This is the best mochi I've ever had! I took it to a family gathering and everyone loved it and totally agreed it was the best they ever had too. I ordered ahead and it was ready when I got there. Very nice staff and very clean. This is the best mochi in town! read more

We drove and tried this place out yesterday. The shop is super cute and there was an adorable old lady behind the counter who came to assist us immediately. The mochi were was amazing! They just reminded of being back in Tokyo again. Will definitely be coming back. Note: They take cash only read more

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What a gem! Truly traditional Japanese beautiful mochi treats. They only take cash so make sure you bring enough cash with you.

Best mochi in Gardena, I love it , cute designs , amazing fillings, great service, bring cash they don't accept any other type of payment. Worth every penny read more

Chikara Mochi - Lovely designs - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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Note that they're closed until 6/13/22 for anyone who is planning on going anytime soon! read more

Chikara Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Very cute little shop. Fresh and delicious flavors. Apple, white peach and chrysanthemum are our favorites

Love Chikara. Always so soft, chewy and delicious. The flavors are delicate and as all really good Asian sweets should be... "not too sweet". If I lived closer, I would be here weekly. read more

Chikara Mochi - Assortment of mochis! - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Truly beautiful little works of art! I bought a box of 12, and it was such a stunning display of artistry. It is just a tiny shop and simple display of mochis. Each mochi is $2. Brown paper cup = red bean; white paper cup = white bean. Some flavors are definitely more distinctive than others (like orange and peach) while others are a bit more focused on the decoration I feel. Either way, my family and I thought these tasted great, and much more delicate than the other mochis I've had. I'm definitely going to be using this place for gifts in the future (it is very nicely packaged to boot). And they do sell out! I had called the day before xmas, and the woman who answered let me know that they were about to sell out in 30-40 minutes. read more

Chikara Mochi - Beautiful mochi! - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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I discovered this place love at first sight. I come for Suama mochi. Delicious little pillows. Not too sugary. If I can't make the drive, I got to Tokyo Central market where they buy from here. I stock up fur sure. My guilty pleasure. read more

One of the best Japanese sweet stores in Los Angeles and South Bay area. We love Uguisu-mochi and Sakura-mochi. Please try everything and enjoy the taste of Japan. (residence of Gardena) read more

Mini pieces of art in a perfectly wrapped box! These fresh and authentic Japanese sweets make the perfect gift and the perfect dessert. Why I was here // Came here closer to New Years time to pick up some mochi for the fam as both a snack and a gift for friends. Price // Decent for the presentation and quality. Around $2 per pieces and you can get them in various sized boxes. Mochi // They have two types of fillings. Either red bean or white bean and then they flavor the mochi. My personal favorites were the green tea, orange, and chrysanthemum mochi. Overall // If you have a hankering for mochi, this is the place to go! read more

Chikara Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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Quite amazing actually. For such a small shop and staff the quality of mochi here exceeded me expectations! It's nice to be able to park right out front without having to pay any lot fees and the selection of mochi is plenty! The flavors is gentle and tasty and paired well when I had them with milk tea. I recommend this place above all else in the county, you must try but get there early! read more

This is one of the easiest reviews I've ever written because there is no doubt that this is a five star review. I can't say I've ever had such fresh and delicate mochi in the states before. The owner is quite patient and has such a beautiful personality. She takes great care in explaining and boxing up each piece of mochi with love and pride. Each piece has it's own unique flavor, asthetic design and filling. It is my understanding that the flavors change regularly. Adding to the subtle and balanced flavors is the beautiful design of each individual piece. Words alone cannot due this business justice or their delicate mochi. Remeber to bring cash, an open mind and to park in the back. This is absolutely one of Gardena's hidden gems. read more

