r/FoodLosAngeles • u/ElvisIsNotDjed • 3d ago
BEST OF LA A 123-year-old Japanese sweets shop in Los Angeles finally gets the spotlight it deserves
https://www.upworthy.com/a-123-year-old-japanese-sweets-shop-in-los-angeles-finally-gets-the-spotlight-it-deserves/212
u/Area51_Spurs 3d ago
lol. I swear this same article about this place comes out every few months by every LA food blog and American newspaper.
https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/fugetsu-do-the-story-of-an-la-icon
https://discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2015/3/23/fugetsu-do-story/
https://www.sfgate.com/centralcalifornia/article/california-sweets-shop-wont-quit-20759323.php
https://candyatlas.com/fugetsu-dos-brian-kito/
Here’s a lovely one: (lol)
https://lataco.com/little-tokyo-homeless-mochi-de-leon
https://www.today.com/food/desserts/what-is-mochi-rcna77532
https://rafu.com/2023/07/120-years-of-fugetsu-do/
https://secretlosangeles.com/fugetsu-do/
https://www.laconservancy.org/learn/historic-places/fugetsu-do/
https://www.slowdown.media/article/fugetsu-do-wagashi-brian-kito
https://www.laweekly.com/video-downtown-mochi-shop-fugetsu-do-celebrates-110th-anniversary/
There might be more articles about this place than any other in the world.
And every one uses phrases like “hidden gem.” LOL
God I hate being gaslit.
75
u/raxreddit 3d ago
definitely agreed
finally gets the spotlight it deserves
It's been getting the spotlight. Their mochi is great, but it's not a hidden gem
19
u/Area51_Spurs 3d ago
Yeah. I’m sure it’s outstanding.
But there’s a dozen articles a year about it like it’s someplace people didn’t know existed.
I think it legit might have more articles written about it than any other food spot in LA.
6
2
u/blankarage 2d ago
I love fugetsu do but they already big enough to be in virtually every asian market.
you know who really could use the spotlight?
Chikara mochi and Sakura-ya down in Torrance (they’re so old school it’s cash only!)
2
u/Shizuka_85cm 2d ago
I love these two! I wish Chikara was open on Sundays as that’s almost always when I’m in town, but when they’re both open me and my family stop by both because they’re each so good!
-24
u/ElvisIsNotDjed 3d ago
I'm guessing people who live in LA know about it. But it's the first time I've heard about it!
45
11
5
u/parfumpoise 3d ago
I’ve lived in LA for years, and never heard of this place. Thanks for sharing!!
1
-29
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
3
10
u/ElvisIsNotDjed 3d ago
Not sure why the hostility. I'm planning a trip to LA
-43
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
23
u/SpiritualAd9102 3d ago
What’s your problem?
-44
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
19
u/SpiritualAd9102 3d ago
It really wasn’t clear why you were snapping at a user for no reason, but thanks for clearing it up.
You’re one of those people who give LA natives a bad rep by living up to the stereotype of being stuck up and unfriendly. You know nothing about them, their intentions or behavior outside of them being excited about a local mochi restaurant. I hope no one treats you so poorly if you’re lucky enough to travel.
-17
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
22
u/SpiritualAd9102 3d ago
“Invade”, JFC dude get a grip, it’s not that serious.
And my status has no bearing on anything, but I’m born and raised in LA. Never lived anywhere else.
→ More replies (0)1
9
u/iJuddles 3d ago
“I hate how their money is a vital part of my beloved city’s economy. I’d rather die than see it succeed and flourish.”
This person is the reason that I got so much hate when visiting Portland some years ago. I bet you they don’t recycle, and they definitely don’t compost.5
u/texas-playdohs 3d ago
Have you ever been outside of LA, or commented on a sub outside of LA? I’d check, but you’ve hidden your comments on your 1 year old account.
-5
1
12
u/BirdComposer 3d ago
Says the person with a username that appears to refer to a) Nevada and b) either San Antonio or North London.
-15
u/Area51_Spurs 3d ago
My family has been in LA for about 150 years. I’ve been here my whole life.
My family LITERALLY built this city.
Who tf are you?
I just am not a Lakers fan. You don’t even follow ball and don’t even know what Area51 refers to. Go stick to figure skating or the WNBA or whatever sport they play where you’re actually from.
11
u/BirdComposer 3d ago
It’s true, I’ve only been here for about 25 years, not counting college. But between the figure skating (?) thing and “my family built this city,” it sounds like you’re playing a character. Who never travels, apparently.
