Iida S M

Happy to see this store is thriving. Parking is a little hard to find if the lot is full but don’t give up. This shop is worth it.
When I was growing up in Honolulu, Iida’s was one of my favourite stores at Ala Moana Center. I could spend hours in the store. The owners were always willing to impart their cultural knowledge; they wanted customers to know the importance of preserving traditions.
Sadly, the store at Ala Moana closed in 2005. I knew the store had reopened «someplace» in Kakaako but I never took the time to find them again.
I thought of them yesterday when I wanted to buy a maneki-​neko for a friend who is opening a chi-​kung/​tai chi studio in Kailua (San Bao Center). I wanted a maneki-​neko that was authentic and made in Japan because those have much more detail than the ones made in China. (Iida’s is known for having authentic Japanese products.) I was in luck and got the last neko in that size.
The store is small but there is a lot to look at. I could have spent another hour in the shop. I’ll definitely go back when I can talk to the patriarch, who works in the afternoons. He must have a lot of stories to tell! The first Iida’s opened in 1900 in Honolulu’s Chinatown.

Great family run store. Downsized from Ala Moana days but at least they are still hanging on. Good service. Very Mom and Pop

I remember Iida’s being at Ala Moana and had no idea that they’re still in operation on Kona St! They sell all things Japanese-​hand-​painted dishes, suribachi & surikogi (Japanese mortar & pestle), dolls, toys, meditation bells, tea ceremony equipment, Buddha statues-​and everything is priced right. I swear I was in there for a good hour or two looking at everything. Customer service is spot-​on. They can help you find what you’re looking for, and they take utmost care wrapping gifts and carefully packing fragile dishes. Parking’s a little tight, but there are a couple stalls that they share with other businesses right in front, and there’s street parking on Pensacola and Kapiolani nearby.

Robert Iida assisted us last summer with the purchase of a butsudan (Buddhist funeral alter). He had a nice variety and they were all of high quality. The finishes were flawless. I had forgotten how much attention to detail Japanese craftsmen have. Mr. Iida assisted my mother-​in-​law in Japanese and explained the purpose of each of additional pieces that went into to butsudan. He patiently waited as a fickle widow who just lost her husband the previous day vacillated between items for an hour.
The reason for 4 stars? The store was disorganized. The Ala Moana store was tidy. I know I should be grateful that I could buy a high quality butsudan, but the difference between this store and the old one was a shock. They may have no choice but to store extra stock in the display area causing the clutter.
All of that being said, I would encourage everyone to patronize Iida’s so we don’t have to buy rare Japanese items only online at Rakuten. It was comforting to go to a store to see and touch an item that would help my mother-​in-​law through her loss.
On a funny note, there was a certificate proudly displayed on the store wall announcing Robert’s recent baptism. I found it a bit ironic that one of the last people to sell butsudans in Hawaii was now a Christian.

Being in retail, I know when I receive excellent customer service. I was looking for not one but 70 Maneki Neko for a conference I will be attending. Shirley and Richard were able to secure all of the pieces and so quickly. Shirley also added the special wrapping and inserted an document that explained the significance of the neko to my mainland counterparts. I appreciate all of the extra efforts that was done for my order. I will certainly recommend Iida’s to anyone who is looking for Japanese goods. Such great, helpful, efficient service. Thank you Shirley and Richard!

If you’re in your 40s or over, you’ll know of Iidas. Up until 2005 they were a well known tenant on the bottom floor of Ala Moana Center. In fact they were one of the original tenants of Ala Moana. They are still selling Japanese artifacts and other goods out of their small warehouse on Kona street.
My friend just opened her new office and I was on the hunt for a neko. I first went to Shirokiya and they did not have much selection and the saleslady was not very helpful at all. So I came to Iidas and they had exactly what I was looking for. Richard, the owner, moves and speaks as slow as a turtle but he was so nice and informative. He wrapped my box with good luck paper and wrote three Japanese characters using his calligraphy pen on the wrapping paper. Now that’s the kind of customer service you won’t get at Shirokiya.