I'm not sure how to write this review without gushing. Every product in this gallery-store is immaculately crafted, aesthetically pleasing, and appealingly/practically minimalist in form. You can find most things you need here- stationery, notebooks, pens, cloth, pottery, camping gear, housewares, cookware, tea accessories, jewelry, clothing, scents, soaps, etc. The prices seem fair for the quality of workmanship- these are goods that will last you a decent portion of a lifetime. And apparently, TGS accepts wedding registries. Y.E.S. read more

modern japanese designed objects if you can't afford to take a trip to tokyo and spend 1 week looking for cute boutiques in the aoyama and nakameguro neighborhoods, then come here! i stumbled into this store and found everything that I wanted to bring back from my last trip to tokyo- * beautiful affordable hakusan pottery for everyday eating & tea/coffee * elegant modern sugahara glass ware * awesome abitax "outdoor" accessories (outdoor ashtray, coin pouch, felt mobile phone holder) * cool incense holders crafted from bamboo, steel, or ceramic * authentic japanese hankies and cloth * interesting japanese design books you can come here and find a lovely gift for someone's home. read more

Oh, the magic of beautiful merchandising! An unhemmed dish towel displayed in just the right way just might make me fork over $30 for it. It's a great go-to spot to buy that understated yet sophisticated housewarming gift for your friend that appreciates Japanese minimalism. It's also great for the anti-Pier-One/ Ikea crowd. If home goods usually bore you or make you want to gag, you'll probably like the slick yet earthy vibe of the gorgeous handcrafted objects d'arte here. I'm knocking off a star just because some of these items are just gloriously overpriced. However, a store like this exists to pick through the mess that's out there and curate your experience, which they do well-- and have to charge a bit for. Too bad the handblown glass cup just doesn't look quite as good in my cupboard as it did in the store. read more

1208 Abbot Kinney. Japanese style. Do you adore Japanese style? Go no further. This store is as neat and organized as the Japanese are known to be. Every item has a folded card label so you are not confused, sometimes an explanation, and you really want to buy everything for everyone for Christmas because it is so unique, sometimes practical, if not charming. For example, little hand towels with fish or dog prints, a tea set, sake cups, fine pens, a shovel and spade, fine copper containers to hold loose tea and keep it uncannily fresh (no pun intended)...really, an adorable store. Emily Rose Reeder read more

ohhhhh abbot kinney abbot kinney. $245 distressed grey jeans abbot kinney abbot kinney. intelligentsiexpensivecoffee abbot kinney abbot kinney. oh. oh, tortoise. nice. monocle x comme des garcons scent one: hinoki. sniffffffffff. mmmmmmmmmm. thanks. read more

I love this store's collections. The designs of these Japanese products are simple, practical yet unique, and with a good twist of tradition and contemporary. Housewares from kitchen kettle to stationaries, paper clips. Things that are made with natural materials, ceramics, wood, cotton, iron, bamboos, glasses.... I'm enjoying the mugs I bought there. read more

Tortoise General Store - HASAMI porcelain mug brews great Assam tea. It enhances the tea flavor. The tray can be a cover when brewing, then holds the tea leaves. - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Such a cool store! So many Japanese thingamabobs to look at. Definitely coming back here for gifts for friends and family.

Lovely little shop. Lovely people who run it. Two separate buildings with a patio in the middle. In the back building there are photos of some of the victims of the Tsunami from earlier this year with powerful messages. Quite moving. They take cash donations to be sent to family members in Japan. read more

Great place for gifts and minimalist item lovers and everything Japanese I wish I lived closer to go for very holiday birthday etc

Go to place for kitchen/house warming gifts--also has Gallery space with local and internationalJapanese pottery, textiles, jewelry. Love the leather travel journals and pen/stationery. Warm helpful staff. Originally on Abbot Kinney in Venice. Check it out! read more

I really want to like this store, because I like the way the things they sell look. But today I saw them make a man pay for an entire set of ceramics, because the lid slide off of one of the pieces and broke as he picked it up. I will not go in here again. It was just before the holidays, they were selling things like crazy with a line of people waiting to pay, and he looked like he didn't have much money, but was very polite and apologetic anyways. It was in poor taste. It turned me off. Pretty things, ugly feelings. read more

I walked through Tortoise General Store the other day. Cool items, but very overpriced. Stocked entirely with Japanese housewares and gifts, the store has a nice selection of merchandise. As I strolled around though, I couldn't help realizing that I could get the same items in Little Tokyo or Mitsuwa Marketplace for a fraction of the cost. read more

