I have been searching high and low for a shoe cabinet that would fit in with my parents' Chinese artwork and rosewood furniture. That search ended here at Eastern Classics. I stopped in by recommendation of my brother who found a really cool vintage manekineko here, but wasn't sure what I would find. The shop is full of surprises in every nook and cranny from tansu cabinets (anitque and replica) to kokeshi dolls, pottery, Japanese woodworking, and all sort of sculptures and nick knacks. In my first visit, this small tabletop drawer caught my eye. It had the perfect dimensions to elevate our samurai helmet and its cushion it was sitting on. In my second visit, I went back for the replica shoe cabinet. It was on the smaller end of what I was looking for but I was convinced this is probably the closest I'd get to finding something after all this time, so I bought it. As a replica, I had hoped it wouldn't cost a lot but it still had a heft price tag of about $900. I was a bit uneasy about spending that money on something that wasn't the absolute perfect size but once I got back and set everything up, it felt perfect in the space. A tad small but not too small that it would look out of place. A giant tiger scroll painting had caught my eye and that sent me back for a third time in a week. Picked it up early as a birthday present for my dad who was born in the year of the tiger. These pieces are not easy to come by, especially not a scroll of this size. I relented and purchased it. I think that'll be it for stopping in for awhile. It's too easy to find nice pieces at this shop. The antiques were well-curated and reminded me of perusing shops in old villages in Japan. The owner, Jay, was great to work with. I highly recommend checking this place out, even if you don't plan on buying anything. It's such a neat shop! read more

Eastern Classics - Accessory tower was the perfect base for our helmet & cushion. - Furniture Stores Near Me - Berkeley, California

Super chill vibe and cute store for antique lovers out there. I was almost tempted to buy these vintage Japanese tea set but resisted. Lots of Asian antiques and would definitely be back even if just to look around. read more

purchased a small set of Japanese laquerware plates. they came is a display box. The display box has a large, significant crack down the side that was very conveniently left out of the photos and description on the website. this damage prevents the lid from staying in place and instead just falls off. This prevents this item from being stored properly or used as a display piece. I am very disappointed. read more

Cute store. I love ceramic cups. The cups were kind of pricy but there were some imperfect ones for a somewhat lesser price. They have a lot of Japanese antiques. The store was pretty big. Staff was really friendly and kind as well. read more

Exceptional Japanese antiques and amazing customer service. Jay is so kind! I can't wait to shop again soon. Super happy with everything I purchased - all items were even more beautiful in person! Highly recommended!! read more

Excellent service and beautiful product. I purchased a refurbished Meiji era tansu. It is obviously vintage, but restored beautifully. The customer service by Jay was impeccable. The tansu came quickly. It is perfect. read more

Bought two small tansu chests and a metal stand to support them stacked on top of each other. Love their look and their finish. Drawers open and close easily, and there is a locking mechanism on one of them. Also on another visit bought a stool shaped like a goldfish, painted red. Get lots of compliments on it. Good quality items, beautifully displayed in the store and in the windows, and courteous customer service. read more

Eastern Classics - Painted wooden stool shaped like a fish. - Furniture Stores Near Me - Berkeley, California

My dad has been on the lookout for a Japanese style hanging lantern for his outdoor garden, especially during this pandemic. We even tried looking anywhere online. Unfortunately we didn't find one here but the worker was so nice and honest about what they had to offer and with the price. They have wooden paper lanterns that have lights attached but if you want those outside, they can't be in the rain or wind or else they'd get destroyed. For outdoor lanterns, they have the huge stone ones which are expensive. I would definitely come back here if I were looking for authentic Japanese house settings! read more

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My wife and I love everything Eastern Classics has to offer. We bought a tansu and a divider from this store. Our buying experience was just awsome beyond belief. Jay helped us through the whole process .. The delivery was ontime, right on the dot and very professional. Keep up the great customer service. We will come back to your store, not only because of those products you have but excellent customer service. read more

Update: the rod of my dresser recently collapsed, and what I found is that they used a nail gun and glue to affix to a cheap, thin, cracking wall in the dresser. Incredibly shoddy workmanship! read more

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I love this place! I always come here when I need a little decor refresh. Such beautiful furniture and accents. This place is a gem!

