Mitsukoshi Department Store in Epcot’s Japan Pavilion is the largest shopping facility in the park aside from Creations Shop in World Celebration. This guest favorite offers everything from clothing to kitchen accessories and is a must-see when visiting Epcot.

The Mitsukoshi brand is one of the oldest Japanese shopping chains and prides itself on “service with sincerity”, a trait you’ll experience upon walking through its doors.

The merchandise and the service are two of the big reasons that the store ranks so highly on our list of 60 Epcot World Showcase Must Do’s and our massive list of 110 Disney World Must Do’s.

Wondering what cool treasures you’ll find in this authentic Japanese gem? This list will tell you all about our favorite, most unique things worth buying at Epcot’s Mitsukoshi.

ANIME TOYS AND COLLECTIBLES

As soon as you set foot into Mitsukoshi, you’ll be greeted with loads of colorful, smiling plush toys. Adults and children alike will enjoy the various plushes in all shapes and sizes from popular children’s shows like Pokemon, Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma.

Alongside these cuddly stuffed animals are a huge variety of school necessities like backpacks, pencil pouches and notebooks featuring these characters, as well as unique play toys. Toys can range in age from toddlers to teenagers. It’s rare to find a lot of these items in other American department or toy stores, so stock up while you’re here!

Toward the center of the store, you’ll find a huge glass case full of anime collectibles. The display often features stars from Dragon Ball, Fullmetal Alchemist and Sailor Moon. Lesser known anime shows and movies are often represented here, as well, and collectibles in this case can range from action figures to puzzles. Our favorite find in the last few years has been a collection of My Neighbor Totoro porcelain plates.

The perfect addition to your anime collectible action figure is a comic book to go with it. Don’t forget to browse through info books, game books and comic books near the collectibles case. Sometimes you can also find children’s reading and coloring books for smaller guests.

Lastly, no anime show obsession is complete without an outfit representing your favorite character. You can find various clothing items from hoodies and beanies, to socks and t-shirts, and even a few costumes in the kids section.

KAWAII MERCHANDISE

Japanese Cute Culture is showcased in several parts of the store, but the most notable portion is located just beyond the collectibles case. You’ll find all things cute from greeting cards to household accessories.

If you’re confused about “kawaii”, there’s a good primer over at My Modern Met.

Cute culture, or “Kawaii”, isn’t just reserved for your outfits here. Various home decor pieces, cleaning products and bathroom accessories can help infiltrate cuteness into every aspect of your home.

There is also a great selection of greeting cards for every occasion. Even if you’re not in need of one, this display case is worth your time. The Japanese sayings and drawings on the cards are some of the cutest combination of sentiments I’ve ever seen.

Mitsukoshi also has great food and beverage containers; my favorite being their Bento Boxes (careful, they can get pricey). And to complete your kawaii, you can find some great finishing touches to your outfit, like bows and hair clips or frilly socks.

But my favorite purchases here are beauty products so cute, you’ll have to buy multiple. I highly recommend getting the animal face masks, along with the lip balms and lotions with characters too cute for words.

TRADITONAL JAPANESE BUYS

Walking to the next section, you’ll notice a drastic change in merchandise. This part is great for finding all manner of traditional Japanese wear from socks and shoes to fans and hair pieces.

If you’re interested in history and traditional items, you can learn more about Mitsukoshi’s story on their store website.

The most unique and beautiful purchases are the authentic kimonos brought from Japan. There is a bamboo room full of men’s and women’s kimonos for all occasions with gorgeous floral designs using high quality thread.

To complete your kimono, take a look at the various fans hanging on the wall. Each paints a different picture of mostly stories in nature like ships on the ocean or cats playing in grass. Japanese slippers and socks will take your outfit to a whole new level.

If traditional clothing isn’t your thing, the potency of incense in the next room will certainly interest you. Those in the market for yoga studio or art gallery decor can certainly find great pieces here worth adding to your collection.

This entire section of the store is dedicated to Zen with captivating art pieces, incense burners and bonzai trees. There is even a little table dedicated to zen gardens, which are crafted carefully in tiny pots to bring joy and peace to the buyer.

