I was reading this article about Los Angeles chef Roy Choi and the article had one of his taco recipes: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/magazine/roy-chois-food-truck-barbecue-blends-mexico-and-korea.html?_r=1&ref=dining Well, the recipe called for a couple ingredients that I thought they might have at this market. I thought, 'here's an excuse to stop by and check it out!" Sure enough, they had the ingredients (several varieties of mirin and chili bean sauce). Those probably aren't rare items, but I needed them and Key Food definitely didn't have them. This is a very small market, but it's packed with a lot of different items. If you live in the neighborhood, it's an easy, convenient stop to get some things you need to fill-out a recipe. The people working here were very helpful and nice, too. read more

Love this little shop though very small its pretty well stocked. They have the awesome green tea kit- kats and other imported yummy goodies. They make amazing mochi and onigirgi I'm pretty sure they make the seaweed salad and other items too. If i lived closer I could see myself stoping by weekly to pick up some yummy snacks. I only wish wish this place was bigger and had there own little restaurant in the back that would be amazing ! read more

I love this little Japanese grocery store so much!! Every time I'm in the area I make it a point to visit this shop to grab snacks, cooked food, and anything else that may catch my eye. If you are familiar with the Japanese markets out in Manhattan, such as Sunrise Mart, this store is somewhat like it but on a smaller scale. The store is quite small and cramped so it may not be so appealing for some people but they are stocked with so much stuff! They pretty much have everything to make a Japanese meal, minus fresh seafood and meats. They sometimes have foods that you may not find in other Japanese/Asian grocers. Their cooked food is also amazing! read more

the cutest place in forest hills! Highly recommend their poke bowls and tuna maki rolls. I do sometimes get a bit confused on what they're serving today, because sometimes I dont see the tuna rolls and on other days I cant find any poke bowls. I might just be too late to grab them but it'd be nice to just have a roster infront of the shop as to what they're serving on that day (: read more

We are very grateful to have this market in our area. In addition to the Japanese specialty products such as natto, mizuna and soba noodles, there are freshly made gyoza, sushi and dinner plates. The store is small, and parking in Forest Hills? You know the deal. read more

Super cute and great onigiri! I go once every two weeks to stock up on dumplings, yakult and more! Stuff is also pretty affordable as well! Definitely recommend to others and will be going back for more!! read more

We did a sushi night at home and this was a few weeks ago after the large snow storm so I wanted to stay close to my bf's apartment so hopped on the train and went on a mission. They are a small store but have a nice selection of a little bit of everything. I got a wooden container to hold the sushi rice, sushi rice, some sashimi grade fish. They have a nice selection of snacks and frozen goods as well as some vegetables as well as some pre-packaged prepared food. They also had a section with house wares and beauty supplies, it's alot to take in at one time and might seem overwhelming if you are not familiar with Japanese products. It isn't the cheapest because I dropped about $60 but I think this is a great little market to check out to get something different. read more

Sakura is a little Japanese market with a lot of awesome goodness stuffed inside of it. Fresh sashimi , uni, octopus, frozen Japanese dinners dumplings they have it all crammed into this little shop. Amazing. If you live in Forest Hills ,this place is a must. OMG I love Sakura read more

Love this Japanese mart! the onigiris, beef rice bowls, cooked dumplings and seaweed salad are super delicious. The rice balls sell-out fast! This is my favorite go-to store! The only thing i dislike about this place: it's very cramp! read more

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While I love living in Forest Hills, I do miss the Asian supermarkets that were so abundant in my old neighborhood of Elmhurst. Sakura Ya is a tiny store that does it's best to fill the void Forest Hills has in regards to Asian grocers. While there's no comparison between them and the large, big name stores like H Mart, they offer a very respectable variety of products ranging from fresh produce, boxed snacks and frozen offerings. I go there when I need anything from enoki mushrooms to seafood gyoza to silken tofu. The people are extremely friendly and pleasant and the store is bright and well maintained. read more

I wish I can give this place 6 stars but alas. They recently renovated and had expanded. The store is now bigger and roomier. They now also offer bento boxes (very tasty) and a lot more onigiri. read more

