Uwajimaya

About the Business

Specialties

Since the beginning, Uwajimaya has evolved beyond providing basic grocery staples and become known as a tourist and destination store. Uwajimaya believes good customer service is paramount. Its reputation is built on being known as the information specialist on all things Asian and part of its mission is to educate the customer on all aspects of Asian cultures. Uwajimaya's pre-eminence among Asian stores comes from its use of modern technology, its emphasis on cleanliness, and its adherence to its business philosophy. Uwajimaya not only serves the customer, but also the community at large by promoting Asian cultures, sponsoring cultural events and shows, distributing educational and informational material, supporting many local programs and contributing to numerous organizations. The Seattle Uwajimaya store serves as an important focal point of Seattle Chinatown/International District and the region's diverse Asian community, the fastest growing segment of the area's population.

History

Established in 1928.

Fujimatsu Moriguchi began a business in Tacoma, Washington selling homemade fishcakes and other Japanese staples from the back of his truck to Japanese laborers working in logging and fishing camps around the Puget Sound area.His wife, Sadako, operated the small Uwajimaya store near downtown Tacoma. Moriguchi continued to operate in Tacoma until the outbreak of World War II. Shortly after the signing of Executive Order 9066 in 1942, Moriguchi, his wife Sadako and their children were sent to the Tule Lake Internment Camp in California. After the war, the Moriguchi family relocated to Seattle and re-opened Uwajimaya as a retail store and fish cake manufacturing company. In 1962, Seattle hosted the World's Fair. During this time Uwajimaya blossomed and began its outreach to non-Japanese clientele offering fine gift products, kitchenware, and delicacies from Japan for all. Today, Uwajimaya has four stores located in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, and Beaverton, OR.