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Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
I lurve Mitsuwa. If there's ever a japanese recipe calling for an authentic ingredient, I know I can find it here. I purchased my electric takoyaki grilling machine thing here as well as the mix and tako.
I love their pickle corner, I haven't been back since the remodeling. so not sure if it's still in same area. More samples please :)
If you find ethnic markets as interesting as I do, and enjoy perusing rows and rows of obscure and interesting foods, definitely hit up Mitsuwa.
Excellent store to get all your Japanese imported goods. It's located in Strawberry Plaza. There's an amazing variety of items; household belongings, snacks, candy, sake, nari, sauces and so on. Majority of the items are classic. When you see it you'll immediately go "oooooh yeahhh"
Price-wise, it's rather on the upscale; probably to cover the shipping costs. The cash registers are quick and usually have at least 2 open. BTW, return policy is 1 week.
There's also two restaurants inside, a dessert store and video store. It closes at 8pm, so make sure to get your grocery shopping done early.
I adore this market!
I love that fact that there's a little food place where you can eat Japanese food before shopping. The food is served hot and fresh, cash only. The market has all kinds of Japanese food, at a reasonable price. I try to come here at least once a week because I love the food and the price here. The staff here are really kind also. Oh, and it is very clean and organized!
If you love Japanese things, this is the place for you. Being a sushi fiend this place is pit stop must before heading back to the east bay, I gotta get me some fresh tuna!
Okay, I kinda hate to do this, but am lowering my review rating for this place. My wife and I shop at Mitsuwa a lot and pretty much on every weekend for grocery.
About a year ago or so, I know that they brought in the new store manager all the way from Chicago to rejuvenate this super market. My wife and I watched, observed, and talked about the semi-transformation that it has gone through since then. They include:
+ Changed the store floor layout around the fresh produce section (Good!) and lowered the shelves for easier access to some of the items.
+ Brought in J-Sweet (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) that also sells cakes from Satura (http://www.yelp.com/bi..., http://www.yelp.com/bi..., http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
+ Moved smaller tenant stores into the vacant space that was formally occupied by Kinokuniya Bookstore, to create the space for J-Sweet, and also to get rid of Toto washlet toilet seats from our sights while eating at Miyabitei (http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
+ Brought in Santouka Ramen Shop (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) that is getting many glowing Yelp reviews.
Those are all good. But, there have been some really bad and not-so-good things that we also have observed, which I consider are worthy of a lower review. They are:
- They started selling this really high-end and expensive Miyazaki Beef (or Miyazaki Wagyu) (http://www.purewagyu.c...). Apparently, it's been too expensive for them to sell them quickly, and we have seen some packages with meat starting to turn color! They were still trying to sell them with a major discount. Have some self-respect, and most of all, some respect to your customers, Mitsuwa!
- By bringing in Santoka, they had to get rid of the kitchen where they used to make packaged sushi and lunch boxes. Instead, now they are catered by Miyake (based on a conversation by staffers that I overheard. http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and/or Hoshi (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). My personal experiences with those two restaurants have been very underwhelming, and that shows in the general quality of their take-out food with more pseudo-sushi rolls than ever!
- My wife ate a pack of Kazunoko (http://japanesefood.ab...) from Mitsuwa and had a food poisoning. Overall quality of Sashimi here also seems going downhill lately. For us, this is no longer a place to buy Sashimi. We head over to Nijiya Market, instead.
It is still a convenient store for us to shop, so we will still keep coming here. But, we have been getting really disappointed lately and reducing our reliance on Mitsuwa.
Here are a few minor updates for this place.
1) You can now purchase cakes made by Satura at JSweet,…
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Alex K. and I were feeling a bit under the weather (if you catch my drift) and starved so we made our way to Mitsuwa to scope out the newly added Ramen menu we saw on our last visit.
Ramen or Curry w/Rice ... I went for Curry today since I haven't had it in a great while. If you are expecting potatoes, carrots and beef this is just basic curry- ya know with the beef chunks and onion slices. Served next to rice topped with bits of pickled plums. Gosh, it just hits the spot on a cold, rainy day. Alex had the Ramen Set which had a bowl of Shoyu Ramen, a smaller portion of curry w/rice and a side salad.
Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! I am going to have to try everything here, I am fiending for Takoyaki. Don't forget to give the supermarket a quick run, like we did to drool over tasty looking products (especially Tarato's Caramel Corn). It is the food of champions, kinda.
