If you live in NYC, you don’t have to visit Japan to get authentic Japanese snacks, ingredients, plushies, or even pre-made meals. Japanese stores have been popping up in NYC in recent years, bringing everything from cute snacks to collectible toys to our backyard. We’ve rounded up some of New York City’s most popular spots to get Japanese and Asian gifts, snacks, toys, and more!

Read on for our top picks below and find more fun places to go shopping with kids on our list of the best local gift shops in NYC.

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What Makes a Japanese or Asian Specialty Mart Fun for Kids?

A grocery trip might not sound like a kids’ day out, but these specialty stores are fun and colorful, and a blast to visit with kids. The entire experience can be a fun family experience, from browsing to tasting. Visiting a specialty Japanese store or Asian market doesn’t have to be an errand—making the trip to one of these stores is a mini-cultural adventure!

Japanese and Asian specialty marts are packed with colorful treats, toys, and trinkets that appeal to every age. Japanese snacks often have adorable and colorful designs that are a treat for the eyes. Snacks, candy, and other treats feature unique and bold flavors you likely haven’t tasted before. It’s a fun and exciting way to get kids to try new foods or just experience something out of the ordinary. You could try some chips that taste exactly like a beef steak, make your own candy with an edible kit, or enjoy a pear-flavored fizzy drink.

Besides foods and snacks, Japanese stores and Asian markets often have even more exciting options for kids. Many of these marts sell blind bags and figurines, stationery, gachapon toys, beauty products, and even household goods. And, the stock is always changing, so you never know what fun new treat you’ll find on every trip.

Japanese stores in NYC: Cutesy themed toys at Daiso
Daiso is reasonably priced and stuffed to the gills with fun finds. 

Best Japanese Stores & Asian Specialty Marts in NYC for Toys, Snacks, and Treats
1. Daiso – Midtown and Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Think of Daiso as a Japanese dollar store with high-quality, unique trinkets, toys, stationery, decor, and so much more.

Best for ages: Elementary through middle schoolers
What kids love: Kids are drawn to all the cute stuffies, decor, school supplies, and stickers. There are also kitchen and bathroom gadgets and decor, cute hair accessories, a small selection of snacks, and so much more. Don’t miss the Disney stationery and decor, too!
Top treats to look for: Skip the snacks here and go straight for the cute toys and gifts!
Toy & gift highlights: Daiso is the place to go to find that thing you never knew you needed, like a scissor stand shaped like a quokka or a pencil case that looks like a happy fried egg.
Good to know for parents: This is a dollar store, but the goods are high-quality and imported, and the prices reflect this: Every item costs between $2.25 and $18. Look for the price chart for specific price conversions. Aisles are a little cramped and tightly packed, which means there are a ton of products to choose from, but not a lot of wiggle room.
Perfect for: Unique party favors, mini school and desktop decorating hauls.

2. TESO Life – Multiple Locations

TESO Life has a huge selection of reasonably priced snacks, household goods, makeup, and body care products from Japan and other Asian countries. Most stores also have claw machines, collectible figurines, and so much more.

Best for ages: All ages
What kids love: There’s something for every age kid at TESO Life. The littlest kids love the bright and colorful snack packaging and bursts of flavor. Tweens are drawn to the claw machines and beautiful collectible figurines. Teens may be interested in all the high-quality skincare and makeup options from Japan, Korea, and other Asian brands.
Top treats to look for: There’s a little bit of everything, with price points that make it easy to try something new. The candy and chips are a must-browse for flavors you’ve likely never seen before, like Hokkaido garlic butter scallop (Warning: It’s very fishy!) and black pepper rib eye steak (my family agrees this is the best!) Don’t miss the unique drinks and frozen treats—yes, they have the viral mango-shaped ice cream, and yes, it’s actually delicious.
Toy & gift highlights: TESO has a large selection of high-quality collectible figurines, DIY decor kits, and puzzles that make unique gifts. Some even sell specific blind bag toys for a reduced, out-of-box price, if you’re looking for that one really specific toy.
Good to know for parents: The prices at TESO are surprisingly affordable for imported goods. All the TESO locations are brightly lit and spacious.
Perfect for: Rainy-day browsing, letting kids pick their own snack haul, and teens and tweens exploring skincare trends.

3. Pearl River Mart – Soho and Chelsea

Pearl River Mart is a family-owned business intended to bridge the gap between Chinese and American cultures. Kids are drawn in by the Chinese lantern decorations and, at the Chinatown location, the massive Chinese dragon hanging from the ceiling.

