Since 1992, Maruta Shoten has been a mainstay of Seattle’s
Japanese Community.
With its origins from Arata Nakamura’s childhood memories of post-war Japan, Maruta began from a desire to bring tasty and affordable Asian food to familites in the Pacific Northwest.
Arata Nakamura spent his early years on the island of Tashima. As a young boy, he watched with admiration as skilled men on bicycles delivered bowls of noodles to his village.
In 1955, nine-year-old Arata moved to Seattle to reunite with his family after years of separation following World War II.
Adjusting to a new country and language, he found a new home within the Japanese-American community that lived on Jackson Street and Yesler Terrace.
BUILDING A LIFE IN SEATTLE:
ARATA graduated from THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. In the 1970s, he introduced Japanese groceries to American markets. By the 1980s, he opened his first restaurant downtown on 3rd Avenue.
In 1992, with the help of landowner Jack Habu, Arata transformed a small Georgetown office building into a Japanese grocery store. The goal was simple: To offer good food at a fair price.
MARUTA BECOMES A LOCAL TREASURE.
The family-run business filled its shelves with noodles, sauces, and other Japanese home-cooking essentials. Arata’s wife, Kieko, added her own creativity to specialty offerings, like New Year’s osechi ryori.
As Maruta grew, Arata found he had become what he once admired: a neighborhood noodle man, delivering comfort and connection through delicious food.
THEIR SON, RUSSELL NAKAMURA, NOW CARRIES THE TORCH.
After Arata’s passing in 2024, Russell stepped in to continue the family business. Under his leadership, Maruta aims to reach new generations of customers with its offerings of fresh sushi, obento, and handmade specialties.
