About Us

Who are we?

Iisaka Station is a small upcoming retail LLC, owned and operated solely by Forrest Reed, age 30, of Cleveland, Georgia.

Iisaka Station was established in September 2023, followed by our e-commerce launch in December. In 2024, we’ll be expanding our presence into a Pop-Up shop at local festivals, events, and markets.

In Fall 2025, our goal is to attend the JapanFest weekend in Atlanta, and in 2026 we will be opening our own physical retail location.

What is Iisaka Station? What does it mean?

In life, sometimes people get lost or left behind at the station, and lose sight of their hopes and dreams. At Iisaka Station, we pick up where we once left off and make old dreams come true.

I’ve been a student of Japanese language, animation, and culture, since approximately age 12. From age 13 to 15, I studied Japanese through the Irasshai program directed by Professor Tim Cook (チっム先生).
At 17, I studied and tutored Japanese for two and a half years at University of North Georgia, formerly Gainesville State College. Then I received a retroactive check from the Pell Grant for my good grades and spent the whole $3,500 to go to Japan for two and a half months, where I celebrated my 20th birthday and worked with the WWOOF (World-Wide Organization of Organic Farming) Program, to study rural Japanese life and farming methods. 

After returning home, life happened and I lost my way. It took all of ten years to fully restore my passion for Japanese language learning and culture… Which is why I am now proud to present: IISAKA STATION, the one and only stop shop for all your Japanese needs! Gather ’round and prepare for good stories and a great time!