Even the name of the place is super cute. Modern to classic Japanese tableware. The furniture is interesting. I love the books and the pens. Oh yes.. Japanese writing tools are the best! There is a little back store if you go up the stairs, through the kids' section, into the patio and through the dark doors. There you will find a tranquil tea area complete with tea samples and tastings. I loved how polite the people were - they offered us to try some of the tea they had on and explained what kinds of tea there were. Part of the proceeds went to Japan and their disaster relief fund. I am all for that. read more

FAVORITE LITTLE SPOT IN VENICE. I'll be honest, anywhere there is fluent Japanese spoken, I will likely rate 5 stars. This little store + gallery is one of those places I can't help but visit every weekend. I love testing the pens, looking through the notebooks and furoshiki cloth, admiring the products. The gallery in the back is incredible too. Beautiful pots, plates, cups. read more

This is just a fabulous little shop with a wonderful array of fascinating products from Japan . . . from kitchenware to clothing to pens to stationary to unique craft and artwork. They carry amazing canisters (Kaikado) that are great for storing coffee, rice, tea, etc. They carry very tough, cool, great looking canvas bags (Ichizawa) that are durable, fashionable and practical. Both companies - Kaikado and Ichizawa - are renowned in Japan for the quality of their work and their long history of Japanese craftsmanship. The shop is also great because they do various events and workshops that let you connect Japan, Japanese culture, and various artisans and craftspeople from Japan. Really can't say enough good things. We love to pop in pretty much any time we're on Abbot Kinney. The shop is our go-to location for great gifts - unique things that people inevitably tell us they love. There is a great exhibit going on this weekend for Kaikado as well as two other artists. Highly recommend a visit! read more

Unlike any shop I know. A place of beauty and wonder amidst the madness of Venice.

well curated store filled with mostly home goods from japan. you are bound to find many things you want to take home or give as gifts but alas, it is not cheap; quality isn't skimped here. it's quite satisfying just to peruse anyhow. everything is neutral colored and all in good, minimal taste. the little store was packed when i went, both with items and people. there's a small hall that opens to the back and then another large space that displayed artists' vessels for the home. it was similar to a gallery. i will definitely come back here to browse what's new and feast my eyes upon the tasteful, museum like curation. many of my personal favorite "tastemakers" recommend this store as well. read more

Sadly, this is the first bad review I have ever written. I purchased 2 small wooden cups for $30, not an expensive purchase. I put water in them and the water turned a dark brown murky color. Not a good sign. I brought them back to the store and asked to exchange them for something else, which was denied since the cups had a ring where the water had been and used items can't be returned or exchanged. Their return/exchange policy is not posted and they only verbally expressed it after they ran the credit card. However, there would have been no way to know about the possibly toxic and definitely disagreeable residue in the cups without trying them. The cups are designed for sake which would create even more residue than water. They offered to wrap then as a present, so that I could give them as a gift to someone else, a response that I found to be very odd. Rather than creating an issue at the store with other customers present, I emailed the manager. Her response was to give me a lengthy story about the history and quality of the cups and still would not allow me to return or exchange them. Overall, I found the customer service to be horrible and the product quality very debatable. I highly recommend being very cautious about any purchases that you make, because there is no rectification or negotiation once a purchase is made. read more

This is my favorite store in Venice. I've bought countless gifts here for family and friends. Delicate glass cups, sake sets, tenegui cloths, notebooks, art books from Japan, wooden toys. They specialize in artisan handcrafts, a far cry from Mitsuwa Marketplace (a reviewer here mentioned them as being cheaper). The price range is wide, from very reasonable to expensive. They wrap it beautifully at no extra cost, not what you get from most stores. read more

No better place to pick up a darling little gift for child, parent, singleton, and the wonderful girls there always ask if you'd like the gift wrap - which I might also comment on - is equally as wonderful and acts as a present within a present. read more

The Yanagi stainless steel strainers make great housewarming gifts -- or just treat yourself, and buy one for your own kitchen. Each time I visit Tortoise General Store, I find something I want! Then I start saving up, because high-end design is never cheap. I know the gorgeous Japanese objects I purchase at Tortoise will be lovely (and useful!) for a lifetime. Be sure to sign up for the shop's newsletter -- it's always an interesting email, and this is how you find out about unique cooking classes taught by Japanese experts like the wonderful food writer and chef Sonoko Sakai. read more

Awesome store! Everything in here is made or designed in Japan. Great finds, super helpful and friendly staff. A great place to find unique, thoughtful, and useful gifts for others (and yourself!!) Stuff for kitchen, office/desk, bath, and just general home decoration. I especially love the linen trays that I got, the little wood coasters, and a bamboo foot exerciser (?) that the sales lady recommended. There is another little part of the store that stocks kitchen items and tea things in the back, through the courtyard-- don't miss it! read more