Sakura-Ya is a good place to go to when there's specific Japanese groceries you want that aren't as easy to find in the very many non-Japanese Asian markets in Flushing. I'm talking about things like matcha powder and Japanese pickled vegetables. They have some of the lowest prices on tofu that I've seen. Sakura-Ya also carries bento boxes, cooking supplies, and some Japanese beauty supplies. They may not be anywhere near as large or as stunning as Mitsuwa is, but I'm so glad they're in Queens! read more

Sakura Ya - Inari! - Grocery Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

Prices: Not too bad at all, cheaper than manhattan japanese groceries, but more expensive than chinese groceries in flushing (but really, is anything cheaper than that?) Selection: I cook quite a bit of Japanese food, and I was happy to find that they had all the basics needed. Sure, they don't have several different varieties of a certain type of flour or sauce, but they maybe have 1-2 types to choose from. They carry the major brands that you would find on a shelf in almost any town in Japan. Their freezer item selection is also quite good. Staff: Hit or miss. I've had great experiences with some of the staff, and then sometimes they seem very busy inventorying and not paying attention to people lining up. Overall though - good service. Location: A great spot for people living close to Austin street. Very walkable. Also, if you need to do some other shopping for American groceries you can pop across the street to S.S.Natural or C-Town and get the rest of your items there. Credit Cards: They have a $15 minimum, which is fine. Businesses have to pay a lot to be able to use credit cards, so I understand their policy. Some asian groceries don't even allow credit cards so I'm happy that they do - regardless of the minimum. Points for improvement: I do wish that they would have more "home goods". Currently they have a few cups and a nabe pot or two. They'd be smart to make the back wall full of daiso type $1.50-$2.00 bowls and saucers, ktichen tools, etc. Not only would people buy them for daily use, but casual shoppers from Austin street might be tempted to buy some too. read more

Fun place to shop at. Saves me the trouble of traveling to flushing. The workers there are very nice and helpful. Will surely go shop there again. Yes the isles are small buts it a fun place to check out. read more

I love this market and always recommend it to people who visit Forest Hills. I overheard them even tell a customer who was looking for a specific item to let them know what brand or to show a picture to them and they were willing to order the item and ship it to the store for them. The workers here are always friendly. The only negative part is how small and tight squeeze it is when you stroll around the store. My sister loves the green tea noodles I buy her from this store. I love the edamame shu mai, seaweed, Sriracha peas, grilled octopus, and the list can go on. Definitely check out this spot if you like Japanese food! read more

This place reminds me of a few grocery shops back in Japan! It's a small cramped store that can only fit one person in each isle with limited selections but none the less, living in Forest Hills, its better than traveling all the way to Manhattan to get Japanese groceries! A lot of the items that I passed through had similar prices to Sunrise Mart's prices one year back (not sure if they rose the prices on their goods having not gone back for a year). I personally went to get some Japanese hair wax but they only had like two brands, Gatsby and some other one. Other than that, I'll definitely be coming back when I need to do a few Japanese grocery shopping. There's a $15 minimum to use your credit card so beware! read more

(Written about Pre-Covid). Love! This! Place! Its very small but they sell sooo much here! There arent a lot of japanese grocery stores here in NYC but where there are... its great. Lots of snacks, noodles, drinks, skincare, etc. Onigiri is not the best ive tried in the city but its good. Its actually somewhat big thus filling. I love to get their mochi and snacks. I always walk away with more than i intended. read more

I love this place!! A great place to buy Japanese snacks or Japanese beverages and Onigiri!! People that works there are very friendly :) おすすめです！！（） read more

Really nice little Japanese grocery store! They have everything you'll need to cook authentic Japanese dinner! I got some fruit jelly and they taste like when I was a kid! Hope I could live closer to shop there everyday! read more

I think this is the cheapest Japanese grocery store in all five boroughs..maybe. I miss living within walking distance of the place but it's worth the trip! The only thing I would suggest would be to carry the Japanese only flavors of Kit Kat (maybe a few more things I can't think of right now - oh a cafe with Japanese programming on heh) :-P Other than that, I really adore this store, they have my favorite canned coffee (Pokka) for a dollar (in K town Manhattan - they have the nerve to charge 2 bucks for it!! What?!?) and I love the layout of the store. read more

