They sell sharpening stones!!! Imported Japanese whetstones to sharpen and maintain your knives. I thought that this would be useful information for others. I online & Yelp searched FOR DAYS and was almost resigned to purchasing on Amazon before I luckily spotted half a whetstone in the lower corner of a pic posted by another Yelper. They sell many immaculate Japanese (and other) knives. The majority of which, they will inform you, are intended specifically for right handed people. These can cost hundreds of dollars but they also stock more economical knives. Prices are fair enough for such specialty imported items and all staff are knowledgeable. A nice lady helped me on the phone and confirmed that they carried what I needed before I came in. Keywords: Knife, knives, sharpener, sharpening stones, whetstones, wetstones, knife sharpening read more

Soko Hardware - good variety of whetstones for knife maintenance - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here for the first time on a Saturday afternoon. They had exactly the kind of Japanese mortar/suribachi I had been looking for. There are three sizes available. I got a small size suribachi and the surikogi for a little under $16 total. There are lots of other cute tea ware and kitchenware. I'll probably come back to take a look next time. read more

BUYER BEWARE!! After our purchase today we will not be returning here. After buying our bowls, the cashier snuck in a charge for a broken sake cup that was accidentally knocked over. She previously stated, "It's okay. Don't worry about it." The item was a $2 sake cup. I would have been fine paying if she was honest about the charge. Sneakily adding it at the end while ringing us up is terrible customer service. I will be taking my future business elsewhere to a place that knows how to do customer service. read more

OK, I confess I have a fetish for hardware stores. I love poking around and discovering. But this one, oh my. Loads of hand crafted tools for specialized purposes. Ikebana pruning shears and a variety of garden tools from Japan. Bamboo and ash tools for making or repairing Shojii screens. Hand made paper and a slew of nifty kitchen tools. Call me crazy but I love this place. read more

In the era of big-box hardware stores, the independent neighborhood hardware establishment is becoming more of a rarity. In a nutshell, this is an Ace Hardware style store infused with Japanese goods. Authentic Japanese family owned store. It's a hardware store but that is misleading as there are Japanese housewares, kitchenware, laquerware, ceramics, knives, shoji lanterns, and a ton of other Japanese items. Great place to explore. If you are looking for a Japanese gift this a good place to check out. Owner is friendly and helpful. If you need something in a pinch hardware wise, they can provide it. The main draw are the unique Japanese goods you may not find elsewhere. If you are in Japantown, this is a great place to visit. The store is across the street from the Peace Plaza. Be mindful they are closed Sundays. read more

More than a hardware store... this shop across from the Peace Plaza in Japantown has lots of great household items from Japan as well. I recently went by to get a Donabe (Japanese hot pot used for shabu-shabu or sukiyaki) and ended up getting distracted by all the other great stuff. They have a few aisles of cleaning supplies and gadgets from Japan from scrubber brushes and brooms to cute towelettes. I ended up getting a couple of cherry blossom shaped sauce bowls ($4.00 ea), a donabe ($55.00 competitively priced compared to online retailers) and some chopsticks on sale for $3.00! The staff was friendly and helpful. read more

Soko Hardware - My new donabe! - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

I am a huge fan of Soko Hardware. The name is a little misleading as it's not a store full of screwdrivers, nuts, and bolts. There are Japanese goods of all kind -- including traditional hardware but also tea pots, lacquer serving trays, etc. I got a really quality kyusu tea pot (with the handle perpendicular to the spout) here that is no longer available from Lupicia Tea Stores. These are also available at Shiki but a little more expensive. My mom got a few lacquer rice pots here that are good quality and very decorative. It can get a little pricey, as with all Japanese goods, but I find this place has the better deals. Notably, this place was closed on January 1, 2012 -- New Year is a holiday that the Japanese take. Meanwhile, some of the other stores in the area were open. Just something to be aware of... read more

This is a great neighborhood hardware store. It's got a little of everything. And items you didn't think you needed until you spotted it here. I'm sure the big box hardware stores copied Soko's business model. You pay a little more than at a big box store, but we've got to support our small business owners. If you're in need of SPAM sushi molds, they've got them here. read more

The place is larger than I thought: two stories, and a good selection of items. Very friendly and helpful staff.