Best for ages: The more eclectic selection and a collection of breakables make this one best for ages 8 and up
What kids love: The store is packed with a mix of traditional Chinese goods and clothes, and Asian kitsch and novelty products that make browsing feel like a scavenger hunt.
Top treats to look for: While Pearl River Mart has some snacks, the biggest edible attractions here are the sauces and teas.
Toy & gift highlights: Kids are drawn to the colorful fans, crystals, origami books and papers, and little toys and figurines. Adults might be more interested in the unique tableware, clothing, and bags.
Good to know for parents: Pearl River Mart is closely packed and features a lot of fragile products, so we recommend leaving the stroller and little ones at home for this one. There are actually two locations in Chelsea Market, with one focusing more on food and edible products. All three locations hold events and tastings, so plan ahead by checking the store’s website. 
Perfect for: Birthday and holiday gifts

Japanese stores in NYC: Close up of a shelf full of candy at Sunrise Mart
Don’t let the grocery store aesthetic fool you, Sunrise Mart still packs plenty of treats. 

4. Sunrise Mart – Lower Manhattan, Midtown, and Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Sunrise Mart isn’t as flashy as some of the other marts, offering a traditional Japanese grocery store experience with everything from fresh produce and snacks to frozen goods.

Best for ages: Elementary school-aged kids and older
What kids love: At first glance, Sunrise looks a lot like a regular grocery store. But encourage kids to look closer, and they’ll find that most of the products are completely new to them. Kids might be interested in unique sweet treats like dorayaki (pancakes filled with red bean paste) and ice cream encased in a waffle-cone shell.
Top treats to look for: There’s a wider variety of fresh products here, and it’s a great place for trying treats with new textures, like dango (sweet sticky rice balls). For adults planning their next meal prep, the mart’s frozen foods section is excellent, and the thinly sliced meats are always fresh. Adults might also want to check out the imported beer!
Toy & gift highlights: The home goods and trinkets take a back seat to the food items at Sunrise, but there are still always fun things to discover. Our favorite recent purchases are a soap dispenser that doles out flower-shaped sud and a cute parakeet-shaped pot holder (both of which my kid picked.)
Good to know for parents: While all the Sunrise Marts have a small selection of prepared foods like sushi and onigiri, the Midtown location has a full menu of Japanese hot meals like soba noodles and rice bowls.
Perfect for: A grocery run with a Japanese twist.

5. Ebisu – Sunset Park, Brooklyn and Flushing, Queens

Kids make a beeline for the Gachapon machines at the entrance of each Ebisu, where they can get blind bags of cute little toys. The rest of the store has plenty of high-quality snacks and licensed anime items.

Best for ages: Elementary school and older
What kids love: The Gacha machines are an obvious draw for kids, but there are also little toys and stationery in the back that are always fun to browse. 
Top treats to look for: Ebisu stocks unique candy and snack flavors. The more expensive sweet and savory treats are often presented in beautiful packaging, which makes them especially great gifts. Adults should definitely try the heated, canned coffee! 
Toy & gift highlights: Ebisu has some hair and skin care products that the other marts don’t have, and most of it is presented in the cutest packaging. This is also your go-to spot for high-quality licensed anime and video game toys, cups, keychains, and more.
Good to know for parents: The snacks at Ebisu are usually on the more expensive side, but they also offer a selection not always found at other stores. You can also grab a light, Japanese-style lunch here for affordable prices.
Perfect for: Anime fans and Gacha enthusiasts

6. Hashi Market – Multiple Locations

Hashi Market has Japanese food, groceries, and snacks stocked in spacious, well-organized aisles that are a colorful treat for the eyes.

Best for ages: All ages
What kids love: The wall of unique drinks is sure to be a draw for kids, as are the sweet fruit and cream sandwiches. The clean, crisp presentation of Hashi also makes it easy for little kids to browse the aisles and find something they want to try without being overwhelmed.
Top treats to look for: Freshly made, packed meals like sushi, sashimi, onigiri, Japanese-style sandwiches, and more make a great on-the-go snack.
Toy & gift highlights: There’s a decent number of blind box figurines, as well as cute pens and toys from known brands like Sanrio. 
Good to know for parents: There’s plenty of space to maneuver down the aisles at most Hashi Market locations. All prepared meals are created with expertly chosen ingredients, and the brand’s dedication to quality and service means they’re guaranteed fresh. The flagship location in Midtown also has a Fujiissa ice cream bar with unique concoctions, like matcha soft serve. 
Perfect for: A light after-school lunch and treat

7. Katagiri Japanese Grocery – Midtown

Katagiri is NYC’s oldest Japanese specialty market, established in 1907, so it’s not as flashy as others. That said, there are plenty of options to pique the kids’ interest here, from entire octopus tentacles for sale to freshly made finger food like onigiri and sashimi.

Best for ages: Tweens and teens with a love for seafood or an adventurous palate.
What kids love: Even the pickiest kids enjoy some hot ramen or a spam Musubi (seasoned spam and egg on a ball of rice, held together with a strip of seaweed.)
Top treats to look for: At around $3 a pop, the freshly made onigiri comes in different flavors and makes a filling snack. There are all the snacks and drinks you’d expect from a Japanese mart, but the fresh meals are the highlight here.
Toy & gift highlights: Katagiri’s focus is entirely on edible treats, so there are no toys or stationery here.
Good to know for parents: Katagiri’s two locations, both in Midtown, have some of the freshest seafood around. You can get made-to-order ramen, onirigi, sashimi, and sushi, and even the rice is reportedly made to perfection.
Perfect for: A hearty, Japanese-style lunch.

