Anzen Hardware

Japanese hardware store. Tons of fun little finds, unusual housewares and surprisingly: shoes. I’ve found a pair of traditional Japanese two toe ninja turtle style indigo shoes a while ago and most recently a pair of perfectly nondescript white-​grey rain boots. Knives galore. Owner prefers cash but will take card if asked or if purchase is large enough. I love popping in here while waiting on the Daikokuya list.

One of the coolest shops in Little Tokyo remains in a time warp! I have been going here for years buying odds and end items such as Japanese knifes, potting soil, vegetable plants, bamboo, and tin teapots. This is not your local ace hardware or Home Depot for that matter, but a speciality shop that caters to the Japanese community. The knifes, garden tools and accessories all are from Nippon ! They do have a few other items such as oil lube, glue, few tools, spray paint, and other items that many have been sitting dusty for years! Come here for the specialty knowledge not for warehouse deals! The owners are very nice, but the shop has not modernized at all… they still hand write the invoices! This place is a major part of Little Tokyo, come check it out before its lost. I love the rich history of this place … It’s really a special place that represents the soul of the workers of the era.

Came here today no knowing what to expect. I know I love to cook n I am not a professional chef but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn about the tools? But as soon as I told the owner about my identity, he just block me off. I think the store should label their knife are only purchased by chefs or something similar to warn customers. I walked in just want to know if I can purchased a knife the owner asked me few questions n kick me out of the door. It’s that nice? You judged but even I am a chef one day I won’t be coming back for anything cause it’s not cool. I don’t like being treated like a second class citizen.

Anzen hardware is a magical place. It has a nostalgia about it that makes you long for a time when all shopping was done this way. Everything they carry is hand selected by the guy that runs it. He knows exactly what they have and where it is and what to do with it. All the price tags are written out by hand (beautifully), and when you buy something, your receipt will be too.
I needed to buy a hammer last Sunday. I could easily have gone to Home Depot, but en excuse to go to Anzen is not worth wasting on a chain store. I instead took time off work to go during the week, and it was totally worth it.
These guys won’t be around forever. Take advantage while they are!

Took a few days but I loved that they could see from my knives that I’m left-​handed and were sure to have them sharpened as such. Very professional. Fun inventory from Japan to scope out, and now my knives can slash paper in mid-​air! Not super-​polite, but serviceable. Don’t expect to get your butt kissed here. Very fair price, kept reasonable even with the press they have enjoyed lately.

I’m in the process of learning some woodworking, and I fell in love with Japanese woodworking tools. Soon after, I found out about Anzen. Such an interesting place to browse, though some of the aisles are pretty cramped. In the end, I bought a gardening tool, and was looking through the sharpening stones, for sharpening some knives I have. I had no idea what to look for, but they helped me out, and I’m really satisfied with the one I got.
Going back as soon as possible to buy a traditional handplane, saw, and maybe even a chisel.

Nori-​sama at Anzen Hardware is the man to go to when you need a really high quality knife, or need to have a quality knife sharpened. He’s an honorable gentleman that’s been in the business for decades and is truly a master. He also has a great selection of unusual Japanese items that you’ll not see at typical hardware stores. Arigatou gozaimasu Nori-​sama.

Been coming here for 10 years to have keys made. Same guy always makes it for me. This particular day I came in to make keys took out my key ring and was removing the keys from to ring to have it made. He told me I didn’t need to he would mark it. So he marked them with tape. It took a little while I didn’t mind waiting had a few phone calls stopped to talk to his friend about picking him up. Finally he finished making the keys gave them to me made one too many. I told him I didn’t want this key he made a key I didn’t need. He said but you told me to make it. I responded no I didn’t I only want these keys. We got into an argument seems like he didn’t want to let it go and insisted that I told him to make it. I was like you know what and walked out he followed me out told someone to call the cops. I then explained to the neighbor that he made me something I didn’t wanted. The old guy then was like fine I won’t charge you for it. I walked back inside to pay for my keys. He then asked me what I wanted I picked out the keys I wanted. He then picked up the one I didn’t want and threw it across the room. I was upset again then I picked up one of the keys because the cutting didn’t seem right and he told me to put it down. I told him I wanted to check to see if it was alright and he removed it from my hand and put it down on the counter. Then he told me you fucken shit you think your so tough. Now I’m completely blown out of the water that he’s cursing at me. I told him I’m not cussing at you and your cursing at me. I don’t come here to get bad customer service and you expect me to pay for your product. He walks around the counter and threaten to punch me then ask me to follow him to fight him. I followed him out and my friend stops him. I guess he finally calmed down and just told me adiós. Never going back again!

One of a kind shop. My sis and I got our first really good knives here on the recommendation of Susan Feniger after a class at her Border Grill. I cook a lot and these knives are life changing. Japanese VG-​10 Damascus steel double beveled blades, different layers available, my 33 layer Chefs knife was about $ 200, 17 layer was less expensive and they had higher end stuff as well. Bought a Japanese wet sharpening stone too. Came back for a pairing knife for about $ 100 and plan and coming back for more. Nori will hook you up with whatever you need.