KITCHEN PRODUCTS

My absolute favorite part of Mitsukoshi is the kitchen section at the back of the store. First, you’ll find a few garden decorations like flags and wind chimes, but then you’ll enter a room full of cutely painted pottery and decorated porcelain.

The most intriguing are the beautiful tea sets made of fine porcelain or clay. Each has a different theme or color and comes with one tea pot and four small cups. You can also find a few sushi sets that are similarly crafted, including long rectangular plates and soy sauce cups.

The ceramic pieces are my favorite to buy, especially the colorful children’s bowls and plates. They often include cute animals or sayings on them and are perfect size for cereal or ice cream. Pieces vary each time you visit the store, but there are almost always small bowls and plates here, as well as coffee cups and salt and pepper sets.

Another great find here, and definitely a budget-friendly buy, are the chopstick sets. You can get a great pair for children that includes an animated character that holds both ends together as they first learn to use chopsticks. Or you can get beautifully decorated or hand-painted ones for eating or display.

FOOD & BEVERAGE ITEMS

Mitsukoshi’s food and drink section is a gem for both kids and adults. A miniature grocery store fits in perfectly in a park already known for having incredible dining.

Our highly recommended, must-buy item in the food section of Mitsukoshi will always be the noodles. We get them every time we come to the store and the price is always very low. Our favorite noodles here are soy flavored and probably the best quick noodles we’ve ever had.

Another great buy is the green tea and matcha. You won’t find it anywhere else in the park and they come straight from Japan. They make a great gift idea paired with the tea sets, or just a cool souvenir from your day in the park.

For those with a sweet tooth, there’s no doubt you’ll be able to find a great candy or sugary snack to take with you. We love the Pandas, Pocki Sticks and mochi here. Other options include hard candies, fruit-flavored gummies, cookies and bean paste pancakes!

Adults and children unfamiliar with Japanese culture will more than likely be enthralled with some of the more unique food items found here. One of the walls consistently carries the likes of spicy crickets, fried squids, crunchy fiddler crabs and other crawly things packaged up for your eating enjoyment – or a fun prank on your traveling party.

Finally, the very back wall holds shelves upon shelves of Japanese Sake in cool containers for purchase. There is an attendant at the small bar for you to try before you buy, and there are also a few great sake cup sets that you can purchase with your drink.

Check out our guide to Drinking Around the World if you’re looking for some extra tips for drinking in Japan.

AKOYA PEARLS

Here we’ve saved the best for last! We took you on a tour through Mitsukoshi from front to back, but the most unique experience you could possibly have in the Japan Pavilion is purchasing a cultured pearl.

Here’s how you do it:

When you enter Mitsukoshi from the front, past the plush toys and near the collectible display case is a newly renovated counter with a built in water tank wrapping around it called the Pick-a-Pearl station. There is almost always a crowd eager to see what all the excitement is about.

You can always watch the experience, but if you’d like to get a cultured pearl for yourself, an employee will bring you to the front to choose an oyster from the water tank. Then the real magic happens!

No matter who’s working the Pick-a-Pearl station, there is sure to be a show. The castmember will take the oyster you’ve chosen from the tank and bang a drum with excitement about the pearl you’re about to receive.

They’ll make a big deal about opening the oyster to reveal the pearl inside and congratulate you on a beautiful purchase while measuring and cleaning it for you.

The pearls themselves are never guaranteed in size, shape or shade, so it’s truly a surprise at what’s inside each oyster. Once your pearl is retrieved from it’s oyster, you get to keep it as is or choose a jewelry setting for it. It makes a great experience for birthdays and special events!

Mitsukoshi Department Store has so many great things to offer every kind of guest that shops here. We’ve made an effort to include the best possible things to buy here, but the store is constantly updating it’s merchandise and you never know what you might find!

Planning a trip to Epcot?

We want to help! We put together some helpful information on each of Epcot’s countries for you to reference as you plan your trip. Find out what makes each country unique and get the details on the best things to do while you’re there.

For tips on the perfect grown-up day at Epcot, take a look at our Insider’s Guide to Epcot for Adults.