Mmm, mmm, mmm.
A tip for those who like to shop whilst hungry, do not - I repeat do not when coming…
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I love this place, its so JDM!
I go here to get lunch sometimes heading back from school. I always order the lunch special ramen with curry. I hate curry, but after tasting japanese curry, i was hooked!
Shopping here can get a bit pricey, but the snacks here are just so tempting... =D its way to cute to neglect so I end up buying their product.
I like how they have a pre-made food section. The sushi and bentos here are yummy.
I love this place. It's so clean and organized compared to Vietnamese grocery stores, but I guess the cleanliness comes with a higher price. So much more expensive than Vietnamese grocery store. But it is my go to place for sake, sushi grade fish and Japanese candy!! Woohoo!!
Love it here! Like its SoCal brother, it's spacious and full of variety.
The samples here are A W E S O M E.
Unlike some other Japanese markets, this one has reasonably priced produce. Purchase with confidence!
The first time I came here must have been an off day for this store. I ended up coming back this past Sunday, even though I said I never would, and I am glad that I did!
I was there for my usuals; mirin, furikake, dashi, red pepper flakes, and hot Japanese curry roux. I was able to find everything with ease, however a butcher stopped and asked me if I needed any assistance finding anything!
Then the ring up process; the cashier was very kind, courteous and expedient.
I am all over Mitsuwa from here on out! I can't wait to try their food court!
Ok I've been the token guera in many an Asian grocery store, but I have never been treated as poorly… Read more »
I'm totally a fan!
My aunt was feeling bold enough to make some home-made sushi yesterday and the first grocery store that came to mind, for all the sushi-making goods, was Mitsuwa. She's driven by this place several times before but never had a reason to check it out until yesterday.
I can't find the right words to explain how it felt walking into a Japanese market; I was both excited and giddy. Check it out for yourself and you'll know what I'm talking about. Everything was so foreign, clean, and fresh.
There was an awesome tea and green noodle sampling stand set up in the middle of the market. I tried the tea and it was really good. I mean, it better be good because they were selling a small bag for about $50! The green noodle was advertised as being all natural, not fried, and no msg added. Sounds healthy, right? Well, I'm not a fan because I couldn't really taste any significant differences from any other instant noodle.
They had a lot of fresh fish for making sushi; tuna, hamachi, salmon, octopus, squid, yellowtail, mackerel, and unagi are just some of what I remember. They also had a huge sake selection, premium meats (for example, wagyu beef), and a small fast-food court area.
We spent a total of about $65 for 2 small packages of fresh sea weed salad, 3 varieties of fresh fish, two bags of edamame, sushi rice, avocados, 2 pre-marinated packages of unagi, and imitation crab. It's pretty expensive but it beats going to a restaurant and we get to make it ourselves. We had a couple of problems finding stuff but each time we approached a worker, they were very friendly and more than happy to help us.
When we left, we were suckered into buying a pound of roasted chestnuts for $10! We couldn't help ourselves--we had a sample and it was just too sweet and tasty to pass up!
P.S.
They only accept Visa and Mastercard, no Discover and AMEX.
I remember the first time I went here, It was I gone to heaven haha. So back in high school my friends and me would ditch and come here. It super clean plus their a little cute food court and the food is actually pretty good. They use to have those japanese picture things where you can decorate your pictures, me and my friend would spend tons of money just taking pictures over and over, and they use to also have a really cute gift shop, but thats all gone=[ It's okay because the warm and fresh food makes up for it. The food is pretty cheap. I love their beauty sections, Their eyelashes are just oh so cute. You should try their Japanese mayonnaise with siracha(sp?) sauce. Its the bomb when you eat it with burritos!mhhmmmm
I stopped by today to pick up some items for some homemade sushi. It was my first time ever!! Gosh, I'm lame.
I immediately noticed the table outside where some people were freshly roasting chestnuts. I've never tried it but it seems to be a big thing for the Japanese.
Upon entering, I found what I was looking for... nori, tekka sashimi, sake sashimi, masago - capelin roe (cheaper than topiko - flying fish roe), seaweed salad, and some cooked unagi.
Everything totaled around $45.
We were in and out and on our way.
PS. They don't accept AMEX.
I love this market.
I love everything Japanese!
This market is massive, clean, and full of goodies! I…
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Basically, if you live in San Jose or you like your asian markets, you've got to go here.
