Azuma Japanese Restaurant is a Gardena destination for Japanese cooking, located at 16123 South Western Avenue, Gardena, CA 90247. The restaurant’s official site describes its approach as rooted in Japanese culinary artistry, with chefs preparing dishes that balance tradition and innovation. Its menu is especially useful for diners looking for a broad, food-first Japanese meal rather than a narrowly focused sushi-only stop: sections include appetizers, sashimi assortments, grilled skewers, salads, dinner offerings and lunch offerings.
Start with small plates such as yakko (cold tofu), agedashi tofu, kimchi, Japanese pickles, or Gyu Tataki, described on the menu as beef sashimi with ponzu sauce. For seafood, the Sashimi Mori Small includes tuna, salmon, yellowtail and octopus, while the large assortment adds squid. The menu also lists Stamina Maguro, a tuna sashimi dish served with grated yam, natto, okra and raw egg. From the grill, orders include chicken yakitori, chicken meatball, beef tongue, scallop, shishito peppers, bacon-wrapped okra and bacon-wrapped shrimp; the menu notes that grilled-skewer orders include two skewers.
Azuma also serves salads with combinations such as seafood, tofu, salmon skin or beef tataki, and the restaurant encourages guests to ask about daily bento specials. Its official site highlights sashimi, tempura and dinner sets, and states that online ordering can be arranged for pickup or delivery. Current posted hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 5–10 p.m. Call ahead or consult the official site for current availability, specials and ordering details.