Soko Hardware carries everything! I look forward to shopping here whenever I'm in The City. Friendly, helpful, and caring staff. Great resource for Japanese everything. Dozens of different types of chopsticks. Japanese cooking utensils, pots, pans, grills, rice cookers and much more. Also hardware, household wares, washi paper. Across the street from The Japan Center. Worth a visit. read more

I bought a set of beautiful ceramic bowls and plates here for a friend a couple years ago. I accidentally broke one of the bowls at a get together a year later, so I reached out to Soko about replacing it. Based on my description they were able to mail me a replacement for my friend, she was so happy and surprised that I was able to complete the set again. The employees were very helpful both in picking out the original set and in replacing the piece over email/phone. It was nicely packed both times (we live out of state). I look forward to the next time I am in San Francisco and can make another visit! read more

Independent hardware stores are becoming a rare sight nowadays. Sorta like the independent pharmacy, movie theater, butcher shop. When one does find one, the merchandise is usually unique and high-quality. While at Soko Hardware, I bought these Hinoki pot lids for my pots and saute pans. They work great, as they never get "mildewy", never stain, and are not hot to the touch. I also bought a couple of Japanese luck charms. Forgot to take a pic. Love your store! Please don't ever change! read more

I love this hardware store filled with tools, Japanese kitchen utensils, cookware and other culinary knick knacks. This is one of my favorite stores to go to at SF Japantown, and glad to be acquainted with popular kitchenware and kitchen utensils we often see at street food vendors, restaurants and other stuff in Japan. Beware- since they are made in Japan and prices can be steep like starting from $45 to $200 (if you are going for the best and high quality). You will also find some plate holders and other stuff at the first floor, but it was prices starting from $4 to $40. But better choose wisely and ask for their return policy. You have up to 10 days to return it. If you have decided that you really going to buy it, and can be used for entertaining guests at parties, or enjoy cooking the way the Japanese do it - then go ahead. If not, save your cash or moolah, and forget about it. read more

What a negative change from the "original" Soko Hardware. I dropped by to exchange some 'real hardware' (not gift items). As my husband showed me other things around the store, there were at least 2 Soko employees watching us & following us a short distance down another aisle & at the end of our aisle. When we got to the cashier the "followers" stationed themselves: 1 at the foot of the stars & 1 in the aisle behind us. As the cashier was answering our questions a different employee behind her was mouthing the answers to our questions & silently agreeing with the cashier's answers to us. Upstairs by the 'real hardware' was another employee partially hidden behind the entrance counter but because there were no aisles he didn't didn't follow us. I've shopped at Soko Hardware since Japantown opened 50 years ago. I wasn't a daily or weekly customer but I was a frequent shopper giving my business to small business owners. There are other stores around here that sell the items I need so I will take my business where they don't follow me like kingyo no unko. AHA! Maybe I should post this on social media so others won't be offended by this store's terrible customer service. Maybe they'll train their employees to be courteous.eww read more

When I am in this store, That's it. It is too hard for me to gett out there. So many stuff to pick-up and take a look. I just love to looking around in there. I don't know they over-priced or not. Can't tell. Japanese tea cups and bowls are pretty good. I like here better than "San-ko" a few stores up to Sutter Street. and many of garden equipments. I got many of cooking stuff here. by the way, "Soko" means San Francisco in old Japanese. read more

I came in looking for a rice cooker. They didn't have one I wanted--but what I want to commend is that they ACTUALLY HIRE STAFF WHO SPEAKS JAPANESE IN JAPANTOWN. I don't come there to have to fish for words in English (written is easier because you have time to think) If I didn't want/need to speak my native language, I wouldn't be there. I'd've moved to Montana. Anyway, I didn't have to worry about it there. The counter woman had a lapse in her Japanese and directed me to an unrelated item, but she apologized five times--It wasn't that serious! They have limited rice cookers, and I'm beginning to wonder if they make one-person sized ones with more options than "cook" and "warm" at all. I've been across Japantown and Chinatown in Oakland, and not seen one. So it wasn't their fault. The service was excellent and they hire well. I'll have to think of something to buy there to support them! read more

