Mitsuwa Marketplace
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese supermarket
chain in America, with locations in California
, New Jersey
, and Illinois
.
Mitsuwa has six stores in three metropolitan areas in California
:
San Francisco Bay Area
Los Angeles
area
San Diego area
-area store is located at 100 E. Algonquin Road in Arlington Heights
, Illinois
, part of a number of Japanese businesses located in Arlington Heights, and opened in 1991. The store is open 365 days a year from 9 am to 8 pm. Mitsuwa is the largest Japanese Marketplace in the Midwestern US. The Chicago store is one of two that are located east of the Rockies. This Mitsuwa location, like those in other states, was formerly known as Yaohan
. "True World Market" has a sister store, called "One World Market" that remains open in Novi, Michigan
, near Detroit.
The food court has many traditional foods, such as sushi
, tempura
, noodles, etc. It is made of the Otafuku-tei [Now Replaced by Gabutto Burger], Kayaba, Santoka Ramen, Jockey Express, Daikichi Sushi, Pastry House Hippo, and Mama House restaurants. Mitsuwa also has a travel agency
named JTB. There are two entertainment shops in Mitsuwa Chicago, JBC Video, a Japanese video rental store, and Sanseido Book Store, a Japanese book shop. A cell phone store, Galaxy Wireless, is also located at the Chicago Mitsuwa.
Mitsuwa Chicago had a china store called Utsuwa no Yakata. This store is closed as of April 1, 2006. Sanseido Bookstore expanded into the area previously owned by that china store.
The location also has two personal care shops, Shiseido
, a Japanese cosmetics store, and Super Health, a vitamin and other health supplement store.
, New Jersey
store is located on 595 River Road. It has a food court
(including an Italian Tomato
restaurant, a Yokohama St. Honore bakery and a sushi
bar called Daikichi-zushi), a bookstore owned by Sanseido
company, a gift shop selling Bape clothing and golf clubs
, a video store that carries DVD
s and Laserdisc
s of movies and a store selling Japanese ceramics and denki-gama
, making Mitsuwa more of a mini-mall
than a traditional supermarket. It is a small taste of what current Japanese multi-story malls, or subway stations, are like.
The supermarket section sells fresh produce and certified Angus beef, as well as Japanese drinks and snacks such as Yakult
, Calpis
, Ramune
, Ikechi Shrimp Chips, Pocari Sweat
, Pocky
, Pretz
, and Japanese liquor such as Sake and Shōchū
.
The Sanseido bookstore section sells Japanese music CDs, novels, job applications, children's books, manga
, and imported magazines (including dozens of Japanese
fashion magazines) such as Weekly Shonen Jump
and Disney Fan.
There is also a kiosk that sells Ito En
tea and Minamoto Kitchoan that sells Japanese sweets such as manju, mochi
, and Inja.
The New Jersey location runs an exclusive shuttle bus between the store and the Port Authority Bus Terminal
in New York City
. The bus is intended for Mitsuwa customers only and does not make any stops on its route.
Asian supermarket
An Asian supermarket, sometimes called an "Oriental supermarket", is a grocery store in non-Asian countries that stocks items imported from the many countries in East and Southeast Asia. They carry items and ingredients generally well-suited for Asian cuisines and not found in most Western...
chain in America, with locations in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
:
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
- San Jose – 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129
Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area
- TorranceTorrance, CaliforniaTorrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
– 21515 South Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501 - Costa Mesa – 665 Paularino Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
- San GabrielSan Gabriel, CaliforniaSan Gabriel is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is named after the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded by Junipero Serra. The city grew outward from the mission and in 1852 became the original township of Los Angeles County. San Gabriel was incorporated in 1913...
– 515 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776 - West Los Angeles – 3760 Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066
San Diego area
- San Diego – 4240 Kearny Mesa Rd #119, San Diego, CA 92111
Chicago, Illinois
The ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-area store is located at 100 E. Algonquin Road in Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, part of a number of Japanese businesses located in Arlington Heights, and opened in 1991. The store is open 365 days a year from 9 am to 8 pm. Mitsuwa is the largest Japanese Marketplace in the Midwestern US. The Chicago store is one of two that are located east of the Rockies. This Mitsuwa location, like those in other states, was formerly known as Yaohan
Yaohan
Yaohan was a Japanese retail group. The company was founded in 1930 by Kazuo Wada . Initially a single shop, it later expanded into a major supermarket chain after the Second World War with most retail outlets located in Shizuoka prefecture, south of Tokyo. It was listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange...
. "True World Market" has a sister store, called "One World Market" that remains open in Novi, Michigan
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
, near Detroit.
The food court has many traditional foods, such as sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, tempura
Tempura
], is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.-Batter:A light batter is made of cold water and soft wheat flour . Eggs, baking soda or baking powder, starch, oil, and/or spices may also be added...
