Neighborhood Side Streets

Ebisu Gift Shop 351 East 82nd StreetEbisu, named for the Japanese god of fishermen and fortune, is a small wonderland filled with Japanese toys, gadgets, and mementos. For anyone familiar with anime, Miyazaki, or Japanese culture, there are familiar faces, such as Totoro, Pusheen, and Hello Kitty.

Owner Ely Wami arrived in the United States in 2000 and owned a Japanese restaurant called Inase on the UES. She decided to open Ebisu in 2014, noting that high-quality Japanese toys were difficult to find in New York City.

For more photos and side streets, go to sideways.nyc.