Chikara Mochi - Gardena

Still awesome mochi and love the lady working there. Just want to update with a photo.

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.

Beautiful mochi at Chikara. They taste just as great as they look! I try to come in the morning so there are more selection to choose from. Never had any problem with free parking right in the front, along the street. Make sure to have cash on hand as they are about $3 each.

Absolutely delicious! As mentioned, bring cash! I highly recommend coming here for your mochi cravings as not only are you eating with your eyes, but the texture of the mochi is amazingly soft! The majority are filled with smooth red bean, but if you’re looking for a bit of extra flavor then I highly recommend the orange peel and peach which are filled with white. I ended up loving this place so much I needed to make another stop prior to my flight to get some for my family back home! Trust me, you will definitely want to make this place as a destination!

I love this very traditional and 本物の 日本せい real japanese wagashi shop. In america it is nearly impossible to get your hands on “しろあん” shiroan which is the white bean paste that makes traditional japanese wagashi for tea ceremonies. I hunted every online shop and in person asian market and could only find any real desserts containing shiroan at Chikara. It is a bit sad that the foot traffic does not exist there, yet the quality of the desserts are amazing. If you can find time to try this place out, i promise it’ll be worth it. Also it’s cash only LMAO, i would’ve bought much more if i had more cash on me.