Tokyo might be more than 7,000 miles away from Jacksonville, but thanks to Tomoko Mueller, owner of Circle Japan, a little taste happens to live right here on Beach Boulevard.

When she opened Circle Japan 15 years ago, Mueller’s initial focus was to offer a wide variety of high-quality sake. After numerous customer requests, the shop soon evolved into what it is today — a store bursting at the seams with Japanese culture, all curated with Mueller’s eye for quality. 

When you enter the store, you might feel a little overwhelmed at first. Most of the packaging is written in Japanese, and many items are likely something you’ve never seen before. But don’t be shy; it’s all part of the fun! Shopping at Circle Japan is a chance to use your intuition and pick an interesting item based on sheer emotion — then take it home and see how you fared.

After visiting the store a few times, we learned Mueller is a dietitian who has studied the benefits of a Macrobiotic diet. Now, using her knowledge of all-natural, balanced eating, she crafts a number of Japanese bakery items for her shop. For example, Mueller proudly offers fresh, organic anpan every day. These Japanese sweet buns are filled with red bean paste and perfectly sweetened. Made with beet sugar and organic flour — without any animal products — they’re the perfect, guilt-free treat to pair with her famous green tea. Another item we admired (but haven’t tried just yet) are the special occasion cakes, made with healthier ingredients than you’d think, yet still decadent and delicious.

We’re lucky to have a number of ethnic markets here in Jacksonville, but Circle Japan has recently become one of Explore Jacksonville’s favorites, thanks to Tomoko’s warm hospitality.  

From her superior sake selection to the award-winning Sonogi green tea, Mueller seems to put heart and soul into everything she does. Her cheerful spirit, along with a passion to please customers, is what made us feel welcomed in a place that could otherwise seem unfamiliar.

In addition to the tempting bakery items, Circle Japan offers a wide variety of packaged goods, beauty products, books, household wares, toys, tea, coffee, soft drinks, sauces, snacks and mochi desserts. If you’re interested in visiting, we advise getting there early, before 2 p.m., so you can snag a fresh anpan bun before they sell out. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous — and tell Mueller hello for us.

Thank you so much for reading. One of our favorite things is to share gems like this in Jacksonville so you can go out and have a good time yourself.

And as always, thanks for taking the time to read this post.

Keep exploring! 🙂

Written by: Esther Curry
Edited by: Denise K. James

ADDRESS:
12192 Beach Blvd Suite 1
Jacksonville, FL 32246