This is THE BEST asian market in the area. Yes, most of the items here can be found in other asian markets, Main St Queens, Flushing, Elmhurst, 8th Ave Brooklyn, Bensonhurst, Canal St Manhattan. Any of those places within walking distance? Give me 30 minutes, I'd be there and back with a kickarse dinner ready. I'm reviewing a market not a restaurant. It's the convenience that matters. I sure as hell don't got the time to make that pilgrimage to asia town every week. Carrying a ton of groceries on the train ain't fun. Besides, this is the only supermarket I know that carries freshly made rice balls everyday. The rice balls are lifesavers. I'd be hungry from that commute home; the traffic, the drivers, the horns, sitting through that maze is taxing. I'd get home too early for dinner, but the stomach be bugging me about a snack. A rice ball or two with the Calico drink have never failed me. They're mad good and priced well. Just gotta get there early, cause they sell out by 6, guess my stomach ain't the only one that's crying. For the evening shoppers, today you learned that those empty baskets on the right side of the counter, by the fridge, hold some of the best snacks in NYC! read more

They are so friendly here. And very helpful if you are looking for something specific. Nice hidden little supermarket that's clean and organized, a little tight though. Food is slightly over priced here but if your looking for your fav beer, food or Japanese snack you will likely find it here read more

I guess I should update my review, it is still a solid 10 stars...wait highest is 5. I still love this place, been coming here for years. They do pack a lot into a tiny space and the veggies are always fresh and cheap. Love their selection of rice balls, they are so yummy. Their Inari is really good too and I always get a packet from here. read more

I love love this store. The staff is so friendly and the food is so awesome. This place is my GO TO spot for things like miso paste, kombu, matcha green tea, mochi, shiitake mushrooms, and other Japanese food staples. They also have a great selection of Japanese candies. Most importantly it has the most delicious rice balls ever! Truly a great spot and recommended. read more

Sakura Ya - Candy display - Grocery Near Me - Forest Hills, New York

Onigiri is the best, so is their selection of Japanese snacks and drinks. Support small businesses!!!

My kids love the ready made sushi's and prepared foods. It's a great place for my fav Japanese snacks, drinks and noodles. I wish they were open later as sometime they are closed when I'm back from work. read more

Very lovely and cozy japanese market! Am I glad a real japanese market is in Queens!! They carried more japanese items than I thought but not much variety as other asian markets such as korean or chinese but there are "real" imported japanese products. Some items can be purchased at a reasonable price, things like golden curry, miso powder but some items are better off bought at other bigger korean markets in flushing. What I loved the most was the onigiri rice ball and some japanese confection sweets like manju cake and mochi which are in $1.50-$.200 range. Not bad! Onigiri rice balls are found at the counter so don't get lost trying to find one just like I was. Also big calbee bean snack was at good price of $1.99 for 6 oz which is a good bargain. I will probably will be back to try rice balls and snacks sometime soon. I look forward to visit there again. :) read more

This place is a little gem for all things Japanese. Great selection of Japanese snacks, noodles, baked goods, and bashed goods. This is my go to stop for hot pot supplies-- thin sliced meats, assortment of fish cakes, and tofu products. They have a nice ready to eat section of rice balls, Vento boxes and salads. Tiny space but they pack a lot in. read more

I am happy that Sakura Ya is there. There is one Japanese grocery in Astoria, but there is no other Japanese grocery store in Queens away from Manhattan. This place is small, but they have almost everything. I like the fact that they have Towari Soba (100% Buckwheat Noodle). Nowadays you can buy buckwheat noodles in supermarket's Asian section in your neighborhood, but it is difficult to find 100% Buckwheat noodle. The Soba noodle you find in supermarket is mixture of wheat and buckwheat. Although noodle made with wheat and buckwheat is smoother in your mouth than 100% buckwheat noodle, if you want take the health benefit of buckwheat or you are avoiding wheat, I recommend 100% buckwheat noodle. For your information, buckwheat has high in fiber, essential amino, good for managing high blood pressure and diabetes and gluten-free. Other than buckwheat noodle, I like their sweets in a refrigerator. I buy rice snacks, too. I like that they have variety of miscellaneous daily goods. read more

