Chikara Mochi

BEST wagashi in the West Coast indeed! I waited to try the other wagashi place we found in the Sacramento area before reviewing this place and therefore we conclude, they have the best mochis! Staff is super friendly and kind 😭 would really love to go here again if ever we are down in SoCal!

We try to come a couple times later in the afternoon, it was closed or sold out. We finally able to get in around noon and they only have a few pieces left. The mochi is very fresh and delicious, definitely worth it. It’s also decorated super cute. Very good gift or treat!

It's like a little Japan that got in LA. This mochi shop is authentic and has such exquisite mochi made by Japanese. It was sold out 3hrs when we bought the last few of it. We bought the assorted 12 pieces and it tasted just like Japan version.

Great handmade mochi. Unique selection and great flavors. Be sure to arrive early as they sell out fast. They are also cash only but it's worth it! I will definitely be visiting again earlier next time to see the full selection of sweets!

Really good mochi to go. They're so pretty. They are filled with green bean or red bean paste. Tasty and soft, but not too sweet. Cash-only. Place cash in the tray like in Japan, don't hand them the cash.

I was so heartbroken when Mikawaya closed in Gardena. There was no place to purchase fresh mochigashi. A friend at work brought me a mochi from Chikara Mochi and I was in heaven. I went today and purchased all the mochi I wanted. Each piece is so delicately decorated. My son and I have devoured 3 pieces so far and all were exceptionally soft, smooth, and so flavorful. And, as an added bonus, I get to support a minority owned woman in her business endeavor. Ganbatte! Update: I can not express how much I love Chikara Mochi. Her skills are just amazing. The white mochi is named Mount Fuji. If you look closely, the blue decoration is Mount Fuji sprinkled with snow with the red sun. It's almost too beautiful to eat 😍 😋

LOVE the mochi here!! My favorite flavors are the peach and the coffee. So nice and soft. Super friendly and lovely staff too. Will always come here for my mochi needs!

The mochi here is super sweet and soft. It’s handmade old school style. Bring Cash and get here early. I got here around 10am and took the last peach. The art was beautiful I honestly didn’t want to eat it. I got about 2-3 bites out of each Mochi, I had to savor the taste. There’s free parking on the street after 8am.

A gem that's been around forever; they have the best mochi around and in the most fanciful designs. It's a very simple shop with only a few offerings, but they're all delicious. They only stay open until enduring is done out, so come early! Cash only!!

I am so happy to finally visit this iconic Japanese sweets shop! For over 15 years, I've been buying their mochi-gashi every year for Japanese New Year celebrations from various grocery stores, so, visiting the main shop was a special experience. Friendly Japanese lady Reminds me of Showa-era Cash- only

Cute little mom and pop type of establishment serving mochi and other goodies. Unfortunately they're CASH ONLY. The lady behind the counter was very nice. However it was kind of hard to understand what each of the products were. It didn't really hit me until after I ate all my mochi that most were the same flavor-wise except for the beautiful design of the mochi on the house. Makes sense now why she said the mochi flavor is a plain inside. Beautifully crafted you can definitely tell they put time into their products.

In such an unsuspecting storefront, this small mochi shop is still very popular and busy. And for good reason too! Each mochi is an art piece. It's amazing how they get the fragrance of fruit flavors in their mochis, how smooth their red bean is, or how good their breads are (def try the cream pan!). This is a great place to pick up dessert/gifts. Cash only!

I always make a stop here at Chikara Mochi whenever I'm in Gardena. I am obsessed with their Sakura Mochi (leaf-wrapped) and always call ahead of time to see if they have any for that day. They often sell out in the mornings so I would call to see what they have left before showing up. Generally speaking, all of their mochi's taste the same. They are either red bean filled or green bean filled. Some of them are slightly flavored such as the fruit ones, but otherwise, you're choosing based on what bean you prefer and the design on the outside. The Sakura Mochi and Peanut Butter Mochi is different :). While the Sakura Mochi is filled with red whole beans, the outside is made with whole sticky rice and wrapped in a shiso leaf. The Peanut Butter Mochi is filled with peanut butter - so good! My three favorite mochi's to get from here are Sakura, Peanut Butter, and Peach! Cash only!

Chikara Mochi has the prettiest and tastiest Japanese mochi in the South Bay. I love how soft the mochi is and I recently ordered a large batch of mochi for my daughter's birthday. It was so fun to be able to choose from different designs that I could match to her birthday theme and all the guests were amazed by how cute and beautiful the mochi was. I love taking the mochi home and enjoying it with some hot green tea. They package the mochi so nicely too that I've taken it up to Seattle as a gift. The workers are always so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend if you plan on ordering 100+ mochi to order way ahead of time because they book up.

