I was gifted this treat, so this review is solely based off the quality of the manju I tried. I've had manju from San Jose and Hawaii, but this is hands-down the best manju I've had!! The mochi melted in my mouth, with the perfect balance of chewy, yet not too sticky. The pink manju has white bean in it, so it tasted a bit sweeter than the white and green manju, which has red bean inside. All of them were so good, I would definitely get the pink, white, and green manjus again!! read more

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Fancy & sweet mochi, good variety, price is cheap, the service is very nice and friendly, healthy food read more

Sakura-ya - Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

I've never had handmade mochi like this. I've always had just the ones from the box and I'm SOO glad we have this just down the block from our house. Makes me kind of nervous at how good it is. No need to commute up to downtown if you're in the area. These little bites are amazing with a spot of tea. We got a various set of mochi with red bean filling, white bean, etc. some covered with crushed nut powder. We saw a video to a mochi place but it's all the way downtown and decided to get these. Of the ones in the picture the green tea filled with red bean was my favorite and covered with brown powder. I suggest going in the morning so you get the fresh batch. Also, bring cash! read more

Sakura-ya - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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It's very special rice cake in spring season. Pink dyed steamed sweet rice and sweet red bean inside. And wrapped cheery tree's leaves. Little mochi is little expensive but it's taste is Very nice. Prices is $2.95/one piece. read more

Sakura-ya - Sakura mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Wanted to try something different. This is an interesting mix of Louisiana craw dad boil with a Thai twist. I ordered the crab and shrimp combo. It came with corn and andouille sausage, which surprised me because it had a spicy bite to it. Everything was very flavorful and I will be back. Peace was the name of my server... nice young man. read more

The store was simple, with the charm of a rundown, history-filled mochi shop. The place has amazing mochi/manju and a friendly owner whose story we got to learn about while we were choosing our mochi. There are two glass cases full of mochi and manju and we ended up getting a package of 10 for $23. We got a huge variety to take with us to a friend's house. The store even wraps up your box nicely so that it makes a perfect gift! Bring cash! read more

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The mochi here is fantastic. Sometimes they run out and close early so I'd recommend calling if you're coming late in the day.

Too many choices, first timers would be confused. Certain mochis are good. But not worth driving long distance to get it.

One-of-a-kind shop that feels like you're stepping back in time offering an original shop with delicious products.

Very small mochi shop located on a big street. Lots of space for street parking. The shop looks like it's not open, but it definitely is! To save time, you can check out their website to see what type of mochi they offer. They only accept cash or checks! They had a good variety when I visited around noon on a Sunday. The girl helping us was very sweet but the older woman was rude and kept snapping at her. She also kept miscalculating my friend's order and my order. My friend asked for one of each variety and she took one out and it was one that my friend really wanted to try. We were hoping she took it out cus the younger girl accidentally put two of the same in the box, but nope. Bummer. They have deals for buying certain amounts, but generally it's $2.30 per piece. I was able to try two of my box when I got home and it's pretty good. The mochi is indeed very fresh and very soft and not overwhelmingly sweet. read more

I've been coming here for years but the last two visits have me rethinking whether I will do further business with this establishment. The interaction with what appears to be one of the owners (female) is cold - disappointing considering I am Asian also. Her approach is unfriendly and I am not used to being treated that way as a customer - how this woman and her husband have managed to stay in business this long is beyond me. Prices have gone up a lot and we can blame a lot of things for this but I think their increases are a bit unreasonable. Just keep in mind here that while this place used to be reasonable price wise, the quality of the manju and komochi the past few years has gone downhill. Disappointed...is what I am - and think twice if you want to come here and be treated similarly. I'll be going to Chikara (they are a few doors away) more in the future...at least they know how to greet their customers with a smile. read more

Parking: There is a small parking lot behind the store. Interior: It is a very small store. There is no seating. Exterior: It is very easy to miss if you are not looking carefully. Service: The girl that helped me was very nice. I arrived close to closing so most of the mochi was already sold out. She was very patient with my questions and even got me some more from the back. Please note this store is cash/check only. Food: The mochi was fresh and chewy. One of my favorites is the imo manju. This is the only store that I know of that has it so I recommend that you give it a try. read more

Okay, first of all the name is Sakura-Ya. Now that's clear - why should you care? I'll tell you why! This is an authentic old school Japanese bakery. Do I pre-order days ahead and drive 4 1/2 hours to get here on a Saturday? I have, and did again today! With all the great food I can get living in Las Vegas - I can't get this. Sakura-Ya makes their products from scratch. You can taste the difference and high quality. Amazing stuff!!! I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

Sakura-ya - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

This Japanese confectionary store is by far my favorite and their Kuri Manju (baked crust outside with chestnut white sweet beans) cannot be beaten. Considering that my first job was at Fugetsudo, a Japanese confectionary store in Little Tokyo, I think I know a little about Japanese teacakes or manju. Today, I ordered Sakura Mochi which is only in season when the Sakura or Chrysanthemum leaves are in bloom. Of course, I also ordered the kuri manju and the Pink Manju with White An (sweet beans). The outside Mochi is always so soft and fresh! If you have never tried this, this is a great place to experience your first manju. Sakura-ya only makes fresh manju daily and when they are sold out, they are done for the day. read more

