California

[ikanariya.livejournal.com]

 The only place I know of where I can get Magazines and CDs/goods are the various Kinokuniya's in California.

For CD's - San Jose is best as they have a bookshelf/CDshelf dedicated to JE
They all have magazines, but I think LA and SF are the most up to date.  San Jose is a little bit slower in obtaining new issues

If anyone knows of other places that sell official Japanese Versions of CDs or Japanese magazines such as Wink UP, Potato, Duet, Myojo, outside of the Kinokuniyas, please let me know.  The closer to Fresno, CA the better.  :)

Comments

[redblood619.livejournal.com]

where exactly is kinokuniya in cali?
sorry for asking another question instead of answering yours.. D:

i might just go there this summer that's whyy... XD

[ikanariya.livejournal.com]

In San Jose: 685 Saratoga Avenue (separate building by itself. Large blue roof. Near a larger marketplace)

In San Francisco Japantown: 1581 Webster Street (It's called the Kinokuniya building, so it's hard to miss)

In Los Angeles: 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka #205 (This one is a bit tricky. It is in an outdoor mall type area. You'd have to park in a nearby parking lot. You'll see a little supermarket in the corner under Kinokuniya. If you go up the stairs, Kinokuniya will be on the left.)

[redblood619.livejournal.com]

THAAAAAAANKSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[godsgirl7.livejournal.com]

There's a Japanese grocery store called Oto's in Sacramento that has (or had, last I knew) a video store in a separate building down the road a little ways where I used to buy Myojo. It was kinda hit and miss though. That's the only place I ever found any idol mags in Cali besides Kinokuniya.

[saori11.livejournal.com]

They're faces won't be on Potato, Popolo, Wink-up, Duet, and Myojo as often as they used to be....

http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/741860-arashi-stops-appearing-in-idol-magazines-ohno-is-too-old/

[lilcritter8803.livejournal.com]

there are grocery stores called Mitsuwa in LA area that also sells magazines and cds and stuff. i guess there is one in san jose...not sure how close that is to fresno... heres a link http://www.mitsuwa.com/tenpo/sanj/eindex.html

[agentduckiechan.livejournal.com]

Fresno's like four hours away lmao

[ikanariya.livejournal.com]

That is literally next to Kinokuniya in SJ :)

[da-arkphyre.livejournal.com]

I know that Nijiya markets sell magazines, but no CDs. There are quite a few in the LA area but I don't know if there's any in the SF area.

[agentduckiechan.livejournal.com]

I visit three Nijiya branches in NorCal regularly: one in SF Japantown, one in San Mateo, and one in Sunnyvale (near San Jose). I've also been to two Mitsuwa branches in NorCal (the one in Cupertino & the San Jose one next to Kino) but there's more in the south I think (Gardena and Little Tokyo are good ones). There's also the various Famima branches all over the LA area... yeah, Central Valley really isn't the place to find J-stuff unless there's someplace in Sacramento lol.

I still prefer Kinokuniya though - and is it just me or are magazines cheaper there than in the supermarkets?

[ikanariya.livejournal.com]

How much are they in the Supermarkets? I know at Kino they are, depending on the recency of the issue about $10-14 (Myojo is probably the most expensive I've seen)

[arasick-sakusho.livejournal.com]

The last time I saw the price of a magazine at Marukai was about $12.
I think they're about the same, although some supermarkets doesn't discount like Kinokuniya does when they sell magazines without the plastic seal. :/

[asaphira-sachi.livejournal.com]

I think the two Kinokuniya's in Bay Area are still your best bets. You can always call in first to see if the issues have arrived yet in case you don't want a trip to the store every time.

[ikanariya.livejournal.com]

Thanks everyone for your help. Although, the areas with Kinokuniyas are the best bets. :(

[hatsumi-chan.livejournal.com]

I'm in LA and I get my magazines and CDs from Asahiya Express on Sawtelle Blvd. in West LA. There's also an Asahiya (not express, so it has more stuff) in Gardena and one in Torrance too. I guess it's kinda far from Fresno, but I find that their prices are cheaper than Kinokuniya's as I don't think they charge as much for the import/shipping when they use their conversion charts and they have a point card for every $5 you spend on any item (excluding sale items) in the store (unlike Kinokuniya's CD and DVD only point card).

You can also get many older magazines/CDs from various Book Off's all over California. I've gotten half my magazine collection from Book Off (even though they're used, they're still pretty to look through :D)

I've also gotten a few magazines from some random bookstore down Sawtelle Blvd, but I think it closed down a few years ago....

mmm I think that's all.... :) Hope that helped :)