NORTHRIDGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) - San Fernando Valley residents can now get a taste of Japan with the grand opening of the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Northridge on Saturday, January 21. The store, located in the Walnut Grove Shopping Center near CSU Northridge, is the twelfth for the Japanese grocery store chain and the first of its kind in the North San Fernando Valley.

Mitsuwa Corporation President and CEO, Takeshi Izuma, expressed excitement to join the community in Northridge. "We are very excited to open our store in the Northridge neighborhood," Izuma said. Kennedy Wilson Brokerage, a division of Beverly Hills-based Kennedy-Wilson Properties Ltd., secured a 10-year lease on the 9,600-square-foot space.

Customers will find an expansive selection of authentic products, including food court stalls, fast-food options, bakeries, matcha shops, prepared sushi and sashimi, and a variety of Japanese imports. "A lot of people are inconvenienced by having to go to Sawtelle, Little Tokyo or Torrance," Mitsuwa Senior Vice President Noriyoshi Miyata said. "So, there's definitely a need for a Japanese supermarket here." The grand opening event will include a taiko performance and the first 100 customers each day will receive a free wooden sake cup.

Mitsuwa's Northridge presence continues to bring Japanese culture to the San Fernando Valley. Miyata said, "We're determined to serve their needs." From bento boxes to matcha shops, the new Mitsuwa Marketplace offers residents an authentic taste of Japan without having to venture far from home.