Sakura-ya - Sakura Mochi, kuri manju, pink manju - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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The mochi is delicious! I cannot deny that! The customer service ..... well, it can be worked on, let's say that! Maybe the young lady behind the counter was not having the best day? But come on, it's not like I'm here asking for free mochi! I want to support your business! Please work on the customer service, in the future. A friendly greeting can go a long way -- even if you (the server) are wearing a mask, people can still feel your energy, and they can tell if they are welcome! If your vibe leaves an unpleasant taste in their mouth, it's true that the mochi can make it better .... But do you want the mochi to work so hard? read more

If you want fresh mochi then you need to find this hole in the wall place for this heavenly treats. The place has no indoor decor to say anything wow about it but they do have freshly made mochi desserts. Only if they had peanut butter and sesame would I be a total fan of the place but those two favorites weren't there. The red bean was cool but not my favorite. My favorite would be the orange with nothing in it. Great place to get a gift to go as their boxes are fully functional and sturdy. read more

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The best mochi shop I've been to in SoCal! After visiting Fugetsu-do in Japantown and wanting to go back but it being too far away, we came across this shop and decided to come here the day after. The quality of both the mochi and the filling were phenomenal, you can really taste the natural glutinous rice flavor when you bite into it! 10/10 would recommend, although keep in mind they only accept cash/check so make sure to bring that! read more

Sakura-ya - Pink mochi, orange mochi, green mochi, and soft red bean filling mochi (and kirbys in the background) - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Only when I tried their mochi, I understood what why they're famous. Without being a mushy glob, the mochi just melted in your mouth without losing its texture. I was so heavenly that I told about the experience. Looking forward to returning soon. The owner was also super nice! read more

We drove out to Gardena to get some fresh mochi for my daughter's birthday and stopped in at Sakura-ya. The store reminded us of the small family run businesses we enjoyed in Kauai, so we had a smile entering the shop. There were a few people ahead of us in line and each had purchased quite a large number of items. When it was our turn, the lady was friendly and helpful as we selected a dozen items. For the mochi that had run out in the display, we were happy there were more freshly made items in the back. Our favorites were the pink mochi and the manju with red bean. We will definitely be back in the future when we have the hankering for delicious mochi! read more

Friendly service... I was actually looking for a different mochi shop. This one is right before it - on the same side of the street! I'm kind of glad that we arrived at this shop first because even though the mochi are plain (no fancy decorations on them), the prices are lower and the service is better. We parked for free right in front of the shop, on the street. The interior is quaint and old school. It felt like we had entered a time of the past. It was a cool experience! I got a pink mochi filled with smooth white bean paste and a kinako (roasted soy bean flour) mochi. I liked them both for their delicately sweet and sticky softness. Mmm! These fresh mochi are treasures to me and reminds me of the mochi factories at home in Honolulu. Yum! Thanks for the foodie happiness! read more

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The best of the best manju ever! Go early for your favorites cuz they sell out! Closed Tues. read more

Delicious mochi and manju from this small family shop. The standard white mochi with red bean filling is really good and not too sweet. It's perfect. I was also stoked to see them selling ohagi which was so yummy. Another one I enjoyed was the kinako mochi and the kuri manju as well. Make sure to come early so you can try all of their various goodies! Bring cash! read more

Sakura-ya - mochi & manju - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

The quality has degraded and doesn't reflect the increased prices. The filling tastes different, not in a good way. Also the amount of filling is so small that it's mostly mochi, and it is difficult to swallow when the mochi sticks to the back of your throat. The imo manju looks like an egg now and doesn't have the same shape as it did in the past. This place has been one of my favorites for years, but my experience was so bad I won't be going there anymore. Looks like Tokyo Central will be the place I buy manju from now on. Last thing, they need to hire people that are more customer friendly. The person who helped me had no personality. I tried to joke with her but she wouldn't crack a smile. Again, I won't be going back, and will not be recommending this place anymore. read more

Just got back from Japan last year and we missed eating ohagi. After a quick Yelp search, we discovered this shop! We tried different types of manju, mochi, and of course the ohagi. All were very soft and tasty! The staff is very friendly and helpful. We look forward to coming back for more! read more

Great authentic mochi. Soft just like I remember as a child. Will go back and buy more

This is a small store but the mochi is very fresh. I was very impressed with the smoothness of the mochi. They have the perfect blend of mochi to filling. The flavors are not too sweet. I love the old traditional show cases and packages wrapped with curling ribbon. The front workers were very helpful with describing box sizes and flavors. I was going to funeral service so I wanted to bring a variety for the guests. So many choices, I ordered two boxes with the favorites. I liked the Kinako and Yomagi the best, but my auntie liked the orange. read more

