Historic Japanese Marketplace Closes on Belmont (PHOTOS)

J. Toguri Mercantile, Lake View’s Japanese marketplace near the corner of Clark Street and Belmont Avenue, closed in February after 65 years in business.

The large, 15,000-square-foot storefront sold everything from specialized Japanese cooking ingredients to bonsai supplies, according to Anime Chicago. It’s now up for sale for $3.3 million. Signs written in English and Japanese sits in the windows while workers continue to clear out the space at 851 W. Belmont Ave.

More interestingly, though, J. Toguri held a historical significance dating back to World War II. The store was owned and operated by Iva Toguri and her family.

The U.S. military detained Toguri, better known as “Tokyo Rose,” after she was falsely accused of treason for participating in propaganda broadcasts during the war. President Gerald Ford later pardoned her in 1977 when an investigation found witnesses were lying during the trial.

Toguri passed away in 2006.

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