Every time I visit the South Bay, Chikara Mochi is a 100% MUST visit. The quintessential representation of made with love, small batch, Japanese tradition and family-run mochi spot that is so coveted on the west coast and is an impossible find in even NYC. This is one of my favorite places, ever. First of all, the mochi is BEAUTIFULLY decorated - absolutely stunning to the point where you feel bad biting into them. But the regret is quickly washed away when you are instantly hit with the fresh, delicious, chewy/QQ, nicely sweet mochi flavor. I mean WOW. Some of the flavors do get a bit on the sweeter side, which is surprising for an asian dessert, but also, that might be because it built up since I ate so many of them quite quickly. What can I say? Chikara mochi is amazing and has my heart. Will come back for you soon!!

This is a hidden gem that you'd only visit if you knew where it was! I visited off a recommendation from a friend, and I was mesmerized by the gorgeous mochi. It is cash only (we didn't realize that until we walked in lol), but went to the nearest bank to grab some cash. They have tons of different flavors, with the designs being seasonal. Each piece of mochi is a bit expensive, but I think its worth for the time and effort put in to them being made. Both of the workers we spoke too were super helpful and explained the flavor inside. If I'm ever in the area I'll for sure be back to visit!

It is a quaint shop with very little signage. If you weren't looking for it, you would never notice it. The mochi was delicious even my 100 year old mom loved them. She said it reminded her of when she was a child. The sales clerk was very friendly and helpful. She didn't rush me and made some suggestions as to what I should buy.

Easy street parking. The Japanese lady who ran the shop was so nice. I practiced my Japanese with her lol She asked if I buy them as gifts. I told her that they're all just for me and she just laughed lol The mochi is so soft but still chewy and fillings so smooth, not too sweet. They're all so so pretty and some of them are with seasonal decoration.

A friend picked up some mochi for me for my birthday. I liked that the mochi was soft and you could taste the high quality through the flavors. My favorite ones were strawberry and red bean. They have cute decorations, and the six pack came in a simple/cute box. Would recommend it as a nice gift or treat to try.

What a cute mochi shop! You would not have known from the plain front, but the inside is full of beautifully decorated fresh mochi. Each serving is about $2.85-$3.00. Be sure to ask if the names refer to the actual flavor or simply the shape of the mochi. For example, the chrysanthemum mochi is not a chrysanthemum flavor, but rather shaped into a chrysanthemum flower. The mochi here are similar to the ones I had in Japan, but the flavors are little more subtle. Each piece is very fresh and lasts a few days at room temperature...if you are able to control your cravings.

This review is long overdue- LA has a few artisinal mom and pop mochi shops that have lasted for decades, and Chikara is one of them. The presentation is beautiful, these are not cheap eats as well. For $20 you can get a decently assorted box of mochi to give, they take cash only. They also prepare it differently depending if it's a gift or for yourself. Some of my favorites are the Kiku, Sakura, Nadeshiko, and Strawberry. It's definitely pricey compared to other mochi places, but in my opinion it's the chewiest compared to others.

I had meant to write this review soon after my visit in October 2024. Time got the best of me, and here we are. I was preparing for an anime/Studio Ghibli themed-Halloween party and thought mochi would be a perfect additional dessert for the party. I knew I would have many dessert items that would be provided (potluck styled party), but I thought mochi would be a wonderful accompaniment. I found Chikara Mochi from just doing a Yelp search. I went fairly early on a Friday morning (party was the next day, Saturday evening). There were a lot of mochi, but idiot me, thought, oh they would just have more in the back...lol The woman behind the counter was very courteous and asked me how many was I considering and her eyes popped when I asked if she had perhaps 3 dozen I can buy now. She explained it would be possible with advance orders, but not day of. What they had in the counter was what was the daily offerings. She was very helpful and saw the wistful look on my face and said I could purchase a dozen now (what was available in the counter), and come back early tomorrow morning to see what was offered. I thought that was perfect. I ended up coming back the next morning. She had 16 that I could purchase. They are expensive, but the mochi is beautifully made and taste wonderful. I would definitely recommend just stopping by if you are craving mochi. I would do an advance future order. I think her name was Yuko(?). Thank you so much for your helpfulness. My guests loved the mochi.