I swear I'm not an alcoholic, but I was particularly amazed at the selection of alcohol they had available. Anywhere from specialty beers, sake, soju, wines, etc.
Everything from the meats, the different juices, noodles, and even candy!! Such a great selection of everything and they're all quality stuff.. If I lived closer I swear I'd go here every week.
Not to mention, they've got a little food court that has two eateries.. one serving mainly ramen and little rice bowls, and the other serving more along the side of bento boxes, etc. We only tried the ramen place, which was amazinggg. Be sure you have cash if you plan to stuff your tummy here, because they don't take ATM! Just at the food court though.
I can't wait to go back!
Love this place even though I have to travel far. Once you walk in you thought your in another country Japan that is. You can smell the food being made inside of the little food court makes me very hungry. They are always changing the place around everytime I visit there. Alot of the aisles and store fixtures is low profile. It looked bare to me.
They sell everything including japanese cosmetics and hair products also. They have the freshest seafood and produce around. They even sell kobe beef its is not cheap but very good. They have a large selection of sake, candy, and noodles around. They also sell pre made bento boxes on the go for lunch or dinner. Love the teas that they sell since I'am a tea fan.
Step into another country for less go to Mitsuwa for your japanese fix.
Despite the distance from my house, I cannot resist to frequet this super market. It's got any and everything Japanese at this place. If you are looking for a large selection of fresh produces, fish, and pastires. You have come to the right place. You will not find another selection as such else where.
One of my favorite section of the store is their pre-made sushi section. It always makes my mouth water just looking at the food. In addition to the sushi, this place also has a large variety of home goods and specialty products that are imported directly from Japan.
But to top it all off, they also have one of the best Ramen place in the area. You really can't ask for more in one store. If you are wondering, the store is about the size of a large Lucky's or Safeway. The place is clean and well organized. However, the prices of their goods are relatively expensive. I compare it to a Wholefood, but Japanese.
Happy Shopping!
A great place for all things Japanese - groceries, kitchen appliances, videos, books (next door), to-go type food, and even a generally tasty cafeteria-style restaurant. Though the restaurant is reasonably priced, the grocery store probably is not the place you want to go to buy your non-Japanese foods as you're shopping at a ethnic specialty store, not Trader Joe's or Buy-One-Get-One-Free Safeway. I'd recommend their curry... mmm...
This is my favorite Japanese grocery store. I can always find what I need, even when i don't know exactly what I'm looking for.
For instance, one day I was trying to make a recipe that called for dashi broth. The recipe told me I needed to get miso paste and kombu. I knew where to get the miso, but no idea about the kombu... so after searching the store from end to end, I finally decided to ask a store worker. He walked me over to the correct asile and showed me the various packages with dried kombu. Jackpot!
And to boot, today I found the specialized Japanese Kit Kat bars! Very exciting. I only bought one bar because it was $2, but it was tasty. It was a red bean Kit Kat bar, and get there quick because I only saw one box left.
go go go go go!
Okay okay, I admit it. I totally geeked like any other otaku out there when I got to enter the place for the first time.
That's right, I grinned like an idiot for finally finding a place that made it feel like I was shopping for food in Japan (well sort of I guess), and still within my beloved home of sunny California! Oh the wonders!
Plus, they were having one of there food festivals so I got dose of loud merchants yelling out their greetings.
Ahh, the memories.
But seriously. Mitsuwa is one of those places you just can't hate. This is a one stop food shop for all your Japanese cooking needs! No kidding.
Need some curry for your katsu? There's an aisle for that.
Need some ramen noodles? Aisle for that, too.
Drinks with funny Engrish on them or candy with mascots being cute food with faces? Got it here, too.
Fancy overpriced desserts straight from Japan? You betcha!
Or maybe you want some lunch/dinner, but you're too freakishly lazy to cook that delicious curry? Hurry on over to their little restaurants in-store. I'm sure you all know of the famous Santouka. You're not going out hungry from this supermarket. No way.
Where can you go wrong?
Heck, the only reason I gave it four stars is because of the distance.
Mitsuwa...why must I always have to use up some gas to get to you?
I heart you and everything about you, Mitsuwa!
