SACRAMENTO, Calif. — This time of year is the most celebrated for Japanese Americans, and part of the new year’s festivities include traditional sweets.
“I’ve known about this place forever. Osaka-Ya is really… I consider it to be a jewel within the Japanese American community,” said Jim Tabuchi.
He’s a loyal customer of the century-old shop and he’s getting ready for the new year. Having sweet rice cake is a big part of the Japanese New Year’s celebration, so that means owner Linda Nakatani is very busy.
“We already have an order for 9,000,” said Nakatani. “Right now, in the back, I have over 10,000 pounds of rice.”
Mochi is being whipped up, too. She forms the dough into balls and places it on a powdery surface.
“The products that they make here, the mochi and the manju, it’s so special within the Japanese American community because it really takes the culture back to Japan,” said Tabuchi.
Osaka Ya has always been family-owned and everything is made by hand. The Center for Sacramento History believes the confectionary opened in 1911 and it's been run by three different families since then.
“The second family gave it to my mom and dad, the name of the Osaka-Ya. This is going to be our 60th year,” said Nakatani.
On the day ABC10 was there, Marica Eymann with the Center for Sacramento History brought a sweet surprise – a replica of the store’s original sign. It’s being preserved by the center because there aren’t many of these shops around anymore.
“This is important because it is one of the few things that we have that documents a Japanese owned business,” said Veronica Kandl, a curator of history.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: Japanese-American market owner recalls grandparents who founded store post-WWII