Heard about this place around the net, and when I was finally in the area, I decided to drop by. The place is small, and has a glass counter with different kinds of mochi inside. To the left was a display of many traditional Japanese trinkets. The lady who helped me was patient and kind. I wanted to get alot more but I was going to be the only one eating them, so I limited myself to 5. Each of them had its own tantalizing flavor and chewy texture! Will definitely come back.

It was really yummy! I loved the cute designs on the food. The cashier was really nice and helped me choose.

Bomb And the ladies that run Chikara Mochi are super sweet, fun to talk to, and very helpful. I went for some Sakura Mochi, which was fucking delish, and ended with a whole ensemble lol. I destroyed every bit in those photos haha. You're missing out of you don't stop by and try their mochi! Make sure to bring cash because they don't take card lol

Amazing little hidden gem for fresh mochi! The outside is a bit hidden but it's right across the street from Azuma. Beautiful mochi designs that are seasonal.

The various types of mochi are delicate, delicious, perfectly balanced, soft, pillowy, chewy and looks like works of art. They are packaged in a very cute box and make the perfect hostess gift. The ladies that work here are sweet and so lovely.

I love Cikara mochi! Their wagashi is always beautiful and they get really creative with their flavors! My favorite part about the wagashi here is that the flavors and designs change with the season, just like in Japan! They are also very reasonably priced!

Delicious Japanese mochi and desserts. The red bean filling is not too sweet. They sell out quickly, so it's best to go before noon. The staff is very friendly and welcoming.

My goal in life is to try all the mochi in California. This mochi was super good, I ordered a box of 10 for around $30. While the price may scare others away, it is so worth it. My top 2 were the sakura mochi, sweet and salty with so much depth to it, and their rabbit mochi. The skins flavor shined through a lot!! The staff were super friendly and took their time with clients. They even gave me a free sample. Store is sweet and simple, possibly the best mochi in California.

This is my FAVORITE mocchi house! They are really kind. Very excellent service! Sakura mocchi is the best Absolutely I will come back again!

Excellent knowledge and friendly service from this community gem. She went through all the mochi and the variations. Unfortunately the peanut butter/chocolate mochi was not there which apparently is very popular. The mochi was fresh and delicious. Unassuming but friendly shop.

Fresh, handmade mochi. Can't get any better than this! Torrance/Gardena has never disappointed me on the food front. We've come by a few times, but not as frequently as we could because they were CASH ONLY for the times that we've visited. With cash in-hand, though, we may make a visit. They tend to have a good selection, but it also depends if they're having any events, or if there's a big holiday. It could be different flavors, different fillings, etc. They do package it very nicely, but it is very easy and quick to get to $20. These aren't cheap eats. Because they're made fresh and no preservatives, these basically need to be eaten in the next day or so. That's the same with any mochi place; they need to be finished quickly. I've only done street parking; I don't know if there is a parking lot, but I've been able to do street parking without much issue. There's sometimes a line inside, but it can go fairly quickly.

Absolutely delicious! My favs were the kuri and strawberry mochi! There is parking behind the building. And the customer service is great! Remember to bring cash though as they don't accept card!

I had Chikara Mochi on my bookmarks for the longest time. I first saw this place featured on David Chang's show "Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner." I then got to try Chikara Mochi via some of their offerings at Tokyo Central. I was excited to finally visit the store recently. It's a relatively small shop and they have a variety of different mochis ranging in the $2-$2.80 range. Their specialty mochi are $2.80 and these are the really pretty mochis that are beautifully decorated and have fillings. The more simple mochi are around $2. I got the apple and strawberry special mochi for $2.80 each and a peanut butter mochi and a Kuri manju for $2 each. My favorites were definitely the apple and strawberry special mochi. They were so soft and sweet. I could definitely taste both the apple and strawberry flavors. It was such a special treat! The peanut butter mochi was my second favorite. I loved the peanut butter filling in these. It was so tasty. My least favorite was the Kuru manju. The chestnut cake was a little too dry for me. I definitely want to try more of their specialty mochis in the future. Their specialty mochis are a little pricey at $2.80 but the quality and taste is amazing! One can't beat fresh made mochi!

I have lived in Gardena off and on for over 50 years. I had never visited Chikara Mochi until my wife found it on Yelp. With Mikawaya now gone, Chikara Mochi is the only high end mochi/manju store in the area. I highly recommend this store to pick up mochi and manju, especially for gift giving.

It felt like entering a small old establishment in rural Japan. The sweets were small, but cute and had very distinguished flavor. Will visit again.