In the past three weeks, the bf and I have stopped by Mitsuwa for some groceries every week (beat that Safeway!). From their wide array of Asian groceries and snackies, delish pre-prepared food, and SUPER fresh and huge selection of seafood--Mitsuwa has got it all! Let's not forget to mention their crazy Wagyu Beef selection.....I never even knew regular grocery stores sold Wagyu!
Somehow I never seem to be able to leave the store without some mochi/manju, Japanese seasonings, or snackies. Yummy, yummy, yummy!
I definitely recommend Mitsuwa for your East Asian grocery needs!
This place is a fantastic place to buy Japanese food and products at! Not only is it a large market, but there are two ramen/Japanese food places inside the market along with a separate area that sells DVD's and other Japanese items. They sell sushi, lots of types of fish including cooked unagi and other types of unusual varieties of meats and produce, ramen, candy, snacks, and a bunch of other Japanese items including alcohol and drinks.
I was fascinated by the wide variety of mushrooms they had. I like to try new things all the time so I got the organic bunapi and enoki mushrooms. Both taste different from the average mushrooms sold in stores. It's not bad. It contains some unusual vitamins in it that I never heard of before. I also found something called Shirataki there which are these very low carb, low calorie noodles made from yam flour. It's good to eat for low carb dieters and tends to be filling. I read about it in a woman's magazine. Supposedly that's how Japanese women can eat 'carbs' and still stay slim.
They also sell frozen Yoshinoya beef here for $4.29 in the frozen foods aisle. It's more costly than the fresh beef from the chain, but it's great for convenience for when you don't live close by to one of their stores and crave it. I also got some shrimp dumplings that were low in fat for $2.89 to put in the chilled ramen noodles that I got in it. The fresh ones that require refrigeration are lower in fat than the ones in the package. I noticed that the grilled unagi was almost twice as much as the regular one. It was less fatty, so maybe that was the reason? I had to go with the cheaper one since I wasn't sure if I'd like when it wasn't in sushi, but it's great.
Some of the items here can be a bit pricey depending on what you get for an Asian market, but then again, most items at Asian markets tend to be less than items from American chains for some reason. The fried tofu here is great too. Most of it is flat unlike Chinese tofu, but it was still very good. It satisfies my craving for fried items most of the time and is low in carbs which is great for me as carbs usually make me gain weight.
There is also a bakery at the front of the store. They don't charge any tax on food items. If you buy $20.00 or more worth of food here, they give you a stamp. After your 19th stamp, you get a $40.00 certificate that you can use for your next visit. There are exceptions for certain things there though like items bought in the food court. Also, you can't use it on holidays or get stamps on holidays. On Wednesday, it's double stamp day so if you can, shop then if you tend to buy a lot of groceries from places like this. I think it's good for only a month as mine expires on 10/30/09 and I was there just the other day. I'll be back here again for certain!
It is a place full of all the materials you can find if you want to cook traditional food yourself.
It also have special events on Friday sometimes, which will promote traditional Japanese food product.
I love their beef section which I can find Kobe beef.
My review is for the RAMEN place in the market. The ramen place is a well-kept secret that only Asians in the South Bay know about. The ramen is excellent, on par with Santa Ramen in San Mateo and other great ramen places. (Don't confuse the ramen place with the regular Japanese food counter next to it. The ramen place is to the left when you face the counters.)
The salt pork ramen is the best with the spicy one a close second. This place gets insanely crowded during rush times so if you don't want to wait an hour for ramen, get here early. The cook and counter people are all Japanese (this place is authentic!) so don't ask too many questions or get real picky. It'll throw them for a major loop and people behind you will not like you very much. Their soy sauce eggs are awesome too. I usually get the extra pork salt ramen (make mine a large!) and while I wait, I go into the market to buy a yogurt drink. The ramen here is worth a drive from other parts of the Bay Area, unless you live in Japan Town.
Sometimes people get frustrated with the line for ramen and will go next door to the other Japanese counter. It's not as good although if you're starving I wouldn't blame you for trying it. Don't confuse the two places or you'll miss out!
Great spot for killing time after ordering Ramen from Santouka which is right inside.
Mitsuwa is pretty complete with their Japanese snacks. My all time favorite are these Tohato caramel corn puffs. They have flavors here that Marukai and Nijiya markets don't carry. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Picked up the blue (vanilla caramel corn) and yellow (honey butter) bags. I'd describe these snacks like cheetos puffs that melt in your mouth. The yellow one on the far left is reminds me of corn pops, the blue is like a vanilla milkshake. Next time, I'll eat them like cereal in a bowl of milk. Soo addicting - try the orange, original caramel corn flavor.
