Benkyodo Company |
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Benkyodo, one of the oldest remaining businesses in Japantown, was opened in 1906 by Suyeichi Okamura and is the last remaining manufacturer of mochi and manju in San Francisco. The confections are made from pounded rice and are used frequently in local celebrations, including birthday parties, festivals, funerals, etc. Benkyodo produces manju and mochi by using a hand-made traditional style of baking that was imported from Japan in 1906. Besides its bakery counter, its lunch counter serves as a local hangout, serving standard American cuisine, such as sandwiches and hotdogs, and a place to meet. The store was forced to close during World War II when the family was interned at Amache, Colorado, but re-opened to its current location at Sutter and Buchanan Streets in 1959. Suyeichi passed on the family business to his son, Hirofumi, who operated the store for thirty years before his sons, Ricky and Bobby, took over in 1990, and continues the family tradition. |
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