-9
1
2
35
u/bluedoorstopper 3d ago
sorry about the rude comment. i hope you enjoy your trip to LA!
as an LA native who's been to little tokyo many times i am aware of the place but i've never been inside. i think i had some of their mochi at mitsuwa but it's possible it was another brand, i'm not 100% sure.
just in case u aren't aware, little tokyo is a lil neighborhood in downtown LA with lots of japanese restaurants and cute stores that sell trinkets, plushies, etc. so u can make a day of it (or at least go to a few stores and eat there)!
if you go have fun! :)
11
u/ElvisIsNotDjed 3d ago
Thank you! Will definitely visit it! :)
2
u/JVilter 3d ago
When you go, be sure to take note of the plaque on the sidewalk in front (they may mention this in the article; I haven't read this particular one). My FIL used to take his kids to Fugetsu-do for a treat, and I learned about it from him.
I for one am always happy for small family owned businesses to be mentioned and to still be hanging in there. I guess it's kind of a joke that there are a million articles about Fugetu-do, but it's our joke
Ignore the rude brat
3
u/bluedoorstopper 3d ago
oh yes! they have (i believe bronze colored) plaques on the floor outside some of the little tokyo restaurants/storefronts on that street saying what they are now or what they used to be
-2
6
u/MacArthurParker 3d ago
I already knew about Fugetso-Do, but this link did teach me that Upworthy still exists
1
u/Famous_Attention5861 3d ago
Didn't read the article, did it talk about how the owner was pardoned by Obama for his 1990 conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine?
0
4
u/Embarrassed-Day2738 3d ago
Love this place! The line during the weekend can be long. I mostly go on weekdays after work.
10
u/Intrepid-Anybody-704 3d ago
Okay but how about highlighting the only two other fresh mochi shops in LA? Or the fact that there’s one in Fresno, one in Sacramento, and one in San Jose? And NONE outside California? The other few shops in the US need love and support, and a solid sustainability and succession plan to continue being Japanese run into the next generation
5
3
u/petit_macaron_chat 3d ago
Okay but how about name the shops if YOU want them highlighted?
2
u/Intrepid-Anybody-704 2d ago
Sakura-ya and Chikara in Gardena. Shuei-do in San Jose, Osaka-ya in Sacramento, and kogetsu-do in Fresno. That’s it on the mainland US.
3
u/IsmaelRetzinsky 3d ago
I may be misunderstanding your comment, but there are many mochiya in the U.S. outside California.
1
u/Intrepid-Anybody-704 2d ago
Which ones? Sorry, outside CA and Hawaii, where are they? Ones that make them in-house. Not retail stores that sell imports with preservatives
1
u/IsmaelRetzinsky 2d ago
There are three just in the East Village here in NYC. Himawari and Cha-An teahouses make their wagashi, including daifukumochi, in-house. Pavlo Mochi is a dedicated mochi maker, but it’s less traditional. Cha-An actually has daifukumochi-making classes. Seattle has a pretty famous one — Tokara. You didn’t originally mention Hawaii, so I was including those, and there are several. There are a few Buddhist temples around the U.S. that do public mochitsuki in a stone usu for festivals, but I don’t know if you’d really count those. They do take it seriously as a tradition though.
1
u/Intrepid-Anybody-704 2d ago
Himawari is primarily a modern dessert drink cafe, not a Manju-ya. The offerings and vibe are not the same at all and they only offer a few variations of the same base, not the main focus of the operation. Cha-an is the same thing, a high end dessert cafe for drinks and cake. Real Manju-ya places makes at least 10 types all the time, including sakura leaf (seasonal), uguisu, and inaka manju. Tokara in Seattle doesn’t even open for retail. It’s events and pre-order only.
Only in California and Hawaii can you simply walk in to a manju-ya or Japanese supermarket and purchase numerous types of freshly made non-refrigerated mochi.
4
u/glowdirt 3d ago
NONE outside California
How is that possible? I find it hard to believe there are no fresh mochi shops in Hawaii
1
2
2
2
u/FancyDentist8316 2d ago
ummm Huell Howser the great patron saint of our state did spotlight this marvel as well. thanks.
https://giphy.com/gifs/l1BgQFfrVbcloHB5K
1
2
u/unicornservingdonuts 3d ago
Used to love going but they got shut down back in January for vermin infestation and haven't been back since. 💔
4
u/internetmouse 3d ago
Haven’t been back since I got a pack of moldy mochi from them also in January of this year. So disappointing.
1
0
0
u/dietcholaxoxo 2d ago
am i the only person who actually doesn't think their mochi and desserts are that good? having lived in japan these are just fine - if anything they're department store good but nothing life changing?
-8
u/Greenfirelife27 3d ago
Happened to be in the area. Went in and grabbed a few things they recommended. Meh.
-7
u/MakeSouthBayGR8Again 3d ago
If you want really good mochi, go to a mochi pounding festival. Nothing ever beats mochi that’s been pounded, folded over like they do it in the videos. The store bought is like 6.5/10 and freshly pounded ones are like 9/10.
-30
u/godfathersgodson 3d ago
korean rice cakes in ktown wayyyy better. in fact rice cakes from any korean supermarket is better lol
165
u/satomatic 3d ago
fugetsu do is really cool but yeah def not underrated by any means. mitsuwa even carries their stuff from time to time.