Daiso Finally Came to Kansas City, and I’ve Been Waiting Over a Decade
☕ Cool Girl City
Guys, I’m still recovering from the pure joy of walking into the new Daiso in Olathe, Kansas. You know how I get when anything kawaii or Japanese adjacent hits the Midwest, I was THERE on opening weekend with one of my many reusable DAISO shopping bags and a shopping list I had no intention of sticking to.
Update: The Kansas City metro now has two Daiso locations, in Olathe and Shawnee. This post was originally written after I visited the Olathe store on opening weekend.
I visited the famous Harajuku Daiso back in 2012 during my very first trip to Japan. (Ironically, my first time ever going to a Daiso was in Korea a year earlier.) I had the pleasure of exploring the famous Harajuku location tucked along the bustling, colorful streets of Takeshita-dori.
Over the last decade, I’ve traveled all over the U.S. just to shop at my favorite Japanese dollar store. I even interviewed the owner of the first Midwest adjacent Daiso store in the suburbs of Chicago back in 2019. So I’ve been about that DAISO life for decades!
So when Daiso finally opened in the Kansas City metro, this wasn’t just another store opening for me. It felt like a little piece of my travel history had followed me home.
What is a “Daiso?”
Located at 15201 W 119th St, this is the first Daiso in the Kansas City metro and one of only a handful in the entire Midwest.
For those new to the Daiso obsession, think of it as Japan’s version of a dollar store, except cuter, more organized, and full of things you didn’t know you needed until you saw them. (Mini soy sauce containers shaped like fish? Yes. Pastel bento box dividers? Say less.)
What Kind Of Products Do They Sell?
Inside, you’ll find the usual magic: kawaii stationery, home goods, kitchen gadgets, skincare, snacks, cleaning tools, and a wall of ramen and candy that’ll make your inner weeb squeal.
Most items are between $1.75 – $2.25, but there are also premium goods (like plushies, glassware, or larger kitchenware) marked accordingly, and totally worth it.
What I love about this new location is that it feels like a full Japanese experience. The layout is airy and super shoppable, and the staff? Adorable and so helpful.
I was walking around like a kid in a candy store (okay, literally in the candy section), picking up Hello Kitty sponges, mini rice molds, and a set of sakura-themed chopsticks I definitely didn’t need but 100% bought.
My top finds?
- Travel tissues in Calbee chips packaging (adorable!)
- Some great accessibility products that are great for my elderly grandmother.
- And of course, snacks. So many snacks.
Love discovering Asian sweets and bakeries around Johnson County?
I put together a free Asian Dessert Guide featuring some of my favorite places to try.
Small Rant
My only quarrel? They’re selling city-exclusive tote bags everywhere. It totally defeats the purpose of traveling somewhere and picking up a souvenir that actually means something.
I literally shopped at the Daiso in the New York/Jersey area and picked up THAT city specific tote bag as a memento of my time there. Those were special because I was there.
So what’s the point if you can just stroll down the street in Olathe and snag a “souvenir” I traveled to get? That’s like Kansas selling “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” magnets. Oh wait, this Daiso does sell Las Vegas tote bags. Insert eye roll. See the problem?
RANT OVER
Are You Sold Yet?
Aside from that, if you’re looking for a quick escape to Japan without booking a flight or selling your car, get to Daiso in Olathe STAT. Go on a weekday if you can, the weekends have been wild, and make sure to bring a tote bag and a spending limit. (Or live on the no-budget edge like I do.)
Let me know what you pick up when you go, and tag me on IG so I can live vicariously through your hauls!
🛍️ Happy shopping, friends!
April Jay 💕
I thought I had to travel across the world to experience other cultures. Then I realized the world had quietly arrived in my own backyard. Globally Layered KC is my invitation to experience Kansas City’s international neighborhoods, cafés, cultures, and communities – one story at a time.
Start exploring Kansas City →Cool Girl City follows neighborhood walks, local rituals, hidden cafés, everyday conversations, and the small moments that reveal a city’s personality. These stories are about experiencing a destination the way the people who live there do.