Their sashimi selection is very very fresh. I saw goeduck, fresh abalone, tuna imported from all parts of Asia but what wow'ed me was that they had WAGYU beef steaks from Japan. Not just in thin slices, but actual steak steaks. Yeah, it's pricey but way cheaper than the $150
(http://www.yelp.com/bi...) you would pay at Alexander's steakhouse. The marbling is crazy, it looks like pure fat!
All of my favorite japanese food (and a HUGE assortment of Hi - Chew candies!!!!!!!!) in one place. I loveeee it.
Youtube beautybloggers have buzzed about Mitsuwa's beauty section. I have not made my way to New Jersey, which is the closest one to my nest. So on a recent business trip to California, I finally got a chance to visit Mitsuwa...walking in I thought, what is the hype about, Virginia has way better looking asian markets(but no beauty aisles...boooo!)
We arrived about 30 min to closing so I felt like I was on that shopping spree game show of the 90's. I was on the hunt to find the Shiseido Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner (#1 selling line in Japan). Found it! ALAS THE HOLY GRAIL HAIR PRODUCTS!!! Next, I needed to find that mascara guard that LaBelleMel used in her video! HOORAH found it...hmmm maybe I need an extra, ohhh one for each sister, oh one for mom....oh eff it I will take em all! They are cute stocking stuffers! I bought some bento cupcake liners in the oblong size, some curly hair spritz, some floral scented water you use on your hair in the morning to restyle it. Some soy sauce containers for bento lunches. A nose pore plastic finger brush, a hello kitty splash guard for washing babies hair (for my neices), Two sets of the shiseido red bottle shampoo & conditioner and the hair mask.
When I got back to my hotel I hopped in the shower to use the shampoo....LOVE IT...smells great!!! Then I had to bust open the mascara guard! OMG...everyone should have this!!! So go get it when they restock it hahaha!
They have a great cosmetics aisle but it mostly is just eyeliner, eye tape, and mascara. They have about 4 sizes of eyelash curlers, alot of nose pore masks, too. It was fun and then they closed....I will definitely have to go back with more time and more money!
mitsuwa's movin' on up ! it now has TWO restaurants inside !
the sushi selection has moved over near the produce, and what used to be the store for japanese tableware and the like has gone away. instead there is a high-end japanese candy/pastry selection there. lots of things that look pretty but that i wouldn't eat cos i don't like sweets. maybe i should try though. shesheido boutique, a video rental store, and a small toy/stationery/tchotcke shop are in the back (psst--so are the restrooms !).
also, this place sells one of my favourite things ever, a particular type of eyeliner from japan. i will not reveal what it is called, lest other people come and buy up all the stock. it is seriously the best eyeliner ever, i love it.
The best Mitsuwa experience ever would be if the cute half/quarter/some Asian boys who are there… Read more »
I'm absolutely in LOVE with this place!!!
Goodness, I came here for the very first time with my boyfriend a couple of days ago and felt like I was in heaven! First off, this place has everything I need to make my own homemade delicious sushi. Second off, they have awesome hair products for ladies & men! My boyfriend got two different kind of hair products and damn was he happy! :) What made me even more surprised was that they carried this one specific brand of cleansing oil that I've been looking for. And now I can finally get my hands on it! Last but not least, they have an ENORMOUS selection of snacks! I'm a junkie and I literally went crazy! My boyfriend and I got green tea ice cream [which was DELICIOUS & UBER CREAMY], lots of bubble gum, a bunch of flavorful chips, of course tons of candy, and these yummy melon soda! I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I can't wait to go back and buy more stuff! :D
In the Strawberry Plaza. After eating at Santouka Ramen in the Mitsuwa Marketplace we walked around the store. They are having their Hokkaido Fair 9/17-9/20 where they have lots of stuff from Japan.
They had milk flavor ice cream: vanilla or pear. It's $2.75 for either flavor, but not both in a cup or cone. Pear is an orange color - not too sweet, just refreshing after ramen.
There's Curry Bun from Pullman Bakery. I didn't buy since it's fried. It's $2.80 ea or 2 for $5.
Fresh seafood air delivered from Hokkaido, Japan - crab, squid, & fish. Didn't buy.
