Skip to main content

Brian Kito - Fugetsu-do Confectionery

Support Provided By

On East First Street in the heart of the Historic District of Little Tokyo, you can find a small confectionery, serving Japanese rice "mochi" cakes and sweet bean-filled rice cake, better known as "manju." Family owned and operated since 1903, Fugetsu-Do Confectionery keeps its doors open thanks to Brian Kito, who continues the family tradition by baking, steaming, molding and rolling the most exquisite Japanese candy in Los Angeles. Fugestu-Do's fame, however, not only comes from making these delicacies, but also from inventing the first Chinese Fortune cookie in America. In the interviews above, Brian Kito tells us about the history of the family business and how a call from the Chinese Historical Society in Boston made him reconsider the stories his father told him about the invention of Chinese Fortune cookies.

Brian Kito - Fugetsu-Do Confectionary

Fugetsu-Do Confectionery

"Brian Kito, discusses the history of his family's iconic business, and the cultural connection to the community that has kept their doors open for 107 years."

Brian Kito - Origins of the Chinese Fortune Cookie

Origins of the Chinese Fortune Cookie

"Brian Kito discusses the true origins of the Chinese fortune cookie."

Support Provided By
Read More
Ed Fuentes, artwork Colette Miller (preview)

In Remembrance of Arts Journalist and Advocate Ed Fuentes

Collaborator and friend James Daichendt remembers Ed Fuentes, a longtime advocate of the arts, who passed away this week.
mount_baldy_photo_by_daniel_medina

The San Gabriels: The Remarkable History of L.A.'s Threatened National Monument

An exploration of the rich history and culture of the San Gabriel Mountains and its eponymous river.
Boyle Heights Street Vending. Credits: Feng Yuan

Is Los Angeles Finally Legalizing Street Vending?

Trend-setting entrepreneurs versus “illegal” street vendors is a confusing dichotomy that has become the center of many conversations.