Chikara Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Growing up as a Nisei (second generation Japanese), we had mochi growing up as they make the perfect gifts. Chikara Mochi is my favorite mochi store, period. They've been around for 33 years and their hard work and dedication to keeping up with these traditional mochi/manju delicacies comes alive each time I visit. This is my "go-to" gift when I'm in the area. I've given these mochis more often to friends and only eat them if my mom has any leftovers. With their variety of designs and fillings, you can easily have a new combination to please anyone. My favorite is their smooth white lima bean (shiroan). It yields a perfect sweetness and nice silky consistency. Their red bean (azuki, anko) is equally as popular but it's my second choice because I prefer the creamier texture of the white beans. They also sell Dango Mochi (grilled on a stick) and different flavored Chi Chi Dangos. I was surprised how many different fruit flavors were available. You can purchase their homemade Anpan (classic roll with azuki filling) and on occasion packaged Sekihan (sweet rice with azuki beans). The same older lady is always there tirelessly shaping all them by hand. It's truly an art which shouldn't be forgotten. Many of the designs were shaped as flowers and fruits. One had an imprint of a bunny! For your coffee lovers, they also have one with coffee and almonds. For my Bay Area Yelpers, Nijiya Market trucks these pre-packed mochis to their San Francisco, San Mateo, San Jose and Mountain View locations weekly. Cash only and closed on Mondays. Hands down this gift always brings a smile. read more

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I love their yaki dango if I lived near by, I would visit the store every single day! read more

Chikara Mochi - My love 焼き団子!! - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Pillowy dreamy Mochi....what more could you ask for? I will say that Chikara has thoroughly ruined store bought packaged Mochi that I used to buy from Mitsuwa lol. Nothing compares to freshly made! Location is convenient and street parking is easy. Bring cash! read more

Best Japanese sweets and worth the 1 hour drive !! The Sakura Mochi and Shiso leaf Anko mochi are so delicious !! Gardena Japanese sweets a true history behind this store read more

Bring cash!!!! These are absolutely adorable and made with such care and detail. I got these for my sister and she loved them

Adorable and affordable little Mochi place! Very easy to miss, definitely use google maps for directions. So worth it! Get ready to try some REAL mochi. Pros: ALL handmade, delish mochi made in this little store the old school, traditional way. Absolutely amazing flavors and you can completely tell that they make each item with so much care and love. Cons: A bit hard to find. Most of their items for sale are too beautiful to eat but please do- they are sure to please your tastebuds! Wish there was a closer location to Tip: they had some samples of their mochi when I went... it really helped me figure out what I wanted. The yaki mochi on the sticks are times better than the ones sold at Japan Central. A must try!! Sweet and salty duo! read more

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My dad brought a box of Chikara Mochi back from his visit to the area recently. This was my first time, as far as I could recall, trying this specific shop's mochi. Chikara Mochi, like other mochi establishments in this area, provides super fresh, soft, and delicious mochi. Their mochi is also noticeably very visually appealing, as they offer a wide variety of mochi in different flavors, colors, and decorated appearances. The mochi I tried tasted super fresh. Everything from the Sakura Mochi, Kiku, to Classic Azuki mochi was soft on the outside, tasty and smooth on the inside, and not overwhelmingly sweet, just the way I prefer. The mochi here is comparable to that of Fugetsu-do and Sakura-ya in my opinion. Because of their presentation, the mochi here make great little gift boxes as well. I'll definitely be sure to pick up another box of fresh mochi from Chikara Mochi whenever I am in the area! read more

Amazing! The quality and attention to detail are incredible at this shop. The mochi is super delicious. As good as or even better than the mochi in Japan! You have to try the peanut butter mochi. It's super amazing! read more

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It's always nice to get treats from out of town guests. Santi T. was visiting and brought a box of mochi from Chikara Mochi. The box itself was cute with a bunny logo wrapping. The mochis are beautifully made, each like a piece of art. The box contained six different mochis, three were shaped as a pair of cherries, a peach and a strawberry. The flavored mochis are filled with red or white bean paste. They were all delicious. It was so nice for my friend Santi T. to bring me these delicious mochis and I now need to stop by when I'm in SoCal. read more

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Best Mochi in Southern California! I ordered 7 dozen for my sons engagement and they did an outstanding job, each piece artistically decorated and delicious! Guests devoured it so I'm wishing I had some left over now but all in all things excellent in every way read more

Delicious mochi! They have Apple, Strawberry, Peach, Cherry Blossom and Daifuku mochi for less than $2 each. That's really cheap considering how expensive minimum wage is, rent, cost of materials, etc. The mochi is fresh and made daily. The people working here are so friendly, please come and support this mom and pop business. read more