Crisply curated collection of japanese design objets-- I picked up a casio watch here. Not the one with the calculator on it, but those are back in style, folks. The books, fabric, decor, and accessories are put together like this was the Museum Gift Shop of the Tokyo MOMA. Go now. read more

I love this store! I've always been impressed by the selection of products. Great quality and design. Yes, some things are pricey but deservedly so. The staff has always been friendly and welcoming as well. It's a small store so just slow down, stay present and you'll be able to navigate it just fine. Be sure to visit the website and read about the owner's inspiration for creating their store. It's a lovely story. read more

Super cute, super original Japanese design (mostly table and kitchenwares) at high but not outlandish prices. Great place for gifts or a little gift for one's self. More modern and design-ey than the Japanese kitchen stores in Little Tokyo or Sawtelle; cuter and more Japanese than the MoMA style design store across the street. read more

We loved it here! Lots of great stuff. My girlfriends and I did some shopping, and the store is laid out beautifully. They were obsessed with the store's instagram after we left, too. Recommended if you like well-curated and well-made products. read more

I love this place. Wonderful, pricey gift-shop with higher quality Japanese items, some cool Mid Century design, great stoneware. Most importantly, I found a wonderful iron incense burner--something I've been looking for for like 15 years. Yay! read more

Fantastic shop with some very cool/beautiful/unique/traditional Japanese made products. Everything ranging from housewares, to knives, pottery to jewelry, notebooks to baby clothes. Go just for the fun of looking, if for nothing else. read more

Japanese shop with great gifts at reasonable prices. Check this place out to find something unique for that special someone. Support boutiques! read more

Meh! Over-rated and under delivered. I grew up in the wonderful Japanese stores on sawtelle. The stores offered a mix of items for sale but never made me feel like I was visiting a museum. This place is uncomfortable, unfriendly and the staff follows you around. They present their items as if they are museum pieces and one of a kind. Really? A note pad, a drinking glass, a wooden bird. Pleeease! I will take Japan town any day, not this over-rated place. read more

The employees are very nice and helpful,and the store offers such a variety of unique beautiful handmade (and otherwise) objects. I was there just this past weekend and discovered that two artists from Japan were there demonstrating and teaching a class on how they make their products (Kaikado tea canisters and wire-form baskets)! This was really a special experience. read more

it's always interesting when i go here. to be honest, i don't buy anything ever, since it's a tad expensive, but there are a lot of innovative japanese things, modern & unusual. there are soaps, cards, wood plates to little nicknacks, but they are all so unique & new! read more

Tortoise has the most awesome of back rooms. Feels more like a gallery than a furreal shop -- I'm happy to see them endorse the artists they do. read more

This is a gem. Incredibly merchandised and a must stop when visiting Abbot Kinney. Georgeous housewares and furniture. Make sure to stop by both parts of the store! There is a back room that you access via the courtyard. read more

This is my favorite store in Venice. The collection of Japanese housewares, jewelry and more are all beautiful, unique and well chosen. The only reason I'm not giving five stars is that it's pretty darn expensive. read more

Tortoise is in an unassuming little house on Abbot Kinney. But, every time I enter, I'm taken aback by the sheer amount of exquisite pieces they have shoved into the place. All in the style of delicate Japanese minimalism, they have everything from jewelry to pottery to textiles to books. The last time I was there I was entranced by a photo book of the ocean taken by a Japanese monk who had never shot anything else before -- it was truly breathtaking. It's a great place for gifts for people who are into design and appreciate the subtle, clean Japanese aesthetic. read more

Sublime little goodies...spare and clean with absolutely wonderful Japanese gifts (for others or yourself). Whenever I'm stumped, I can always find something excellent. read more

Pure delight! Easily my favorite store in LA. Japanese design goods heaven and Affordable. read more

It's nice to stroll by a shop that seems a bit unassuming to begin with and feel pleasantly suprised by its finds. Tortoise is all that's Japanese, which I appreciate. It's something different and interesting for Los Angeles, and especially for Abbot Kinney. So whenever I'm in the neighborhood, I can just spend a long while poking my nose around this intimate shop, owned by a couple, Taku and Keiko, who moved from Japan to Los Angeles inspired by a life of balance, beauty and affluence. And not only is it a lovely place to pick up your next hand-dyed tenugui, Tortoise has beautiful photograph exhibitions in their zen-like back space and wood carving classes too. read more

really nice japanese store. dont forget go to the back room. they have more stuff in the back room. never got anything here. but always work by. really nice store. maybe will try later, get some gift for someone. read more