Kinokuniya is a Japanese bookstore located in San Francisco’s Japantown. The greatest thing about it is that they carry items directly imported from Japan. These are the kind of items you probably won’t be able to get anywhere else. They have a huge selection of manga for all the anime lovers out there, as well as Japanese magazines, craft books, toys and trinkets, cookbooks, Japanese Tupperware, and my favorite, stationary. Their stationary selection is great and anyone would leave satisfied. The store is clean and spacious, and the sales people are very polite. They provide a great service by being able to give you a little taste of Japan and its culture. Kinokuniya also provides literature on Japan and Japanese novels that will make a student studying Japan fall in love. They sometimes have special days like Anime Day, or Maid/Lolita Day, where you can feel free to wear your most ridiculous costume. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone, even if you aren’t interested in Japan, because there is something for everyone. Plus, they recently redesigned their store so now they have more things for everyone, including a separate stationary and gifts store from the anime and manga store all in one. If you’re looking for any other places to check out, try looking on globalYP.com, a local directory available online.