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Love the Mochi. They were so cutely decoratedMy friend gave me some on Sunday and they were still soft and fresh when I ate it on Wednesday. Sorry I scribbled all over the photo but I wanted to remember the name of the place. read more

Chikara Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Chikara Mochi is one of the best gifts ever to bring to a party. I bought 2 boxes (22 pieces total) to bring to a small dinner party and everyone love them. I had white bean, red bean and peanut butter. Eating them while drinking tea is highly recommended. My daughter is a mochi addict. She loves mochi and eat them almost everyday. After having mochi everywhere in the South Bay, we agree that Chikara Mochi is THE only place we want to get mochi from now on. The staffs there are sweet, genuine and friendly. If you want authentic and amazing tasting mochi, give Chikara Mochi a chance. I'm sure you will love them as much as we do. Come early for more selection. They close at 4pm but most of their selections would be gone by then. read more

Chikara Mochi - The prettiest and yummiest mochi in the South Bay. We're addicted - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Best mochi I've had outside of japan. Highly recommend. They are beautiful and delicious. read more

Chikara Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

We have been on a mochi trail and craziness! Upon arrival to this small store, you have the vibe of being in Japan ( relatable btw). The servers are japanese as well. They have this cute lil mochi with bits of every detail that i cant belive its only $2-3. If it is in a fine dining restaurant with splash of fancy ambience it would cost probbly $15 a piece. The taste is as delicate as it looks like. One thing i wish would be is the variety of flavors. Well maybe next time i willl come earlier. Coz they ran out fast. By 11 am they are almost half done. we came back at 1:30 to buy more but they are closed. **extra tip** Be mindful of the time u get there, they closes as soon as the supplies are done.. read more

Chikara Mochi - Mochin galore!!! - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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Each piece of mochi brims with detail and beauty--a preview of what's to come. Soft, slightly chewy mochi envelope a smooth bean paste. They're delicately flavored and moist, although the filling is a touch too sweet. Best enjoyed as a palate-sweetening bite before a sip of matcha. These would make a great host(ess) gift. read more

Chikara Mochi - Assorted mochi including chrysanthemum, peach, kinako red bean, and maple. - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

This is a wonderful spot for fresh mochi. They're not only aesthetically pleasing but delicious as well. The fillings are either red or white bean. They make for a great gift! I will definitely be back for more. There were several times where I've tried to get some but they ran out. They do make a batch in the morning and afternoon though. Get in early on the weekends! read more

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The mochi and manju sold here is so pretty and fresh. While on vacation I stopped for an assortment at two different fresh mochi shops. Tho the mochi and manju here are just a bit more expensive than other brand, they are so very pretty. So much attention to detail. The next day I picked up a bit more for gifts. I must have visited this place three times in a short vacation week. For gifts for gifts. Hahah. read more

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Beautifully decorated mochi. I was so happy to find that I could get such pretty and tasty mochi locally without having to fly to Japan. Word of advice, make sure you come EARLY, because the shop closes earlier than the posted hours due to being sold out. I came at 11:00am on a weekday, and a few of the flavors were sold out already! read more

Chikara Mochi - Box of mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

Here is another old school authentic Japanese sweets shop that is selling beautiful looking mochi with some of the best presentation around. The mochi here look like works of art and almost too good to eat. Almost. The thing about Japanese sweets is that it's usually not overly sweet which I like. They use alot of azuki red beans or white beans with mochi and are not sweetened too much. There are about 10-15 different types of mochi for sale. Don't expect a big display of sweets. Do expect an old school feel. When I was a kid I did not like mochi with azuki beans as I preferred the plain flavored mochi like the orange or strawberry ones. I used to enjoy the chewiness of mochi as a kid. Nowadays I like it all. I guess I became a grownup with grownup taste buds. They beautifully arrange, box and wrap your sweets and many folks give them as gifts to others. This is exactly what the businesses do in Japan. They are known for their boxed presentations and this is an example of that. Give some mochi as a gift or have one as a snack. read more

