Well-loved Japantown mochi company Benkyodo closing after 115 years
SAN FRANCISCO - The oldest business in San Francisco's Japantown will shut down for good on Thursday after 115 years in business.
The day before the beloved Japanese sweets shop Benkyodo closed for good, people lined up before sunrise to get one last sweet treat.
The Okamura brothers who run the family-owned company said they are ready to retire.
The shop was started by their grandfather and is well known for its sweet Japanese rice ball treats, mochi and manju, that come in a variety of flavors.
Sweet memories: Beloved Japantown business closing after 115 years
A San Francisco store that has been part of San Francisco history for more than a century will close its doors for good this week. Customers lined up for hours at Benkyodo in Japantown to be served the final rounds of Japanese sweets. The owner is grateful to the community.
For many patrons, the closing is bittersweet. On the one hand they are happy the brothers will now have time to relax, but customers will certainly miss their authentic mochi.
"When you compare freshly made mochi to store bought ones there's a lot of preservatives that are built into that. But this here is crafted with love," said one customer Cheerio.
The Okamura brothers thanked patrons and said they are touched by all the people who have supported them through the years.