Japanese Sweets in Seattle

Fuji Bakery

With a 2009 debut inside the Bellevue Uwajimaya, French-Japanese Fuji Bakery was on a comfortable expansion path into Seattle until owner Akihiro Nakamura lost star baker Taka Hirai back in 2018. 2 years later new owner Susan Lee is over-seeing a still-fierce team baking off Curry Pan, Crispy Crunch, Canale and Ube Malasadas at locations in Chinatown and Interbay as well.

1030 Elliott Ave W, Interbay

Tokara

Chika Tokara’s traditional Japanese confections, known as Wagashi, have come to fill what was a gaping void left by the closure of the legendary Sagamiya in the 1970s. Tokara’s delicately textured pounded rice creations can be difficult to track down but scheduled weekly drop-offs around the city help Japanese-Americans access seasonal flavors like sakura and yuzu.

6206 Phinney Ave N, Phinney Ridge

Fresh Flours

Phinney Ridge

Known for Vennoiserie and Macaron, Fresh Flours is a fully realized bakery concept from French-trained Japanese ex-patriots, Keiji and business partner Etsuko Minematsu. Started in 2009 on Phinney Ridge, Fresh Flours has become a regional micro-chain, anchoring walkable neighborhoods across the city with fresh pastries, espresso and rotating local artists. 

6015 Phinney Ave N, Phinney Ridge

Uwajimaya Chestnuts

Isao Matsumura anchors Uwajimaya’s freshly remodeled main entrance hawking freshly roasted chestnuts, or Yakiguri, to market-goers. A traditional Autumn sweet in Japan, Matsumura roasts chestnuts using tiny pebbles in a machine he brought from Japan.

600 5th Ave S, Chinatown

Bean Fish

Chinatown

Offering a play on taiyaki, crispy fish-shaped cake traditionally filled with azuki paste, Bean Fish has gained immense traction since opening in 2013. Sibling duo Brady and Liana Woo execute everything from savory sandwiches inspired by Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles to sweet-filled interpretations of Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar. You can plan to catch them every Sunday at the Fremont farmers Market but might just bump into them sooner if you hang around Chinatown enough.

710 6th Ave S, Chinatown

Sandwich House Tres

Bellevue

The first Japanese Sandwich House in the US, Sandwich House Tres is known for their traditional Japanese milk bread. The airy bread is freshly baked without preservatives and thoughtfully dressed with sweet fruit cream fillings or cuts of fried katsu. Sandwich House Tres is tucked into the Lake Hills section of Bellevue, an area historically farmed by Japanese immigrants before internment. Today, the area is home to many Issei as well as Japanese-Americans.

1502 145th Pl SE, Bellevue, WA

Nana’s Green Tea

South Lake Union

An upscale tea-house style hangout near the heart of Amazon territory in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Nana’s offers an array of beverages featuring Matcha, Hojicha, red bean and other Japanese sweets. A small food menu compliments the beverage and parfait options that bring people in. Features seasonal specials including Sakura desserts in the Spring. 

1007 Stewart St #103, Denny Triangle

Unicone Crepes

Uniconce Crepes brings the 1980s street-food obsession of Japan into Tukqila’s Southcenter mall. The menu is divided into savory and sweet.

2800 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila, WA

Fumie’s Gold

Fumie’s Gold is a custom cake bakery serving Kirkland and the greater Eastside. Fumie’s Gold specializes in fruit cream cakes and traditional Japanese Christmas cakes.

11251 120th Ave NE #110, Kirkland, WA

Dochi Donuts

Chinatown

Dochi is Seattle’s response to the fried mochi flour trend that hit the West Coast from Hawaii in April last year. Simple flavors like honeydew contrast explosive creations with Oreo crumbles and fruity pebbles. This place is pure fun and incredibly family oriented! Grab a few of each of their daily flavor offerings to share with your family.

600 5th Ave S, Chinatown (in Uwajimaya)

Setsuko Pastry

Phinney Ridge

One can find the bakery for Setsuko Pastry within the walls of Phinney Ridge’s Modern Japanese Cuisine. The bakery is known for special occasion orders for birthdays, weddings, christmas in which consumers usually select from buche de noel, cheesecakes and sponge roll cakes. For a cheaper and simpler ordering process, you can find their fares across the city.

6108 Phinney Ave N, Phinney Ridge

Matcha Cafe Maiko

This simple shop, tucked among the renovated Westlake Center shopping court, invites diners to try expertly swirled matcha soft serve cones. If you want to be trendy, add a gold leaf. If you are really here to grub, though, I have to recommend their parfait. This matcha parfait was loaded with boba, red bean and mochi balls. Not as great as the Nana’s version but an excellent option and transit friendly.

400 Pine St # 324, Westlake Center

Hiroki

Upscale option for Japanese and french pastries. If there is one thing this shop is known for, its the matcha tiramisu.

2224 N 56th St, Tangletown

Raised Doughnuts

Closed Wednesday. Raised may be a typical donut shop but their innovative flavors allow a different classification. Chewy and dense, the shop has riffed on brown butter mochi and even makes cakes on the weekends. If intense gentrification doesn’t bother you, this may become your local spot. However, good luck finding a native Seattleite within a 2 mile radius of this area. We have long since abandoned this area.

1101 23rd Ave, Central District

Umami Kushi

Umami Kushi is steeped in references to Japanese culture, yet any member of the Japanese American diaspora will be hard pressed to find their culture represented well among pies stuffed with Jamaican beef and honey buns. Instead, head to Umami Kushi for creative adaptations of Japanese classics. Think savory okazu pan, dreamt up and baked by people who maybe have never had the real thing. Don’t fret. Apparently this is completely respectful of Japanese tradition and culture.

9099 Seward Park Ave S, Rainier Beach