How do you make penis cookies? Go to Soko Hardware, get a dog bone cookie cutter, cut one cookie and split in half! But of course I wasn't there to pick up supplies to make the said cookies. Seriously, no. Who sells individual cookie cutters anymore? They do! I mean, you really just want a gingerbread man, but you come home with a tree, a snowflake and a star. We all need to tighten up them purse strings these days, aaiigght? Anyway... where am I going with this. Soko hardware is one of the best places to go for small kitchen gadgets and beyond... Do you need a grater but don't want to pay $10 for one? Well Soko carries like 15 types. From the basic/affordable range to quality/higher priced types. Do you need a whisk? Yeah, they got 8 types too. Do you need a squeeze bottle for ketchup, mustard or any sauce? Yeah, they got them. Clear, red, yellow. Do you need tiny tiny thumbtacks that don't ruin the walls in your rented apartment? Yeah, they got them in all colors. I even broke down and splurged on a hand lemon juicer cuz it was 90 cents cheaper than BBB & BevMo and well cuz, I wanted to support Soko. I love this place. They can use some music, but support your local biznas. read more

It's because of Soko Hardware that my wife prefers that we only visit Japantown on Sunday... when Soko is closed. I cannot get out of this place without spending more money than I intended, because they /always/ have something that I need that I didn't remember I was looking for. In all seriousness, this place is incredible. It's not "just a hardware store" but the hardware store element is incredible. M8x1.25 nuts/bolts for your VW? Yeah, they've got that. Takoyaki pan? Got that. Wrenches? Yup. Torx bits, Tri-square sockets, saws, tamagoyaki pan, sandpaper, washi, kitchen knives, kitchenware and dinnerware to die for, plumbing, cold-fusing silicone tape? Yeah. They've got it. I'm sure the staff are plenty helpful, but I've never had to ask for help since everything is so unbelievably well organized and easy to find! This place is not just a means to an end. It's a destination, a model of awesomeness. Go there. read more

Visited for the first time today. Could have spent gobs and gobs if money. They have garden stuff like seeds, gloves and tools. Then they have specialty Japanese knives and cute Japanese ceramics, paper lanterns and more. It's a fixture of the community and I could easily spend gobs of money on ceramics alone. A must visit to get the local flavor! read more

Lots of interesting things but return policy is really bad. There's no refund, you can only get store credit. With that store credit, you cannot even buy a SF parking cards, they only require cash for that, they don't honor their store credit for that. Merchants are pretty expensive too. A clay pot is $20 which you can buy at $8 at Daiso (same kind), Takoyaki pan is $32 which you can find the exact same one at $17 in Kukje super market in Daly city. I still have store credit over $30 and I cannot find anything I want to buy in this store. If anyone interested in buying my credit, please contact me. read more

They have everything here! We actually found Shiso seeds here. Hooray. Downstairs is full of cute Japanese knickknacks, bowls, tea sets, etc. A good place to lose an hour in browsing. one star off for being closed on Sundays. read more

Soko Hardware does sell hardware, it's true. But the real reason you go here is for the insane Japanese supplies. Rice cookers, shamoji (the rice paddle- never use a spoon!), miso soup bowls, etc etc. Lots of cooking items. They have strainers for tea, and fancy metal containers to keep dry tea in. Soko Hardare also has fairly nice dishes here- not so nice that they'd be your heirloom dishes, but nice enough to serve your tsukemono when you want to impress guests. One item I keep having to convince myself NOT to buy: the authentic yakitori barbeque. It's totally awesome. Yakitori is basically chicken teriyaki kabobs, except generally you get them at special bars where they sell a jillion kinds of yakitori. Think unholy love-child of Korean Barbeque and a sushi bar. For some reason, there just aren't any real yakitori places here in the US. So at Soko Hardware they've got this crazy ceramic bucket that gets super hot and grills super clean. I think they stock the special charcoal you are meant to use as well. And it's specifically sized to fit on a balcony (remember the huge percentage of Japanese people who live in giant cities). read more

I didn't believe my fellow Yelpers until I finally came to see Soko Hardware myself, in search of the perfect plates and tea set for my parents-in-law-to-be (oof!). Normally I'd spend at least double what I paid here, but I was in a time crunch and my bank account had seen better days hah. Boy am I grateful for their incredibly competitive pricing! Great selection of everything from Japanese decor to kitchenware to actual home repair supplies. I left with random goodies for myself, and wanting to return. Also, Japanese manager/owner was super friendly and helpful. Always a plus. read more

A very functional mom and pop hardware store. They had a full range of normal hardware goods combined with some traditional and non-traditional Japanese items. It is a fun place to poke around if you are a local OR a tourist. NOTE: They do NOT take American Express read more