, noodles, etc. It is made of the Otafuku-tei [Now Replaced by Gabutto Burger], Kayaba, Santoka Ramen, Jockey Express, Daikichi Sushi, Pastry House Hippo, and Mama House restaurants. Mitsuwa also has a travel agency
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
named JTB. There are two entertainment shops in Mitsuwa Chicago, JBC Video, a Japanese video rental store, and Sanseido Book Store, a Japanese book shop. A cell phone store, Galaxy Wireless, is also located at the Chicago Mitsuwa.
Mitsuwa Chicago had a china store called Utsuwa no Yakata. This store is closed as of April 1, 2006. Sanseido Bookstore expanded into the area previously owned by that china store.
The location also has two personal care shops, Shiseido
Shiseido
is a major Japanese hair care and cosmetics producer. It is the oldest cosmetics company in the world and the fourth largest cosmetics company in the world.-History:...
, a Japanese cosmetics store, and Super Health, a vitamin and other health supplement store.
Edgewater, New Jersey
The EdgewaterEdgewater, New Jersey
Edgewater is a borough located along the Hudson River in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 11,513...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
store is located on 595 River Road. It has a food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
(including an Italian Tomato
Italian Tomato
The Italian Tomato is a Japanese Italian restaurant and bakery chain. It has been featured as a background in the Namco arcade and video console game hits Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament...
restaurant, a Yokohama St. Honore bakery and a sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
bar called Daikichi-zushi), a bookstore owned by Sanseido
Sanseido
is a Japanese publishing company known for publishing dictionaries and textbooks....
company, a gift shop selling Bape clothing and golf clubs
Golf club (equipment)
A golf club is used to hit a golf ball in a game of golf. Each club is composed of a shaft with a grip and a clubhead. Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety of shots; Hybrids that combine design elements of woods and...
, a video store that carries DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s and Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
s of movies and a store selling Japanese ceramics and denki-gama
Rice cooker
A rice cooker or rice steamer is a container or kitchen appliance dedicated to cooking rice. Rice can also be cooked in general-purpose saucepans.-Overview:...
, making Mitsuwa more of a mini-mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
than a traditional supermarket. It is a small taste of what current Japanese multi-story malls, or subway stations, are like.
The supermarket section sells fresh produce and certified Angus beef, as well as Japanese drinks and snacks such as Yakult
Yakult
is a Japanese probiotic milk-like product made by fermenting a mixture of skimmed milk with a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus casei Shirota. It was created by Minoru Shirota who graduated from the Medical School of Kyoto University in 1930. In 1935, he started manufacturing and...
, Calpis
Calpis
is a Japanese uncarbonated soft drink, manufactured by , headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo.The beverage has a light, somewhat milky, and slightly acidic flavor, similar to plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt or Yakult...
, Ramune
Ramune
is a carbonated soft drink originally sold in Japan which was introduced in Kobe by Alexander Cameron Sim.-Bottle design:Ramune is widely known for the distinctive design of its bottle, often called Codd-neck bottles after the inventor, Hiram Codd. They are made of glass and sealed with a marble;...
, Ikechi Shrimp Chips, Pocari Sweat
Pocari Sweat
is a popular Japanese soft drink and sports drink, manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. It was launched in 1980 and is now also available in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East....
, Pocky
Pocky
is a Japanese snack food produced by the Ezaki Glico Company of Japan.-History:Pocky was first sold in 1966, and consists of a biscuit stick coated with chocolate. It was named after the Japanese onomatopoetic word for the sound Pocky makes when bitten, pokkin . The original was followed by...
, Pretz
Pretz
Pretz is a Japanese snack made by Ezaki Glico. Like Ezaki Glico's other popular snack, Pocky, Pretz is stick-shaped and comes with a texture similar to pretzels. Unlike Pocky, Pretz is dusted with seasonings instead of enrobed in a flavored fudge.Pretz comes in a few varieties and three sizes:...
, and Japanese liquor such as Sake and Shōchū
Shochu
is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from barley, sweet potatoes, or rice, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as brown sugar, buckwheat or chestnut. Typically shōchū contains 25% alcohol by volume...
.
The Sanseido bookstore section sells Japanese music CDs, novels, job applications, children's books, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and imported magazines (including dozens of Japanese
Japanese fashion
Japan began to emulate Western fashion during the middle of the 19th century. By the beginning of the 21st century it had altered into what is known today as 'street fashion'. The term 'street fashion' is used to describe fashion where the wearer customizes outfits by adopting a mixture of current...
fashion magazines) such as Weekly Shonen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
and Disney Fan.
There is also a kiosk that sells Ito En
Ito en
is a Japanese multinational beverage company specializing in tea production, distribution, and sales. ITO EN is the largest green tea distributor in Japan. The Ito En Group includes subsidiaries based in Japan, The United States, and Australia. Its products include unsweetened, bottled green tea...
tea and Minamoto Kitchoan that sells Japanese sweets such as manju, mochi
Mochi
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time...
, and Inja.
The New Jersey location runs an exclusive shuttle bus between the store and the Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The bus is intended for Mitsuwa customers only and does not make any stops on its route.