I've been checking out this store for years before finally pulling the trigger and buying four pieces of bedroom furniture. Each were modern reproductions of antique Japanese furniture and they're beautiful. The prices were about right. They seem to be well built. The larger drawers are self-closing but the smaller drawers are not. The wood they use is very light in weight and that seems alarming at first, but so far so good. The upside of this is that the furniture is ridiculously easy to lift and move. Jay is the man to talk to at Eastern Classics. They stored our furniture after it arrived and until we were ready for it to be delivered. They also referred us to a third party delivery service which worked out fine. I give Jay and Eastern Classics my rare five stars and highest recommendation. read more

Beware, Beware, Beware of this owners shyster business practices! I recommend to never attempt to purchase an antique from him. I purchased one online, then he sold it out from under me, then tried to upsell me on a similar product that was more than double the price - seemed like classic Bait and Switch! He could care less when I complained. One star only because zero was not an option. Buy from this unethical-shyster-tactics-practicing owner at your own risk! read more

We special ordered cabinet door panels from Jay. The quality of the ash-wood panels surpassed our expectations and we are very happy with our product and the service received. The outcome of our project turned out beautifully! We truly appreciate Jay's expertise and help. Would highly recommend this place. read more

This place is absolutely exceptional. I just received my beautiful custom made tansu and it far exceeded my expectations in quality and craftsmanship. Jay, whom I worked with to order my piece, provided excellent service throughout my experience. He is very courteous and very quick to respond. What was entirely unique about my experience, was that I completely designed and ordered my tansu dresser through email correspondence. I hadn't been in the store until I had picked up my piece. Jay provided timely updates, very detailed design specs in PDF format as well as pictures of the progress on my piece throughout the process. I was completely blown away when I came and picked it up. The craftsmanship and attention to detail far exceeded my expectations. I was delightfully surprised to see some modern (but hidden) touches on my dresser: soft closing rails *under* the drawers. First, I didn't assume it would even have rails on the drawers, let alone under them. This thoughtful design is important and I want to call this out, because it absolutely and unequivocally preserves the beauty and look of the tansu at no expense to the aesthetic appeal of the furniture; I was absolutely blown away and very happy! I can't recommend this place enough. Jay is great to work with. I will certainly be coming back for future purchases, custom or otherwise. I'd like to say, the store is quite nice with some readily available piece to purchase. They are stunning. You won't be sorry and I would strongly encourage anyone to explore this place. Also the price point is extremely good! read more

Curses! I deliberately had NOT written a review for this place, which I discovered on my way to REI back in July - because I am a selfish woman, and wanted to keep this treasure trove to myself!!! No - seriously - I'm that selfish; I really am. They feature an amazing selection of tansu chests and cabinets (custom orders available with about 2 months lead time), lighting elements, fountains, vases, noren and just about everything else you'd want or need to give your environment some very affordable, quality Eastern Flava! Obviously, this is very important to me, since I grew up in a house filled with sensible furniture from Sears that was completely devoid of the "Asian" esthetic. I am making it up for it now... that's for sure. There are some original, older pieces, as well as reproduction prints, posters and scrolls... Basically, it's one of those places that you should visit - often... Unless you want to be my friend, in which case: you should stay completely away from this place. read more

It's a secretly hidden home decor business and they do RETAIL! Ever since I found out this place, I keep going back to buy house warming gifts for all my friends. Jay is very helpful and knowledgeable on his products. Although I think their main focus is on tansu, cabinets, etc those big japanese furnitures, (which are all amazing!) they also carry lots of small home decorations, beautifully made(and that's why I keep going back to shop for gifts). Hopefully when I'm ready to decorate my own place, Jay will give me a good discount for return customer. read more

Choba dansu (Japanese merchant chest) that looks amazing with many styles of décor. My husband and I found this delightful family-run business in Oakland, CA, as we were passing through on our way to the airport flying home to NYC. We quickly determined that the quality of craftsmanship was excellent and we could select one of a number of new tansus in the showroom, order one of the set designs in choice of wood, or even customize the design. When we returned home we were very comfortable working with Jay Yin re: the details of our furniture piece. He showed very good design sense and his renderings were invariably accurate for every detail we requested. Also, his responses were so quick that we never felt that the job lagged. And the price was so affordable we will be going back for more. Even if you are wary about purchasing furniture pieces online, you might want to consider a purchase from this very unusual business as the commitment to quality and professionalism is quite remarkable. I'll try to post photos of the piece so you can see the finished product. read more