I buy bowls and chopsticks here, among other food related things. Because I break/loose bowls and accidentally throw out/loose my chopsticks. They have all sorts of nifty things though. Practically everything household related that you can think of. not to mention those Japanese wooden clog shoe thingys. For all the cosplayers out there doing any costume that has some traditional Japanese elements like the shoes or that cone-ish hat thing. Come here! they have them! I also end up buying a cheapo but spiffy looking fan every time I go... because I'm weird like that and I like them. This just reminded me i need a new teapot... off to Soko! read more

Soko Hardware & Cliff's Variety are the 2 most unique hardware stores in SF. It's my favorite place to get house warming gifts. Ceramic Kaki, teapots, bamboo mats, decorative magnets, ginger graters and many other household items can be found downstairs. They have the best selection of cast iron wind chimes in the form of dragonfly, turtles, fish, lanterns, frogs and many other designs. You can find the larger thick bamboo mats and even a small selection of hand made papers. You can even get vegetable seeds to plant. It's really more of a shopping experience, as it will take you a few hours to go through it, especially your first time. I've even seen the 'big green egg' Kamodo clay grill/smokers imported from Japan. These are no longer available as the man who made them in Japan passed on. I am sorry I was never able to get one, as it would have melted on my patio. read more

A Japanese IKEA! Amazing store! This place has everything. It's like where MacGuyver should shop if he's on a mission to Tokyo. Completely unassuming place. I never would have thought that this store would have all this cool Japanese swag downstairs. Came here looking for some Japanese "Steel" - my chef sister-in-law's new chef BF came to buy a MAC knife for work at Campton Place (see: http://www.yelp.com/biz/iU-XQ4dhII3WF1UKR4XrNQ ) . Good selection. If it's your FIRST time to Japan Town, Soko's is worth a visit. The sales staff is super friendly too! =D read more

Up until now, Japantown has been a giant gaping hole in my mental map of San Francisco. But I finally managed to get over here this morning and take a look around... Soko is probably the coolest store I saw on my little mini-tour (though admittedly, I haven't been in the mall yet). Yes, it is a fully equipped neighborhood hardware store, but more importantly it's an excellent source of Japanese cooking supplies & housewares. If, like me, you've got a thing for paper lanterns, ceramic tea sets & bowls, and anything else that makes your house look all Pacific Rim, then Soko is a must stop. The best part: you can actually afford most of the stuff in here. Pairs well with a trip to Sanko, a few doors up, which has an even more extensive (and expensive) bowls collection. read more

Soko Hardware sells most of the things you'll find at a typical hardware store: tools, hardware, home repair supplies, garden supplies. But unlike a normal hardware store, it also sells many goodies specific to Japantown: shoji supplies, paper lanterns, door curtains, Japanese kitchenware (including some awesome tea and sake sets!), Noh masks, origami paper, and a variety of Japanese home decor. I even found some happi coats mixed in a rack of aprons. I snagged myself some picture hanging hardware, a towel rack, and a neat sake drinking game set that I'm gonna bust out at the next house party I throw. Best hardware store ever! read more

Wow, amazing store. At first, it looks like a regular hardware store (which just happens to be in Japantown). Then you find the Go section in the back (they have some nice boards and Go stones for sale, yow.) Then you find the Japanese door hardware section. And then the Japanese puzzle boxes. And then the Japanese saws and woodworking hand tools. And the origami paper. And the knives. Downstairs is a pretty large selection of tea cups, rice cookers, and household knickknacks. Finally, as you're checking out, you ask the guy at the register - what are those little metal spoon things for sale in that cup on the counter? Those? Those are ear cleaners. Prices on all the Japanese items are great -- this isn't an import store, it's a neighborhood store that sells to local Japanese-Americans. The puzzle box prices I saw were competive with on-line prices. This is a must-visit store if you're into any of the items I listed above. They have the usual small hardware store stuff too. read more

Oh boy! My Dad and I made the mistake of taking my Mom to this place--and even though we were done looking around in about half an hour, we ended up waiting over an hour because she was so enamored with this place. You see she is a very good cook, as she loves the food as well as the various cooking gadgets and apparatus from other cultures--and the basement of this place is full of about every Japanese cooking gadget, dish and paraphernalia that you can imagine. As a result, she got "lost in time" in this place. She says exploring a culture's cuisine is almost as good as visiting there! Truly an awesome hardware store with some very, very unique Japanese items that the owners/managers deliberately stock at reasonable prices to addict people like my Mom! You've been warned, they are very, very good at it! read more