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CASH ONLY--We got a box of 10 mochi and a strawberry mochi bites box. This is mochi with sweet bean paste and NOT ice cream mochi. We loved it! My son prefers the mochi bites but we enjoyed the variety. Each piece is absolutely beautiful and delicious. My favorite was the coffee and the hubby loved the strawberry. read more

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Really wanted to try this shop, but did not see what was in the pictures. The presentation was very lacking. I was hoping to see a counter full of mochis, but there was only 4-5 trays that barely had any mochis on there and we went early. They also only take cash which was very inconvient. read more

Best Mochi in Southern California! I ordered 7 dozen for my sons engagement and they did an outstanding job, each piece artistically decorated and delicious! Guests devoured it so I'm wishing I had some left over now but all in all things excellent in every way!! read more

Chikara Mochi - Assorted 7 dozen Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

I lived in Gardena/South Bay for over 30 years and I never noticed this confectionary shop.My niece told me about it because she wanted kinako or coffee mochi for her birthday "cake." So, I went and bought over 12 pieces of delicious mochi. They are so delicate. Everyone tried one and they loved it. They are also pleasing to the eye, beautiful. I forgot to take a picture of the box. read more

Chikara Mochi Inc. V. Sakura-Ya 1.Chicara has Beautifully decorated Mochi. Great way to impress the loved one in your life or purchase for the holidays. But, they are a bit more expensive than Sakura-Ya Sakura-Ya is a bit cheaper and the beauty is in their mochi's flavor. 2. Chicara has unique flavors like Peanut Butter, Coffee, and my favorite..Green Tea. Sakura-Ya has flavors such as Kiku Manju- First choice and top pick! Chocolate Chip and Orange. 3. Chicara's store is a bit more spacious and more newly decorated. Sakura-Ya is a smaller store and probably use some updating, but who cares because you go just for pick up. Similarities 1. Both stores are located about a block from each other. 2. Both stores have curb parking. 3. Both stores serve delicious mochi 4. Both stores have great staff. ***Both places do not serve taro or chocolate. I have to say I favor Sakura-Ya slightly more. Sakura-Ya may not be as pretty but I do appreciate their taste. On the same note, Chikara has Green Tea...Yum! ***Solution: Try both. They are different. Find your favorites and visit both stores. Why not? Only a block away! Wow, two of the best mochi places I have ever been. No ice cream filling needed here! The best part of all....A short walk from each other!! read more

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What a gem of a spot. Small local shop with handmade, old school style Mochi! Mochi itself is very light and fluffy. Not heavy and dense like the kind you get prepackaged in the stores these days. Definitely the opposite of the dried out ones you get at tjs. They sell out fast and are made fresh daily. Once they are sold out the store closes so get there early! Went at 2 pm and they were almost sold out. In the five minutes in store they had multiple people come in and pretty sure they sold it all as I walked out the door. Flavors take me waaaaay back! They had Peony, cherry blossom, apple, strawberry, daifuku style, ahn pan too! read more

Chikara Mochi - Right to left and top to bottom: Orange, orange/Strawberry, peony/Cherry cherry and then apple /2 types of daifuku on the bottom - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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This mochi bakery is definitely in a class by itself. Here, they are known for not only their soft mochi but the presentation of the mochi. Each mochi portrays a different fruit or flower, which are just so whimsical, romantic, elegant, and adorable all at the same time. The mochi is soft (not chewy like the supermarket mochi) and delicate. They are filled with either mung bean, red bean, or yellow bean it seems. Definitely sweet, but no where nearly as sweet like the red bean mochi that you you find in the refridgerated section in the Asian supermarkets. They are open until 4pm. Recently, I went in at 3:50pm, and there was still a good selection to choose from. However, another time, I went in around 1pm and it was slim pickings. So it is a hit or miss. The selection does seem to change whenever I visit so you aren't getting the same things every time. Items are priced anywhere from $1.50 to $6. Most mochi averages from $1.80 to $2. There is usually one lady there with a cute little hat on who looks like she could also be the person who makes these confectionery treats. There aren't a plethora of options to choose from mochi bakeries and so this bakery takes the cake (pun intended) and comes in first place in South Bay. Location: on Western & 162nd Street Parking: free street parking read more

Chikara Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Gardena, California

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