Eastern Classics - Merchant chest in solid elm wood with a natural finish. - Furniture Stores Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I adore this shop. It's the kind of place in which I could poke around for hours. I had the good fortune of stumbling upon their shop on Etsy or maybe a Craigslist ad (don't remember which), and their furniture is every bit as wonderful as the pictures -- no, better! I bought a beautiful tansu cabinet. Very reasonably priced, excellent quality with dovetail joinery. Everyone was super helpful at the store. The lady even wiped dust off the cabinet, then they wrapped it up in protective material before we put it in the car. The weekend I went, they were having a 20% off sale, so I got my cabinet at a fantastic price. They have nice lanterns, wood tea canisters, fountains, salt and pepper shakers, and other smaller items that I want to go back and purchase someday. Lots of great housewarming or wedding gifts. A few days after I made my purchase, I decided that I also wanted to buy the metal stand, so I called that in. They charged my card and allowed a friend of mine to pick up the stand for me so I didn't have to go all the way back to Berkeley for it. One thing to note is that returns are not allowed. Double check measurements and be sure you want what you buy. I knew exactly what I wanted, so I had no problem, but I wanted to mention the no return policy since it could be a deal breaker for some people. Every time I see my tansu, I smile. Keep up the great work, Eastern Classics! read more

Eastern Classics is a treasure trove of exceptional items that have been imported almost exclusively from Japan. Each time my wife and I have been to that store in Berkeley, we departed as though we had just returned from Japan -- or at the least from a Japanese museum. She and I are not quick to fully and unequivocally endorse businesses, but if it were possible we would grant Eastern Classics many more than just the 5 stars that are possible. Nicholas J. Feduska, M.D, -- Henderson, Nevada and Scottsdale, Arizona. read more

The wife and I purchased a nice tansu with a teak finish here. The salesperson was friendly and knowledgeable when we first visited the store. He was also very friendly when we emailed him asking about a particular style of tansu. They modified the tansu to meet our specifications for free, were incredibly fast about making the modification (1 hr), and were very flexible with their delivery options for a cheap price (even though we ended up just fitting it in our car. It was a decent price and solid wood. I felt like this was a family business (a son who sells and a dad who is the woodworker) worth supporting. The tansu was a perfect fit for what we were looking for, and I would definitely return if I needed something with Asian flair. read more

Great easy experience! I had been looking at a tantsu (Japanese style storage cabinet) in San Francisco but the store owner was crabby and difficult. Also the price was $200 more than this beauty from Eastern classics and more than I wanted to pay. Jay was the nicest, most gracious person and made the purchase so easy and relaxed. He and his dad even delivered the piece the next day on a Sunday morning. And when they came over Jay told me how to get the nicks and scratches out of the old tantsu that was already in my office. I can't recommend this business more! read more

First heard about Eastern Classics from a friend, who knew we were shopping around for a Japanese tansu. When I emailed to ask about a certain piece, I was pleasantly surprised by the quick response and competitive pricing. The store is small, but has many beautiful pieces and inspirational ideas! Jay was incredibly helpful & friendly. We even chatted about a custom piece, which he sketched up for us the following day. Knowing we were from out of town, he graciously offered to meet us on Sunday (they're closed) so we wouldn't have to spend the weekend driving around town with a tansu in our car. We are excited to purchase more pieces from Eastern Classics, as well as to refer anyone and everyone to this gem. Places like this are hard to find, but hopefully will thrive and continue to provide customers with a wonderful shopping experience like we had! read more

I bought two pieces from Eastern Classics -- a vintage Japanese tansu and a repro end table. Very happy with both. Tansu was better looking than the photograph, which was a very pleasant surprise. All communications with Jay of Eastern Classics were excellent. He was very responsive to all my emails and willing to accommodate special requests regarding shipping to NYC where I live. He found the best shipping price and the pieces arrived in a great shape, very professionally wrapped. All around very pleased with the pieces, the prices and the service I received. Highly recommended. read more

As I live in NYC, I wasn't able to visit the store to see the items in person. So I was a bit nervous about buying a couple of dressers sight unseen. But after reading the Yelp reviews and corresponding with Jay, I was feeling good about it. It was a pleasure to deal with Jay. He's very prompt with responding and on top of everything. I received the items today and everything was fabulous! Very happy with my purchase experience. If you're not located in the Bay area and unable to visit the store, I wouldn't hesitate to order online. The dressers are well-made and are a good value. read more

