K. MINAMOTO Stanford Shopping Center Store - Palo Alto, California

Gatsby L.

While waiting for my wife to finish shopping, I stopped by the store to see if there was anything interesting.

I asked one of the staff about their signature items, and she recommended a few options.

I ended up buying a peach jelly and Tsuya. The flavors were okay, but nothing particularly impressive to me.

I think these might be better suited as gifts.

ayush K.

Minamoto Kitchoan: Delicious Wagashi with a Price Tag
Minamoto Kitchoan is a great place to try authentic Japanese wagashi (sweets). The treats are beautifully crafted and delicate, with flavors that are subtle and interesting. I especially enjoyed the chocolate mikasa. It was very light, not too sweet and fresh.

The staff was very sweet and friendly too. Each item was presented and organized in a beautiful way as you'd expect.

However, be prepared for a bit of a splurge. Wagashi are traditionally made with high-quality ingredients, and that's reflected in the price. While definitely worth a try, especially for a special occasion, it's not an everyday treat for most budgets.

Overall, 4 stars for Minamoto Kitchoan. Exquisite wagashi and a lovely introduction to Japanese confectionery, but keep in mind the price point.

Div M.

My friend said I was like a kid in a candy store.
I truly love mochi and I got a few different options to try from Sakura mochi to other deliciousness.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this adorable Japanese confectionery store in the Stanford shopping center.

A holiday gift to myself ❣️🤗

Nancy C.

The pro: The store is very inviting. Everything looked organized and well presented. The packaging was excellent. I bought 3 kinds of fresh daifuku: Kuri daifuku (chestnut), kinkan daifuku (kumquat) and kusa mochi. My favorite was the chestnut one.
The con: The quality of mochi was disappointing. I was expecting the quality to match the ones I had in Japan. These did not measure up. They are pretty and I enjoyed the variety but if I compare the taste, they are similar to what I can get at local Asian grocery stores that cost significantly less.

Julia S.

Have been coming to K Minamoto for several years and have always been happy to pay the higher prices for high quality snacks. The mochi was previously delightfully chewy and just the right texture and sweetness. In the recent months, there has been a drastic decrease in the quality of their kusamochi, which is now brittle and breaks rather than stretches, and less elastic than most mochi you could buy in a supermarket. This has been the same over 3 different occasions that I've bought their mochi from both this and the San Jose location. 3 stars because I feel personally incredibly sad and disappointed in what was previously my absolute favorite kusamochi

Yirui A. Z.

We tried the original flavor cake, the green tea cake, and mochi. Unfortunately, they were all disappointing, especially considering how pricy they were. The cakes were way too dry (they we're vacuum sealed and we're not fresh) and not even better than those from any supermarkets. The mochi was not delicious either. Wouldn't recommend spending this much money just to buy such bad desserts.

Anna M.

Ok so first things first - the prices are HIGH. But, I think the quality and the delicate nature of each piece is what you are paying for. Still, some of the pricing is ridiculously high. That said, I have gone here now 3 times since discovering them.

They have consistent flavors and then some seasonal ones. My family is a fan of the mochi - chocolate and strawberry - and maybe this is controversial, but we like storing it in the refrigerator and enjoying cold. The jellies are also tasty and truly best served cold.

The shop is fairly large and has a good variety within its 4 walls.

Cristina O.

I will make it a point to stop here when we are in Stanford Shopping Center now.
This place is a little gem. They carry delicious specialty items. The Staff are great and very helpful as it was my first time in the store. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing with the Hubby everything I bough to bring home as did He.
Will definitely be back.