In Japantown’s Buchanan Plaza, a stone’s throw from Ruth Asawa’s famed origami fountain, sits Benkyodo Company, a 113-year-old institution. Established by Suyeichi Okamura in 1906, Benkyodo has offered San Franciscans handmade manju (steamed, filled cakes made with wheat or rice flour) and mochi (pounded glutinous rice cakes) for over three generations.
Benkyodo is the city’s last-standing manufacturer of Japanese sweets, called wagashi, and the shop is a testament to the resilience and grit of the Okamura family. The family survived forced closure and Japanese internment during World War II, redevelopment in the Western Addition, and encroaching gentrification. But every year, whether eaten for a daily treat or a Japanese New Year’s celebration, these wagashi are a San Francisco staple.
Not much of Benkyodo’s decor has changed since the 1960s; the long red lunch counter, with matching stools, is charmingly retro. It’s an opportunity to savor a bit of history reasonably, as the prices are friendly to tourists and neighborhood elders alike.