I purchased a tansu to be used to display art work. Jay worked with me to design the top section so that it has a shoji design. The shoji section ordered was a touch too wide. Jay sent a great person to my home and have it "planed." The unit is beautiful. Karen H. read more

Jay at Eastern Classics provided a great buying experience. The furniture is well-made and really beautiful. I bought a large chest. Is is cleverly made in three pieces, making it easily usable in new spaces, if necessary. They held it for me until I could make arrangements to pick it up, they had it boxed and ready for pick up and they loaded the sections for us. I am very pleased with this exceptional piece of furniture and with the service from Eastern Classics. They also sell on Etsy for those not close to Berkeley. read more

I have always wanted a Tansu but I also have to admit that I am a bit superstitious and I sometimes worry about the history of the piece, like who owned it? What did they keep in it. I searched all over and came across Eastern Classics. This store is amazing! Their modern Tansu are well made. They also have a really good selection of Buddha statues, Jizu and other meditation items. I worked with Jay on a custom made piece. I simply sketched out my idea and he did a few renderings and two months later I have my custom piece. LOVE IT. read more

I had seen the ads for eastern classics several times on craigslist while looking for Japanese tansus and had always admired the photos. When I was finally in the market for a 'tansu-style' bed, I finally contacted them. Jay at Eastern Classics was incredibly helpful. I wanted a king-sized bed to match my existing futon tansu. He was able to promptly give me a ballpark cost estimate over email and invited me to come by the showroom to talk about details. Jay and his dad were extremely friendly and eager to hear about what I wanted for my bed. From a photo and a door and a drawer from my futon tansu, they were able to identify the type of wood that would match exactly and they even knew that they could match the drawer handles. We went over ideas of what would be best...drawers and/or sliding doors, slats or a platform top, and best dimensions...and came up with a design. I left the showroom feeling confident that Jay and his dad understood exactly what I wanted and that they had even made great suggested improvements on my original ideas. Jay followed up with CAD drawings with exact measurements and I knew these guys totally knew what they were doing. A few weeks later, Jay sent me photos of the bed from the manufacturing studio and I was absolutely thrilled. It was even better than what I'd pictured in my head. When it came time for delivery, Jay was again super cool and courteous. He set up a convenient time, was totally punctual & was totally respectful of my home (took off his shoes when he came in, was careful to protect the wood floors, etc). I have been totally happy with my custom tansu-style bed. Not only does everything completely match, the drawer pulls are actually of better quality than on my existing futon tansu. The price of the bed was completely reasonable for a quality bed, let alone one of high quality material and craftsmanship that is custom designed to match my futon tansu. If you are looking for real furniture - real wood, not MDF; quality craftsmanship, not something you put together yourself with dowels and cam locks - check out what they have at Eastern Classics. These are true classics - furniture that you will keep forever. And so much more reasonably priced than say, Berkeley Mills (is it just me or does everything a Berkeley Mills cost more than my car?) I would definitely buy from Eastern Classics again. Their entertainment center, storage tansus, and shoe bench are on my wish list. Jay and his dad are really very nice people to work with. They even have a nice dog at the showroom. read more

We just received our custom made step tansu and are thrilled with it! Jay was so patient and helpful when we described what we would like to have done. It took awhile but seeing it here in our living room today it is a combination of majestic and magnificent beauty! Thank you Eastern Classics for a fantastic piece of art! Nancy & David L read more

It took us years to find our dream home in the country. When we finally did, we knew our furnishings would be Asian-themed. We had always envisioned having a tansu in our home, having admired them for decades. When it came to shopping for one, we hit a snag... until we discovered Eastern Classics, in Berkeley. After perusing their website, we visited their showroom, and were met by an exquisite bounty of Asian furniture, including storage units, lanterns, norens, screens and other assorted furnishings. We even viewed the actual tansu featured on their website -- and then knew we had come to the right place. Shortly after our arrival, Jay Yin introduced himself and asked if we had any questions. We talked for about 30 minutes and soon put pencil to paper and came up with a sketch. With Jay managing the front end of the business (guiding customers and conceptualizing what they're looking for, as well as sales and marketing), and his father overseeing the manufacturing of each custom piece, theirs is truly a family business which works pretty seamlessly. On our subsequent follow-up calls and visits, we found Jay to be extremely helpful, patient and knowledgeable, and really great to work with. We received our custom-built tansu right on schedule, and ever since its delivery we have found ourselves staring at it with huge smiles on our faces, admiring the beauty of it. It is the centerpiece of our dream home and we are so proud to show it off to visitors. We have recommended Eastern Classics to our family and friends, and can't wait to work with Jay and his father again on another custom piece, this time for our master bedroom. We are certain it will be another beautiful addition to our dream home. read more