They have Minamoto Kitchoan Japanese Sweets to the Right of the Entrance. You don't have to go to SF for them. Fukuwatashi Senbei cookie $2.5 same as SF. I saw a box of chocolate cinnamon cookies - should get next & box of black sesame cookies too. On sale 40% off like $5.80 on sale.
I got:
Its Inaka Chasoba $2.99 - Green Tea Soba!! Made in Japan. Dry noodle to cook, 2 servings.
Kasugai Milk Land Candy - made in Japan, hard candy $2.49 - just ok
Soft Hokkaido candy $2.89 - pretty good
Kaki No Tane Extra Hot snack crackers $1.99 for 4.5oz.
Total damage $10.36. Credit cards taken.
I signed up to be on their mailing list. Get a form to fill out from the Cashier.
To self: To get back on Hwy 280 South - make U-Turn at light or turn Lt behind Valero.
Mitsuwa puts SF's japanese markets to shame.
Need nori (seaweed) for sushi rolling?
Ingredients for suki-yaki?
Mochi ice cream for your sweet tooth?
Rice crackers for snacking?
Japanese Iced Coffee to keep you awake?
Mitsuwa has a huge selection of everything you could possibly need in a Japanese market: fresh meats, hard-to-find veggies, dinnerware, pickled goodies, instant ramen, candy, dinnerware, ricecookers, Shiseido make-up, sake & more.
Go out of your way to stop by here just to grab a bite to eat. Their bentos & to-go sushi are stand outs. They just don't compare to any others w/ their fresh, quality ingredients, variety of options & reasonable prices ($10 for a complete bento lunch). Their mini restaurant is comparable to their bentos, if not a bit better. I used to come here for their soba lunch growing up and word on the street is that their kitchen just got that much better.
Take it from this Japanese girl, Mitsuwa = A clean, fresh, dependable place for all your Japanese foodie needs!
Great selection of Japanese products, though honestly *ahem* Marina in Cupertino has many EXACT same Japanese products for quite a bit less, but if you're feeling nationalist, knock yourself out~
The fresh mochi's wrapped in the leaf are good, along with an unsugared green tea~ lovely.
Bit pricey but all in all, if you want something Japanesey, they will
most likely have it.
O and check out the little confectionary/mochi factory in the front of the store, bit $$ but
And I still need to try the new RAMEN place inside, which I've heard raves about~
I even worked here for a short stint....details are secret...haha
A great place for all things Japanese - groceries, kitchen appliances, videos, books (next door), to-go type food, and even a generally tasty cafeteria-style restaurant. Though the restaurant is reasonably priced, the grocery store probably is not the place you want to go to buy your non-Japanese foods as you're shopping at a ethnic specialty store, not Trader Joe's or Buy-One-Get-One-Free Safeway.
I'd recommend their curry... Yummm....
awesome Japanese supermarket. this market sells things I've never seen in other asian markets. Japanese kit kat cookies, small tubes of gummy choco. there is also a small indoor food court. sadly they were closed so I didnt get a chance to try the noodles. this place by far offers the best selection of candies and junk food. hooray!
I haven't been here in a while and I was thoroughly enjoying myself as I walked from aisle to aisle taking in all Mitsuwa had to offer. Lots of great items here, but most things were a little overpriced.
We bought salmon here for our sashimi dinner, which was pretty good, but not as marbled and didn't taste as buttery as I would have liked. They had a good selection of fishes such as tuna, TORO, himachi, amberjack, and of course salmon.
This place even has Matsutaki mushrooms! Cool. Oh, and I've never seen rare Washugu beef and was a little taken aback of how fatty it was and at about $80 a pound, a little too rich for me.
So if you're in the mood for all things Japanese, you can stroll on through and grab a few things if your pocket book can take a little beating.
Right when I stepped in, I noticed they carry Satura Cakes, which means I don't have to venture into Palo Alto for some Satura!
And when I went they had samples and that is where I discovered Johnny Tofu.
With a sprinkling of bonito flakes and soy sauce, its an absolute perfect dessert!
The sample lady laughed and told me to pile on as much bonito flakes as I wanted.
I overdid it again.
If this place were closer to me, I'll probably eat a box of Meiji chocolates and a bento box everyday.
I'm Japanese.
