Kiku Imports Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What does tansu mean?
What does Kiku mean?
Does Kiku Imports have a store near me?
What are your store hours? How can I contact Kiku Imports?
Where do you get your tansu?
What is the difference between a "tansu" and a "dansu"?

Purchasing Items from Kiku Imports

Can I order from Kiku Imports online?
Are all of the items in the online catalog currently available?
Can I purchase the textiles, lacquerware, or other small items I see displayed with the tansu in the online catalog?
Will I have to pay sales tax?
What is the condition of the items in the online catalog?
Does Kiku Imports sell to antique dealers or designers?

Shipping Questions

Can Kiku Imports arrange shipping? How about outside the U.S.?
How much will shipping cost? How long will it take?
How will the items be shipped?
Can I make my own shipping arrangements, or pick up the items myself?
Returns

Can I return an item if I am not satisfied with it?
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General Questions

What does tansu mean?

Although tansu is often used as a general term for Japanese furniture, it actually means chest or container. The broad use of the term tansu is understandable when one considers the wide variety of uses associated with Japanese tansu, including tansu used as money safes and document safes, dressers, wardrobes, shoe cabinets, bedding chests, linen cabinets, cabinets to store objects of the tea ceremony, kitchen cabinets, food cabinets, book shelves and ship's chests. For examples, check out our online catalog.

What does Kiku mean?

Kiku is the Japanese word for chrysanthemum.

Does Kiku Imports have a store near me?

The Kiku Imports showroom is at 1420 Sutter Street in San Francisco, about four blocks from Japantown. For directions, see our map page.
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What are your store hours? How can I contact Kiku Imports?

We are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Please see our contact page for e-mail, phone numbers, etc.

Where are the tansu in the online catalog from?

All of our tansu are shipped directly from Japan.

What is the difference between a "tansu" and a "dansu"?

The terms "tansu" and "dansu" are really the same word. When "tansu" is used together with another word, the "t" becomes a "d", resulting in "dansu".
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Purchasing Items from Kiku Imports

Can I order from Kiku Imports online?

If you are interested in purchasing an item from our online catalog, please contact us via e-mail, phone, fax or mail. Since shipping costs vary by item and shipping location, we will be happy to get shipping quotes for you.

Are all of the items in the online catalog currently available?

The online catalog is updated at least once daily. This means that almost all of the items are available at any given time.
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Can I purchase the textiles, lacquerware, or other small items I see displayed with the tansu in the online catalog?

We would be happy to check on availability of any of the items we carry. Please provide us with as detailed a description as possible of the item in which you are interested.

Will I have to pay sales tax?

Residents of California are required to pay 8.5% sales tax.

What is the condition of the items in the online catalog?

All of our tansu receive comprehensive refinishing, including repair of hardware, wood and restoration of the wood finish. Most of the tansu are 70-120+ years old, so they all have some patina of wear even after refinishing.

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Are the items in the online catalog all antiques or are they new?

Most of the tansu were made between 1870 and 1930. Some of them look new because they have been refinished.

Does Kiku Imports sell to antique dealers or designers?

Kiku Imports welcomes wholesale customers. Please contact us for more information.
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Shipping Questions

Can Kiku Imports arrange shipping? How about outside the U.S.?

We can arrange shipping just about anywhere.

How much will shipping cost? How long will it take?

Shipping costs vary greatly according to destination and size of shipment. We are happy to get quotes for a specific item to your area.

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How will the items be shipped?

Smaller items will be shipped via U.P.S. We use several international freight companies to handle larger shipments.

Can I make my own shipping arrangements, or pick up the items myself?

Of course!
Can I return an item if I am not satisfied with it?

For out of state purchases, you may return an item within one week of receipt and we will give you a refund check. Please contact us immediately if there is any problem with your purchase. All refunds will be issued via company check. However, customer will incur all shipping costs.