Definetly come early so you have more selections. I came by here at a little bit after 1pm and I didn't have to wait. There was only 1 other group in front of us. The paper parchment color signify the bean inside the mochi. White is white bean, and brown is the red bean. I personally like the red bean more. The texture of the red bean is not my favorite but is still good. I really love their mochi and how soft it is. It last me for 3 more days after I bought it and it is still soft. Just leave it out room temperature. Overall I would come back for certain mochi and if I'm in the area.

Nice little shop. Seems like lots of locals. Sadly the mochi was just too sweet for me.

best mochi i've had, and i keep wanting to return! the staff was incredibly kind when i visited, and i was lucky enough to come in on a day they had extras from a cancelled order haha. note: it's cash only, their hours are limited with semi-frequent days off, and they almost always sell out, so arrive early and prepared.

This place and another mochi shop has been in Gardena for decades. The mochi is tasty and they have a variety using red bean and white beans for their filling. They also have mochi shaped like fruits and even tastes like the fruit. Parking is easy on the street. I felt the mochi were quite small for the price. I do understand that they are hand made. It is an artesian mochi. Not something I would go buy all the time. Like I said a bit pricey, I would stick with the traditional non pretty shaped ones and they're a bit cheaper. $2 vs $2.80.

The prettiest mochi goes to Chikara Mochi hands down! I knew I wanted to buy a box to gift to a friend for Christmas. I made sure to go to the nearby ATM to grab cash (only payment they accept) and come 30 mins early. Today is Xmas eve and so I expected that it would be a busy day for them. They also had special hours for the eve (9a-12p). There were about 3 people ahead of me (great minds think alike)! I got an assortment of 12. There was a limit of 12 per person. For 12, I think I paid about $21ish, which I think is very reasonable! Can't wait to see my friend's face when she opens this box!

Parking: There's easy free street parking along Western or 162nd. Experience: They were taking cash only! They're closed on Sundays! We saw this on David Chang's Netflix show and had to come visit. It's a very small shop, no big fancy signs or anything. We got there around 9:30am on a Saturday and there was a short line to wait in. All the different kinds of mochis are displayed in the glass cases and they are beautiful! They kept bringing new trays out and we wanted to take them all. We got a box of 10 for $25. They are each flavored slightly different, nothing was too sweet.

This small Japanese mochi shop is a hidden gem! The front entrance looks a little run down but don't be fooled by the look. This place specializes in different types of mochi designs. Most of them have red beans as the filling with gorgeous designs on the top. They also have some special flavors such as the fruity ones like apple, pear, etc. I'm not sure if they switch the flavors and what's available daily. When we visited, there were about 10+ design and flavors to choose from. I'm amazed with the variety! We got the coffee, apples, matcha, and gold fish design mochi. You can taste the quality in these mochi. I had so much fun just admiring the designs.

We were doing a David Chang BLD tour and had to stop at this quaint mochi shop. We came around 1 and there were so many people! I would say come early because once they run out, they're out. All of their mochis were absolutely beautiful! We ordered one of each because I believe they're all worth trying! I got to try an apple and red bean one and they were both SO GOOD. The flavors are exceptional. There is another mochi place one block away called Sakura-ya. Head on over to that review to see the the difference. Thanks, David Chang for introducing me to this place!

Customer Service - Friendly staff. Price - Above Average Taste - We got a variety of mochi and manju which we thought were tasty but the texture was grainy and hard. Atmosphere - Clean, lots of parking

Great traditional mochi shop with delicious variety of desserts. Nice to come here for a quick pick up!

new hours!!! sunday & monday : closed!!! tuesday - friday : 9am - 4pm saturday : 9am - 3pm

Amazing mochi! Not only do they look pretty but they also taste good. So much attention and detail goes into making each one.

There's another mochi place about a 100ft away from this place. I've tried both and definitely prefer this one by a mile. The reason being that the mochi here is more refined and definitely has a higher degree of attention and care placed into the asthetics of the Mochi. You can say that you can't taste the appearance and I would agree with you. But the appearance makes it more appealing and also makes it a more thoughtful gift, IMO. But let's go on to the taste. The Mochi itself here is lighter and more delicate with the perfect chew to it. The red bean paste is ground to a smoother more enjoyable consistency. These are the key attributes to what makes a better mochi and the reason I prefer this shop.