Which means I'm a die hard fan of anything bento. Bento style lunches. Dinners. Even breakfast, as long as it comes packaged in some small way or form, trumped with the ever loyal rice ball. Traveling to Japan and partaking in this very Nihonteki means of dining is much missed whenever I return to the states. I miss stepping off the Shinkansen and picking up a yummy bento that cost only 500 yen.
Mitsuwa is where nostalgia kicks in and it gives me a big puffy Hello Kitty feeling whenever I leave.
I've been coming to Mitsuwa when it was still Yaohan and this was a weekly family trip we'd make from Sacramento because our music lessons were in Santa Clara (think Joy Luck Club, ten times worse) But after each rigorous music lesson, there was nothing better to look forward to than meandering up and down the aisles, surrounded by Nihonjin (none of this 4th/5th generation types who can't speak a stitch of Nihongo and don't feel offended.......I only know Nihongo because my mother is from Nihon) and feeling like I was walking the local store where my relatives use to take me in Kobe and Osaka.
What I am most impressed about is their fantastic and fresh cuts of fish (Otoro, Maguro, Hamachi) as well as the Wagyu Steak, vibrantly marbled and even more visual confirmation as to why it is sooooo good. In addition, there is a niftly little spot on the end selling the very typical accompaniment to any meal: Tsukemono. I can usually spot my faves (pickled plums, daikon (radish), garlic, nasubi (eggplant) and gobo) as well as kim chee and others pickled in sakekasu. My grandmother use to pack in little cucumbers as well as eggplant into sakekasu and wow, nibble on that crunchy savory stuff with a little Saba shioyaki and ochazuke? Heaven!!!
Great variety of dried foodstuff, snacks (arare), rice, noodles, soup base as well as health and beauty supply. There is a ramen shop set up at the end of the store that actually cooks up a decent ramen bowl (priced well) and a mochi shop that sells good omiyage (slightly expensive, usually $2 for a piece). This time we walked out with two packages of Dorayaki (made even more nostalgic for me because I grew up on Doraemon and addicted readers will know alllllllll about the dorayaki pan!) and a bag of hard grape candy, muscat style. All that was missing, was my usual 100 yen purchase of the swirl cone I usually made at the end of each shopping trip in Japan. It was this milky icy cream cone that tasted like a cross between cider and vanilla ice cream. Natsukashii!
When I am craving a full immersion Nihonteki style shopping spree, I make sure to make that one hour drive just to satiate my craving.
Crap not only do they have that new "okaki" gourmet rice cracker and "manju" Tradition Japanese Treats shop but they have a freaking RAMEN BAR!!! I almost cried! I tried to take a photo of it but both my cells were dead and my Mom's didn't take pics and her camera was out of batteries. I'm on a cleanse and I can't have that! I literally almost felt a tear coming out of my eye duct. With half the employees there actually Japanese, I usually feel like I'm in Japan when I'm at Mitsuwa formerlly Yaohan and I like that feeling.
Bathroom break, bath scents, local natto (try to support locals, well Sebastapol really), grape… Read more »
just went there to look for xmas gifts today. its totally remodeled. the dishes place i think is gone. now, there is a whole new japanese fancy mochi area. not good to buy it 1 week in advance. have to go back next wed... ugh its going to be mad crowded...
tried the new ramen place in the cafe area. its pretty good. i didnt get any of the extra combos since i was not too hungary. not bad for $7.
didnt buy any groceries.. just got some sushi for dinner. damn, i should not have put it in the fridge... i think its only good to eat it fresh, the cold temperature makes the rice all hard and clumpy...
i think this place used to be yaohan... i dont come here too often as it is kinda far. but i love… Read more »
The BIGGEST Japanese market in the bay area, next to Kinokunia (bookstore), Kahoo Ramen, Clover Bakery, etc., all authentic enough that Japanese is spoken by default. Huge selection of produce, fish!!!, meats, snacks, drinks, desserts, housewares, cosmetics, at medium prices. Cool things inside:
Great fresh sushi deli
Udon/curry fast food
Video store (you'll be lost if you can't read the Japanese titles)
Shisedo
J.Sweets (confectionary)
Handmade pickled veggies shop
BEST RAMEN EVER! The broth is savory, pork pieces succulent, and the noodles were delicious. Order the salt pork ramen you won't regret it.
San Jose, CA
Category: Ethnic Food
Mountain View, CA
Category: Grocery
San Jose, CA
Category: Bookstores
San Jose, CA
Category: Shopping
Cupertino, CA
Category: Grocery
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