I've had my eye on that takoyaki griddle that they have at this store for some time. I love takoyaki but it's so hard to find it sold anywhere. Should I get it? Should I not? Wait, do I even know how to make takoyaki? But most importantly, it's nice that there's a store that even sells takoyaki griddles here, as well as other Japanese specialty items in addition to regular hardware items. read more

Came in here to get some ikebana supplies for my mom and get some extra set of keys made. The staff downstairs were helpful in getting me to what I needed. The older gentleman upstairs who made my keys seemed a little grumpy though. read more

Soko hardware is a very interesting place. It does have tools and such, but the best thing about this place is the amount of different Japanese appliances, art, and different kitchen wares. It has a small first floor, but when you go down the stairs it opens up into a slightly larger area. The employees are friendly and will help you find whatever it is you are looking for. I would suggest this as one of the places to visit while in Japantown. Parking is on the street, if you are lucky. Parking can also be found in the Japantown parking lot. read more

I've been coming here for decades, but, now that I live in the area, this is where I go to get my household goods. Oftentimes, I'll go in looking for something, expecting to be disappointed because they're such a small store, but I'll walk out, pleasantly surprised. They manage to keep an amazing variety of things in a small space, while also having a large amount of Japanese items to fit the neighborhood. Obviously, they're no Home Depot, but for just about everything I'll need for normal use, they've got it. The staff is also extremely friendly. I always feel like they'll bend over backwards to try and help. If they don't have exactly what I need, they'll offer suggestions on what they do have that might fit my needs, or tell me where the closest place that might stock it. read more

Great store if you're looking for specific tools needed for Japanese woodcrafting. I had to take my dad here because he's this hardware geek. I think he got his fix alright. Pricey as anything Japanese, but well worth it. Although I would go to Kamei or some other kitchen hardware supply place for decorative plates and everything that's kitchen stuff. You can get the same things @ Kamei for a lot less. They also have some cheap-ish noren [door curtains] if you're ever looking for one. Soko Hardware, such a cute name!! read more

Great place! I was having trouble locating a replacement rubber washer thing for my leaky sink faucet (turns out it was called a "aquaseal"), and after having trouble locating it, the friendly lady there asked me if she could help. I didn't even know what brand the leaky valve was, and after spending a few minutes trying to locate it herself, she went upstairs to ask the main guy what to look for. He looks at it once over and says "American Standard aquaseal". Wow...these guys know what they're doing! Great location, great selection, and fantastic customer service! read more

Oh my god, seriously my favorite place to buy dishes. I'm sort of ridiculously obsessed with Japanese dishware -- it's so much prettier than the boring crap they sell in Western stores. Plus, nice knives on the cheap? Hell yes. read more

These folks have been my local hardware store for a while, in addition to being the go-to place for various hard-to-find Asian stuff. The service has always been friendly and helpful, and they've always had my hardware needs in addition to lots and lots of "wants", like rice-paper lamps and chopstick rests. This may be the best place in town to buy a rice maker, or at last the best place in Japantown. And where else would I buy the awesome Japanese hand saws, wood planes and cabinetry hardware? Or that fancy heated bidet electronic toilet machine? The downstairs is only accessible via stairs (the escalator has not worked in years), so wheelchair folks won't get to the basement floor, where most of the kitchenware is. But if you know what you want, ask the employees and they can bring things up for you to see. You may also need to ask for help with the front doors, as (like most businesses) they leave one locked and the open door isn't quite wide enough for my powerchair. But they have always been happy to oblige me, even when all I'm buying is one lightbulb. "Soko" is the abbreviated Japanese for "San Francisco", and Soko Hardware has been there since before redevelopment. Check out the new historical plaque on their outside wall on the plaza (the historical walk is totally worthwhile, too!) and look in the window there to see some antiques from the store's earliest incarnations as a camera and Japanese book store. read more

Never checked out the top floor, but have been here on more than one occasion for kitchen utensils on the bottom floor. I admit I was rather intimidated by the guys working at the counter as they looked like they could snap my neck in their sleep were I to mess with them, but they're actually incredibly helpful and friendly! Family-run, great service, well-priced, well-stocked with incredible variety (they seriously have everything, even Tabi or ninja shoes!). What more can you ask for? read more