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

I love mochi, so I stopped by to pick up a few 1/2 dozen boxes for myself, my parents, and a friend. I'd never been here before, although they've been around since 1984. They're located on Western Ave in Gardena, the same street as their competitor, Sakura-ya. Parking is curbside only, but usually available. They're a small, boutique mochi shop offering beautifully designed mochi with various flavors that are filled with either red or white bean filling. The mochi all range in price depending on the flavor you get. I ordered 18 mochi and my total came out to $43. * Please note that they accept CASH ONLY! * I got a variety of flavors: 1. The brown one with a decoration in the middle is coffee with a white bean filling 2. The pink one (not wrapped) is strawberry with a white bean filling 3. The white one with a pink flower in the middle is called Sakura (cherry blossom) with a white bean filling 4. The green one with a tan powder on top is called Uguisu and has a red bean filling 5. The pink one wrapped is also called Sakura, with a red bean filling inside and a shiso plum leaf wrapped around it 6. The brown one is cocoa with peanut butter My absolute favorite is the cocoa with peanut butter, but they are all very delicious. My least favorite is the Sakura with the shiso leaf. It had a sweet/sour taste to it that I didn't care for. All of the mochi are super fresh and you can customize your box. They make a great gift! The lady at the counter was very friendly and helpful. I'm knocking off one star only because the mochi is fairly expensive, comparatively speaking.

For people wondering their hours. I love this store. Taste good plus beautiful to see. It is hard to find these traditional hand made sweets even in Japan. So I really appreciate their craftsmanship and dedication. Today, by the time I got there (2pm) they were sold out and closed. So highly recommend to get there before noon.

The best and cutest mochi, service is always great, I always get their beautiful mochi for my afternoon tea parties

I think Chikara Mochi is now my go-to for mochi. I've tried Sakura-ya and I personally prefer Chikara (but both are good!). I also think Chikara is slightly cheaper. The way they decorate the mochi is so cute and intricate! My personal favorites are the peach and sakura mochi - definitely a must-try! And the owners are so sweet.

I've had various mochi's in the past, some with ice cream filling and others were from Korean bakeries. I've had this place saved in my bookmarks for a special occasion, so I figured why not treat myself on this fine Saturday! It wasn't crowded or too busy, so I only waited a couple of minutes before being helped by a friendly woman. I was unprepared since this place is cash only but luckily I had enough on me to pick 3 flavors: strawberry, orange, and peach. My decision-making is usually dependent on visual presentation/packaging, so I couldn't resist these adorable mochi's that were handmade to look like actual fruits hehe! It's hard not to appreciate the cute little details on each mochi. Once I got home, I couldn't wait to try them so I made some green tea to pair them with. The soft texture combined with semi-sweet flavors and the essence of fruity-aromas was a delightful experience for my taste buds. I saw one customer who ordered a dozen, and it was put together in a beautiful gift box. Perhaps this bakery could be your choice to pick up a set of mochi's for that lucky reciepient since Valentine's is around the corner, but who's to say you can't just purchase for yourself ;) I can't wait to come back again to try other flavors!

Seems fitting to review this as my first review for the New Year since it's a tradition in Japan (and other Asian cultures) to eat mochi on New Year's Day. I initially wanted to try Sakura-Ya across the street from here, but their horrible service led to me to this place by default. Mochis here are not only beautiful, they taste excellent as well. They are softer and less sweet than ones I usually get from Korean bakery. Most of the mochis here have either sweet red bean or white bean inside. Some of them have unique flavor, but most of them taste the same (even if they have different name or design). My favorites so far are apple, strawberry, and orange. These actually taste like the name. I also purchased six sets of komochi (plain mochi). I know these are pretty popular during New Years so I preordered them over the phone. The lady on the phone said I don't need to preorder if I'm purchasing less than five. I wasn't sure how many were in a set so I ordered six, and that was way too much for a family of four. There are 15 mochis per set. I would've been fine with just two sets at most. Now I'm stuck trying to figure out what to do with the extras. I suppose I can freeze them for now and cook them up later. I grilled some on a pan with butter and sprinkled cinnamon sugar for the kids; I cooked some in coconut milk and served with fruits for dessert; and I also made few bacon wrapped mochi with sweet soy glaze and ate with dry seaweed. Service is somewhat inconvenient, mainly due to limited hours and lack of modern amenities, but the ladies working here were friendly and helpful (unlike Sakura-Ya). It's cash only, and no option for online ordering. Even though I preordered, I still had to wait in line to make my purchase. I came here on NYE and there was a line out the door. Line wasn't too long, but it moved extremely slow. By the way, this place closes early on NYE. I think it usually closes at noon, and I'm pretty sure it's closed for the full week starting first of January. If coming here is inconvenient, you can get its pre-assorted mochi sets at Tokyo Central on the corner of Artesia & Western.