Japanese stores in NYC: Mystery Snack Boxes at Ten Ichi
You never know what you will get in Ten Ichi’s mystery snack packs, but that’s part of the fun. 

8. Ten Ichi Mart – Multiple Locations

Ten Ichi is a bite-sized store with similarly bite-sized snacks, on-the-go meals, and fresh sushi and onigiri. This is the place to go if you want to try a unique Kit-Kat flavor but don’t want to buy an entire bag.

Best for ages: Tweens and teens
What kids love: There’s always interesting finger food to find here, and the small portions make it possible to try something new without committing to a full meal. Some locations also sell mystery boxes full of fun snacks for just $15 per box!
Top treats to look for: There are lots of different flavors to try here, from Pocky and marshmallows to small bags of chips. All the hot foods and onigiri are discounted at 50% at the end of the day, usually in the last hour the store is open.
Toy & gift highlights: Ten Ichi mostly sells food, so you won’t find any stationery or toys here.
Good to know for parents: In addition to the snacks, there’s a large selection of sauces and fresh produce like vegetables, so you can bring some of that traditional Japanese flavor home.
Perfect for: Grab-and-go snacks

9. Mitsuki Japanese Market – Park Slope, Greenpoint, and Fidi

Mitsuki is a bright, inviting Japanese mart with snacks, fresh food, and some interesting snacks and drinks kids love. It feels like entering a NYC bodega stocked with Japanese snacks.

Best for ages: Tweens and teens
What kids love: Kids can get their fix of chips, candy, and ice cream with a uniquely Japanese angle. The fun anime art also makes it clear that the store’s audience skews younger. This is my tween’s personal favorite, and she’s always drawn to the different kinds of milk.
Top treats to look for: The snacks are definitely fun, but the real draw here is the freshly made bento lunches, kept warm on a hotplate for a ready-made lunch.
Toy & gift highlights: A majority of the store is dedicated to edible treats, but there are some cute plates, rice ball shapers, and foot care masks.
Good to know for parents: These stores aren’t large, so they can get crowded at times. The hot, freshly made food section is a great choice for days when you need to get lunch on the go.
Perfect for: Tweens and teens or grabbing a snack or lunch to go

10. Bonus: Mitsuwa Marketplace – Edgewater, New Jersey

Located just half an hour from Midtown Manhattan, this New Jersey store is an indoor Japanese marketplace that feels like a small mall. It has something for everyone, from adorable Pokémon macaroons and mochi donuts to household appliances.

Best for ages: All ages
What kids love: The visuals at Mitsuwa are definitely made to impress. Kids love the bright, cute, fresh pastries and confections, as well as the large wall of display bowls that provide a preview of their meal. Find the cute mascot statue for a photo-op!
Top treats to look for: Crepes, ramen, and food bowls, and macaroons are all a win with the kids. There’s also an interesting selection of expensive specialty fruit in fancy packaging, and interesting buns and sandwiches.
Toy & gift highlights: Mitsuwa has toys, stuffies, Gacha and claw machines, cute accessories, and so much more.
Good to know for parents: The marketplace is actually a collection of stores, so you’ll also find Daiso and other little stores in one place. There’s plenty of room to explore, and some spectacular water views just outside.
Perfect for: A day trip from NYC

FAQs for Visiting Japanese and Asian Specialty Marts with Kids

Where can I buy Japanese snacks in NYC?
You can buy Japanese snacks in a lot of locations around NYC. There are specialty marts with snacks, candies, chips, and even freshly made Japanese food like onigiri in many neighborhoods around NYC. Most of the Asian markets are located in Midtown, Sunset Park, Brooklyn, Flushing, Queens, and Lower Manhattan.

What are the best Asian specialty stores in NYC for kids?
There are so many Japanese stores to choose from, but some of the most kid-friendly ones are TESO, Ebisu, and Hashi Market. TESO is great for its claw machines and bright and colorful space. Ebisu has Gachas and some cute specialty items. And, Hashi Mart has delicious bento lunches and an in-house ice cream bar.

Are there Asian markets in NYC with toys?
Yes! Many Japanese stores in NYC carry toys. Some, like TESO and Daiso, have their own branded plushies. Other stores, like Ebisu, lean more into Japanese pop culture like anime. Many stores also stock blind boxes, figurines, DIY kits, and more.

What’s the best store for Japanese candy in NYC?
You can’t go wrong with the variety and price at TESO, while smaller stores like Ten Ichi and Mitsuki have a great variety in smaller packages.

Where can I buy unique party favors in NYC?
You can find some of the most unique party favors in Daiso, which is packed with cute and useful trinkets, decor, and accessories.

All photos by the author