. Well, that was annoying. I didn't want to repeat everything all over again and just gave up. Whoever likes this place must do so out of nostalgia and personal experience with the owner. read more

pros... still a very fun place to go for some japanese housewares and kitchen supplies too. for the wife and i, a trip to little tokyo is not complete until we pay a visit here. we are sure not to leave empty handed. love all the stuff here, mostly for cooking. but there are also nice little trinkets available as well. staff is very attentive and helpful, but not intrusive in any way. the selection of ceramic ware and stuff is mind boggling. they also have a really cool selection of traditional japanese dolls, all in glass cases to buy too. not really my deal, but it's nice to look at. they also have a good selection of cook books in english. also love the good luck charms in the front. they also have a very good selection of mac knives here. if you are like me and like/love sharp objects, especially knives, this is a good place to visit. wanted to buy a knife, even with the 20% discount at the time, but just couldn't. cons... parking in the area is tough. but at least some of the meters here actually take a credit card. how's that, so convenient isn't it, no change no problem, just pull out your credit card and park for 2 hours. read more

Still amazing. They reopened 1 block away closer to Central at Honda Plaza. 414 E 2nd St