Since 1910 Mikawaya has taken pride in the manufacture and sales of traditional japanese pastries known as "Wagashi"
In June 1993, Mikawaya began to manufacture an ice cream novelty known as "Mochi Ice Cream". This new product is quite possibly the most unique ice cream dessert to come along in 50 years.
History
Celebrating
95 years of bringing Japanese pastry to America.
20044 is the 95th anniversary of Mikawaya in Los Angeles, California. Just after the turn of the last century 2 Japanese, one of whom was from the Mikawa, a prefecture in Aichiken, Japan, thereby giving the pastry company its name. The "ya" at the end of the name means store in Japanese.
In 1910 Ryuzaburo Hashimoto purchased the company that was then located at 365 East First St. Fifteen years later, nephew Koroku Hashimoto and his wife Haru took over the operations and reopened the facility at the newly built Olympic Hotel on North San Pedro Street. Five years later they moved back to First Street where they continued in business until 1942.
From 1942 until December 1945 Mikawaya was closed due to the Hashimoto family being relocated to Poston, Arizona for the duration of World War II. On December 23, 1945 they reopened at 244 East First Street, next door to their pre-war location.
In 1970 Frances Hashimoto, their youngest daughter, took over the business. Believing that the area around First Street would be a prime redevelopment area, she planned and built a new bakery on 4th Street, which was completed in 1974.
As a result of the new bakery, Mikawaya was able to expand its retail operations.
The 244 E. First Street shop was closed in 1990 but presently Mikawaya has retail stores in Japanese Village Plaza, Little Tokyo Square,Pacific Square Shopping Center in Torrance,Mitsuwa Marketplace in Gardena and Shirokiya Department Store in Honolulu, Hawaii.
In June of 1993, Mikawaya began manufacturing an ice cream novelty known asMochi Ice Cream" . This new product is quite possibly the most unique ice cream dessert to come along in 50 years.