I'm not familiar with Mochi like I am with more common treats such as a donut, so I didn't necessarily have any basis to compare these to. But wow these we're fantastic! I know Sakura-Ya has been a part of Gardena for year's. And being a resident as long as I have I regret not coming here more often. If your looking for something handmade from within the Japanese culture I think this is a wonderful little place to try. read more

Some things never change much. Have been coming here since I was in Jr. High School. Will continue to come until they close or Im no longer able. Always good taste and texture. Friendly people. Would diffently recommend to any and all. read more

Mochis were too sweet for me and it wasn't as soft as I would like. I have had better mochis elsewhere. Nothing was really amazing. I would recommend to bring a reusable container to hold your mochis. Cashier was sweet. Cash only. read more

Open since the 1960's, Sakuraya is a staple in the South Bay. Came by because chikara mochi was closed and it didn't disappoint. It's a small shop and easy to miss, but once inside there's a variety of mochi's from fruit flavored mochis to traditional red bean. I got a 6 piece mochi: strawberry, inaka, and a few others. They we're all really good! I'll be back! read more

I walked in to buy mochi bringing in only a $20 dollar bill for my friend leaving for the airport. I was going to buy a 6 piece set, but the lady wanted to put it on a styrofoam tray. I asked if she could charge me $1 dollar for a box right behind the counter. She said no, I would have to buy a 20-piece set, and offered to sandwich two styrofoam trays. The point is that this is not travel-friendly. This place is more pricer than Chikara Mochi, and the customer service is horrible. Never coming here again. read more

Adding my 5 star review here for the absolute quality and assortment of mochi they have at this store. If you haven't been, definitely worth the visit. Also, to Ruth O. there aren't enough letters in the alphabet to explain to you why nobody should ever feel entitled to expect every service worker out there to give you a big ol gleaming white smile. Sometimes people are having a D A Y, and if they don't feel like smiling during the mad rush of the holidays? I thank them and go on my merry fucking way. The audacity of you to give this store 1 star because some employees weren't smiling ear to ear at you (wtf really?!) is ridiculous AND incredibly tone deaf to the immense burden service workers are currently under right now. Anyways, visit this shop, it's delicious as hell. read more

The mochi is delicious and go out of my way to buy mochi. But the girls at counter have no personality, as you enter no smile, if fact no smile thought the whole transaction. They need to be friendly and greet the customers with smile. As one customer is being helped, the other just stand there not even inquire if she can assist the other customer.In fact, had to ask for assistance. No problem read more

Got the pink, orange, green and kinako mochi. Only sampled the orange one which had a hint of citrus a d was oh so soft. Cute shop, cash only. read more

Sakura-ya - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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No customer service whatsoever... they are rude and not nice at all. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone at all.

You must come to this place if you have a major sweet tooth. My girlfriend loves this place. We stopped here and grabbed some cookies. I love the many different flavors chosen. Great coffee and drinks here. Love the owners and staff. I will have to make a long trip here again. read more

I'll be honest. This review is mostly for the service that we received on a Sunday afternoon. They close at 4pm. I had a hankering for mochi and had the audacity to stroll in at 3:58pm on Sunday. I know, I know. I'm such a jerk I was prepared to be turned away, but the man behind the counter warmly welcomed us in and even took the time to explain the types of mochi they had available for purchase. He made recommendations as to what to pick, how long to store the mochi, and how to reheat it when it starts to get hard Heads up: they are a cash only facility! Was it the best mochi ive ever eaten? Probably not. But they were pretty darn good, and I love supporting small businesses such as these, especially when they go above and beyond in customer service. It's definitely worth mentioning! Prices are standard for mochi:) read more

Rec'd as a gift, shared with others ... truly so soft and fluffy as recently advertised ... told giver: do not ever remember in whole life eating: remembered having as soft and fluffy! Knew exactly upon eating, that the texture matched the description, and knew it was from Sakura-ya! Perhaps we never got as fresh as when we recently received! Wish my Mom and her sisters could have experienced! True testament as advertised in notifications from social media! Giver had mentioned: pricey, but worth it! Agreed! Never remembered the price list taped to the counter: told giver: we just chose what we wanted back in the day (or we were too short below the counter's height as a child) ... think last purchased 3 yrs ago towards the end of the day (but grew up eating), so was limited on what was available ... was looking for that spec'l Girls' Day one ... that was told it had been sold out long before ... no one locally had that day I was trying to get beforehand ....but, had gotten a few for my Mom since she loved mochi! So, go and enjoy this experience at Sakura-ya while you can ...! read more

The sell out quickly so get in early or preorder if you can. SOo good. The best Manju in Los Angeles. The place looks like it's closed but check hours. read more

fresh and quite a few options when we came in during the weekend. Everything we tried were all overly sweet though and the rice on the ohagi wasn't that good at all. Authentic Japanese mochi place. But ingredients too sweet so won't be coming back. read more