Love this tiny place! Their freshly prepared hot food is a much better choice than any fast food or Chinese food takeout. The price is very reasonable too! read more

A nice Japanese supermarket in Queens! They have decent prices and a large variety of different snacks and items. Whenever I'm in forest hills it's always tempting to stop by and get something. Also, the cashier is pretty cute, so that's a bonus. read more

because Mitsuwa isn't within walking distance for me, Sakura is a good fallback. if you're in need of Japanese imports (plus some other items from random Asian countries), Sakura Ya is a solid little shop. yes, they have the crazy flavored chips/snacks that we all know and love from Japan. so, if you feel your life is lacking food that has unnecessary amounts of octopus or shrimp in it, this is your place. there's also a good variety of teas, candy, juices, sodas, beer, as well as cooking supplies (flavor packets, oils, sauces) and more. it's a little costly, but since this is hard to find stuff, I feel it's justified. note, the place is tiny. the small aisles will make you feel like Godzilla. how fitting! read more

If I could give a sixth star I would, 'cause they got better. They bought out the store next to them and expanded. So now it's even bigger, more items, and roomier than before. no noticeable price jack-up to cover the new size. Good for them, while a lot of Japanese stores are closing or shrinking in the city, Sakuraya is actually expanding. read more

I come here almost every week and this place had never disappointed me. I always at least get a food bowl or a rice ball. The parking can be a little tough at times but it is easier to not take a car there. read more

Went here for first time looking for sushi grade fish or at least good quality fish. All I found was a tiny selection of pre-packaged, small pieces of tuna and salmon. Picked up a piece of the salmon for close inspection. It felt too firm and upon closer inspection looked like it was drying out. No date on deli label indicating when they packaged it or when it should be sold by. I guess this place would be ok if you were looking for some Japanese dried goods, but don't bother if you are looking for fresh fish. Very disappointing. read more

Been going to this place since high school. Great variety of Japanese snacks to choose, a little pricy, always ended up buying more than $20 worth of food, but always come home happy with all those snacks. read more

In my search for Kochakaden, I was led to this store after another great meal at Sushi Time. Props to this place because I showed a picture of it to one of the employees, and they showed me a product that had a similar taste to it. (something that they've never done at m2m) Everything else in this market seems pretty good. There is a layout to the store, and while it can get a little cramped it is still workable. Since its further down on Austin St. it also isn't as trafficky and closer to the F train stop. Score. read more

A great cozy place packed full of Japanese goods. Prices are reasonable, and their deli items - onigiri, bento, squid salad, gyu don, sashimi and maki- are great lunch fare. I didn't give it five stars because it should be bigger! read more

Phenomenal! Don't get the complaints about the cashiers - they were very fast, courteous and efficient. Located things for me, etc. Incredible selection. Not a huge place, so not somewhere to buy tons of vegetables, but the sashimi was excellent and cheap, and all the packaged goods - from cheap soy sauce for cooking to expensive soy sauce for garnishing/serving, gyoza skins, all manner of dried squid and fish, tons of frozen things, etc. Great little store - I'm not in the neighborhood so it's out of the way for me, but if I lived there I'd be in all the time. read more

I love this place! I go here about once a week. The staff is EXTREMELY kind. Sakura Ya has a large selection of: candy, savory chips/snacks, fresh cooked food, beauty supplies, bento supplies, ramen, ice creams, fish and meat, vegetables, and anything you'd expect a grocery store to hold. My favorite things are the strawberry mochi, yuzu drinks and candies, and the AMAZING prepared seaweed onigiri! The store is moderately small due to the tiny aisles. However, it rarely gets super crowded so I'm sure the size will not be a problem to anyone. Sakura Ya convenient and also probably the cheapest place to find Japanese groceries. Definitely recommend this place, be sure to check it out if you're in the area! read more