Katagiri Japanese Grocery Store in NYC: A Historic Japanese Market in Manhattan
If you are looking for Japanese groceries in New York City, Katagiri Japanese Grocery is one of the first places I recommend.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Located in Midtown Manhattan, Katagiri is much more than a Japanese grocery store. Established in 1907, it is the oldest Japanese grocery store in the United States and has been part of New York City’s Japanese community for more than a century.
For Japanese people living in New York, Katagiri can feel like a little piece of Japan in Manhattan. For non-Japanese visitors, it is also a wonderful place to discover Japanese food, snacks, drinks, cooking ingredients, and prepared foods.
Katagiri Japanese Grocery: A Piece of Japanese History in NYC
Katagiri was founded in New York in 1907 by two brothers who came from Japan. At the time, there were relatively few Japanese people living in New York, so the business originally served both Japanese customers and local New Yorkers.
Over the years, Katagiri expanded beyond groceries and carried products ranging from food and drinks to tableware and other Japanese goods. The company continued operating through major historical events and eventually became one of the best-known Japanese food stores in Manhattan.
Today, Katagiri continues that tradition while offering Japanese groceries and prepared foods to a much larger and more diverse New York population.
Where Is Katagiri Japanese Grocery?
Katagiri currently has two Manhattan locations.
59th Street Store
Katagiri Japanese Grocery
224 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022
The store is located between Second and Third Avenues in Midtown East.
According to Katagiri’s official website, the 59th Street location is open every day from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Grand Central Location
Katagiri Grand Central
370 Lexington Avenue, Suite 107
New York, NY 10017
This location is particularly convenient if you work in Midtown or are traveling through Grand Central.
The official hours are 8:00 AM–9:00 PM Monday through Friday and 10:00 AM–8:00 PM on weekends and holidays.
For the most current information, it is always a good idea to check Katagiri’s official website before visiting.
What Can You Buy at Katagiri?
One of the things I enjoy about Japanese grocery stores in New York is that you can find both everyday Japanese staples and products that are difficult to find at regular American supermarkets.
Katagiri carries a wide range of Japanese food products, including:
- Japanese rice
- Miso
- Soy sauce
- Japanese noodles
- Curry products
- Japanese seasonings
- Tofu
- Seaweed and nori
- Japanese snacks and candy
- Green tea and other Japanese drinks
- Frozen foods
- Refrigerated foods
- Seafood
- Japanese sweets
- Prepared foods
The online store also lists a very large selection of Japanese grocery products, including soy sauce, takuan, azuki beans, tofu, green tea, and many other Japanese staples.
Japanese Snacks and Drinks
If you are nostalgic for Japan, the snack section alone can be fun to explore.
You may find familiar Japanese candies, crackers, chips, cookies, drinks, and seasonal products. For Japanese people living in New York, these small things can be surprisingly comforting.
Sometimes you don’t realize how much you miss a particular Japanese snack until you see it sitting on a shelf in Manhattan!
Katagiri is also a good place to look for Japanese tea and bottled drinks.
Prepared Japanese Food for a Quick Lunch
Another reason Katagiri is popular is its selection of prepared foods.
Depending on the location and availability, shoppers can find items such as sushi, sashimi, rice bowls, ramen, bento-style meals, and onigiri. Recent customer reviews also frequently mention prepared lunch options and fresh seafood.
This makes Katagiri especially convenient for people who work in Midtown and want a quick Japanese lunch without going to a sit-down restaurant.
At the Grand Central location, prepared foods and onigiri are particularly popular with commuters and office workers. Katagiri Japanese Grocery
Why I Think Katagiri Is Special
There are several Japanese supermarkets and grocery stores in New York City today, but Katagiri has something that is difficult to reproduce: history.
Walking into Katagiri means entering a business that has been serving New York for more than 100 years.
Think about that for a moment.
In 1907, New York looked completely different. There were no smartphones, no modern subway system as we know it today, and certainly no Japanese supermarket chains throughout the city.
Yet a Japanese grocery business opened in Manhattan and continued through more than a century of enormous changes.
That history gives Katagiri a special place in New York’s Japanese community.
Katagiri Is Not Just for Japanese People
You don’t have to be Japanese to enjoy Katagiri.
In fact, I think Japanese grocery stores are wonderful places for anyone interested in Japanese culture and food.
If you are learning how to cook Japanese food, Katagiri can be a great place to start because you can find many of the ingredients used in Japanese home cooking.
For example, you might come looking for miso and tofu and leave with Japanese noodles, curry, green tea, snacks, and something you had never tried before!
It can be a small culinary adventure in the middle of Manhattan.
Katagiri vs. a Large Japanese Supermarket
One thing to understand is that Katagiri is not necessarily the same experience as visiting a huge Japanese supermarket in the suburbs.
The Manhattan locations are relatively compact, so the shopping experience is more concentrated.
That can actually be an advantage.
If you live or work in Manhattan, you may not want to spend an hour traveling to a huge supermarket just to buy miso, Japanese rice, noodles, or your favorite snacks.
Katagiri makes it possible to find many Japanese essentials right in Midtown.
A Convenient Japanese Grocery Store in Manhattan
For me, one of the biggest advantages of Katagiri is simply its location.
New York City is incredibly convenient in many ways, but finding specific Japanese ingredients can sometimes require some planning.
Having a historic Japanese grocery store in Midtown means you can stop by while running errands, going to work, sightseeing, or traveling through Grand Central.
The Grand Central location is particularly convenient for commuters.
The 59th Street location is a good choice if you are in the Upper Midtown or Midtown East area.
Tips for Visiting Katagiri
Here are a few simple tips if you are planning your first visit.
1. Check the location before you go
Katagiri has two Manhattan locations, and their hours are different.
The 59th Street store is open daily from 10 AM to 8 PM, while the Grand Central location opens earlier on weekdays.
2. Go earlier for prepared foods
If you are specifically looking for popular prepared foods, going earlier may give you a better selection.
3. Explore the shelves
Don’t just look for the one item you came to buy.
Katagiri is the kind of store where you can discover Japanese products you haven’t seen for years—or find something completely new.
4. Check seasonal products
Japanese food culture has many seasonal traditions, and Japanese grocery stores often reflect those seasons through special foods and ingredients.
This can be especially interesting around New Year’s, when Japanese grocery stores become important destinations for osechi and other traditional New Year foods. Katagiri has historically been known for stocking special New Year’s ingredients and prepared foods.
Final Thoughts: Why Katagiri Is Worth Visiting
For anyone searching for a Japanese grocery store in NYC, Katagiri is worth knowing.
It offers something that goes beyond groceries. It is a small but important part of Japanese history in New York City.
Whether you are Japanese and looking for a taste of home, an American interested in Japanese cooking, a tourist curious about Japanese food, or simply someone looking for a quick and convenient lunch in Midtown, Katagiri is a great place to explore.
And perhaps the most interesting thing about the store is its history.
Katagiri has been bringing Japanese food and culture to New York since 1907.
That makes a simple grocery shopping trip feel like a small journey through New York’s Japanese history.
Katagiri Japanese Grocery — Quick Information
59th Street Location
224 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022
Open daily: 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Grand Central Location
370 Lexington Avenue, Suite 107, New York, NY 10017
Monday–Friday: 8:00 AM–9:00 PM
Saturday, Sunday & holidays: 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Official Website: Katagiri Japanese Grocery