Jay at Eastern Classics is a class act and we love their pieces - we own several and they have held up well over the years. Our last custom order came in too dark. He was happy to take it back, order us a new one and deliver it again! He and his dad had a great attitude. He is professional, trustworthy and the dresser is gorgeous. We are very happy with Eastern Classics and would highly recommend them to anyone. read more

I have some tansus that my parents acquired when they lived in Tokyo 30 years ago, so I knew about this distinctive style of cabinet. When I moved recently, I had a need for a dresser for my bedroom, after using an Ikea-style cabinet for the last few years as an interim solution. I looked through the stores, websites, and catalogs of the main furniture chains, not getting excited about anything I saw, until I saw something called a "campaign chest." I soon realized that the reason the campaign chest stuck out for me was that it was similar to a tansu, with metal reinforcing the corners, so I then started an online search for "tansu" and found the Eastern Classics website. This place must keep a really low profile, because I lived in San Francisco for 12 years and had never heard of Eastern Classics, but back then I wasn't in need of a tansu, either. Anyway, I decided to buy a tansu without visiting the showroom, which was a gamble because of the no-return policy, but I liked a dresser that I found on the Eastern Classics website more than anything else I had seen. I emailed to ask if I could buy a stand as well (a 3" tall metal stand is mentioned by some of the items, but you cannot select it and put it into the cart. Just email Eastern Classics and request the stand if you want one), and after exchanging a couple of emails with Jay, soon I received an invoice. Once I paid with my credit card, the tansu was on its way to me, sent in three parts (two modules for the dresser, and the stand) via Federal Express. Though it cost about $400 to ship it cross-country, everything was packaged well, with styrofoam on all sides, so that there were no marks on my dresser when it arrived. With the help of a friend, it was easy to stack the pieces to make my dresser. I soon filled it with my clothes and find that it works very well, with the drawers sliding smoothly and the sliding doors gliding on their tracks. I am delighted with my dresser and am considering purchasing a second piece. These are distinctive pieces of furniture that will stand out, because most of your neighbors, especially on the East Coast, have probably never heard the word "tansu." read more

This was my first time getting custom furniture and Jay made the whole process go smoothly and my tansu is better than I hoped for! Jay knows his stuff and went through the steps with me to decide upon the proper measurements and treatment of the kiri wood (I mentioned that the tansu would be slightly covering a floor vent, so he made sure to use a veneer to prevent warping and cracking). He was prompt with email replies and the delivery was free, since I live so close to the show room. I'm pinching pennies for a nightstand next! read more

This place is great. Authentic Japanese style case goods. Great staff and great selection.

My family has been using them for years when we grew up, had kids, and upgraded from portable furniture. We've had a number of custom furniture pieces made including a kitchen tansu, office tansu, guest room armoire, bedside tables, and many others. The furniture is very well made, reasonably priced, and made to last for more than a lifetime. It's a family owned business and the son, Jay, is great at helping you design exactly what you want. read more

Eastern Classics is truly an amazing find - I found the store online, and after several phone calls to Jay, I ordered two custom bathroom vanities. Simply put, I could not be happier. Jay (the main salesperson) was really patient, helpful, flexible, and personable. And the quality of the craftsmanship of these two tansu cabinets is indescribable - they're made of solid wood, with beautiful iron work, and drawers that slide smoothly and fit perfectly. The prices are quite reasonable, especially for the quality of the furniture, and shipping costs to LA weren't bad either. Of course, if you buy custom furniture from them, you have to be willing to wait a few months for delivery, but it's worth it. Again, i could NOT be happier, and hope to go back for more. The store has lots of antiques and newly made furniture - very enjoyable to explore. read more