My favorite local hardware store. Wonderful selection of «regular» hardware items and Japanese tools. The owner is quite friendly and respectful. A great place to peruse through, too. The owner makes because pieces out of gourds but they aren’t for sale. Wonderful to see.
Bamboo rods of various sizes available. Copper rain chains, too.

I love this store. I love how the owner is patient with my Japanese and how he has stuff you’d never expect of a hardware store. Some of it seem like antiques or from a different era, and not for sale. I could browse for hours and spend thousands of dollars in there, just for the cookware.

Cool small hardware shop, a lot of your basic hardware needs with some nifty Japanese items. Including those Japanese knives everyone else talks about. There’s a lot of loose nuts and bolts available for sale in the back of the store.
I came here to get keys copied and got fast, prompt and well priced service.

Super Cool Store. Not all the stuff you might look for in a big chain store, but a lot of great small items you can find no where else. It’s an adventure just to go in and take a look around.

I have a thing for hardware stores (mom & pop types) and an even bigger thing for knives. specifically very sharp knives… I tagged along with someone recently to pick up their knives here and ummmm… this place is kind of a fantasy for such things. It was a trek for us to get here but well worth it. Super friendly customer service too.

Went in for a glass cutter for a project, the owner was super friendly and helpful. And when he found out I had never used one before, busted out a piece of glass and proceeded to show me how. 5 star service, very impressed.

If everyone runs a business like Nori-​san does the world would be a happier place.
Anzen is the coolest hardware store for so many reasons. but the most important reason for me is the owner, Nori-​san. he is a great business owner and a great man. one time i came to buy 2 bags of potting soil. when he found out i was planning on strapping the bags to my bike O.G. chinese style, he offered to drive the soil to my house after closing that day. and sure he did! on a different occasion my boyfriend and i went to Anzen for some special screws. we ran into Nori-​san as we were approaching the store and found out he had just closed shop. but he offered, happily, to re-​open the store for us, and patiently found the screws for us and gave detailed instructions on how to use them. he is awesome!
besides a cool owner, Anzen also has… possibly the best knife collection in LA. all imported from Japan and made with pride. this is THE place to go for anyone who’s serious about their cooking. no wonder they have two large cork boards behind the register covered with business cards from chefs from all over LA.
Anzen is also stocked with very authentic Japanese cooking, sake-​making, gardening, and wood-​working tools. It’s like a little museum and I love spending a long time there just looking at everything and wishing to own it all. oh yea and let’s not forget about the hardwares. and if you need any specialty products they don’t have in stock, you can always let Nori know and he will order them for you.

Japanese steel is the best, bar none. I recently bought some woodworking chisels from here and I absolutely love them. If you want hand tools, buy the best and take good care of them. It will save you money in the long run and the difference will be visible in your work every time.

I recently bought a really cool general purpose, domestic kitchen knife from a master cutlery maker, Kai Ko-​Ko– of Japan at Anzen Hardware. The knife has great balance and «feel» with a deep brown hard wood handle with a contrasting black grain pattern which provides the sensation that the knife & hand are one.
The blade is damask steel with a wavy, tree ring-​like pattern that shows the steel had been repeatedly heated and forged in order to increase tensile and ductile strength. Also, to show the marks of workmanship, the upper half of the blade has small round indentations showing where the blows of the hammer had hit the blade. It is a nice aesthetic touch to a blade that already shows sophistication and grace.
This knife is a joy to use in chopping vegetables and fruits into thin slices effortlessly. I use other heavier duty knives for cutting into meat and meat with bones since I want to keep the blade on my Kai Ko-​Ko– pristine. I feel like an Iron Chef every time I start whacking away at some thick carrot or Daikon.
The owner of Anzen is very good at suggesting which knife to buy if you let him know the purpose in which you want to use the knife. On my many visits to Anzen, I’ve noticed many professional chefs and students come to ask for advice in buying the right blade for their culinary efforts. This is a great place to come to if you are seriously into cooking.

This is a lovely mom-​and-​pop shop. There are lots of old and new things. It’s fun looking at the antique tools on the wall, obscure and unique household items, and overall «Japanese stuff.»
The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the traditional Japanese slippers/​sandals (zori?) on the wall. Then I noticed a big rack of keys! I guess they make/​duplicate keys here. But I was most pleased by the surprising amount of culinary and kitchen items that are often used in Asian households. Lots of cast-​iron, some interesting chopsticks, rock garden rakes, etc. These are hard to find at your general stores. We bought a brass (?) kettle. We’ve been looking for a big one for a while and finally found it here… I made a lot of bori-​cha so far! :D The prices for kitchen/​cooking items are a bit high but it’s a small shop in a busy area.
It can get very cramped in this small hardware shop — just FYI in case you’re a bit clumsy!

What a fantastic neighborhood hardware store and a destination for chefs and cooks who need top-​notch cutlery.
There’s a good supply of gardening tools like bamboo rakes. Simple things like mops or tea pots. Or a small wooden stool, which is what I purchased today.
The owner is very helpful and friendly — he really makes you feel like being a loyal customer because he cares.