The Fascinating History of Fortune Cookies

Fortune cookies are one of the most recognizable symbols of Chinese-American cuisine, yet their true origins might surprise you. These crispy, folded treats containing paper fortunes have a rich and unexpected history that spans continents and cultures.

What makes this story especially interesting is how many people get it wrong. After spending years building Fortune Cookie AI and researching the history behind these iconic cookies, we've found that even seasoned food historians disagree on the details. Here's what we know for certain — and what remains deliciously debatable.

Japanese Origins: The Tsujiura Senbei

Contrary to popular belief, fortune cookies did not originate in China. Historical evidence, most notably the research of Japanese folklorist Yasuko Nakamachi, points to a Japanese cracker called tsujiura senbei (辻占煎餅) as the direct ancestor. Nakamachi spent years tracing the cookie's lineage and found illustrations of these crackers in a Japanese book of stories, Moshiogusa Kinsei Kidan, published in 1878 — decades before the cookie appeared in the United States.

Unlike the modern vanilla-flavored cookie, the original tsujiura senbei were larger, darker, and made with sesame and miso rather than vanilla and butter. The fortune was tucked into the fold of the cookie rather than placed inside the hollow center. These crackers were traditionally sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Kyoto, where the "fortunes" inside were poetic verses or advice — similar to the omikuji (fortune slips) that Japanese temple visitors still draw today.

Japanese immigrants brought this tradition to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s, where it would eventually be transformed into the golden, vanilla-scented cookie we know.

The American Innovation: Who Really Invented It?

Three main contenders claim to have introduced the fortune cookie to America. Jennifer 8. Lee, a former New York Times reporter and author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles (2008), conducted one of the most thorough investigations into this origin story. Her findings highlight just how tangled the history really is.

1. Makoto Hagiwara — A Japanese immigrant who managed the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Records suggest he served a version of fortune cookies as early as 1914, originally as a way to thank visitors who supported him after being fired by an anti-Japanese mayor and later reinstated.

2. David Jung — Founder of the Hong Kong Noodle Company in Los Angeles, claimed to have invented them in 1918 to uplift the poor, reportedly inserting inspirational messages written by a Presbyterian minister.

3. Seiichi Kito — Owner of Fugetsu-do confectionery in Los Angeles, also claimed to have introduced fortune cookies around the same period.

The Mock Trial of 1983

The rivalry between San Francisco (Hagiwara) and Los Angeles (Jung) became so heated that it went to court — sort of. In 1983, San Francisco's pseudo-legal "Court of Historical Review" held a mock trial presided over by Federal Judge Daniel M. Hanlon. Both sides presented arguments and evidence. The judge ruled in favor of Makoto Hagiwara and San Francisco, citing the Japanese Tea Garden's long history.

While not legally binding, the trial remains a favorite piece of Bay Area lore. What makes it relevant is that regardless of which city served the cookie first, the historical evidence overwhelmingly points to a Japanese origin — not Chinese.

From Japanese to Chinese: The WWII Turning Point

This is where the story takes a somber turn. During World War II, over 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps following Executive Order 9066. The Japanese-American bakeries that had been producing fortune cookies were shuttered overnight.

Chinese-American entrepreneurs saw a gap in the market and stepped in. Because Chinese food was rapidly growing in popularity across America, the fortune cookie became inextricably linked with Chinese cuisine. By the time the war ended and Japanese Americans were released, the "Chinese fortune cookie" was already an established cultural icon.

Jennifer 8. Lee put it memorably: the fortune cookie is "Chinese in the way that Taco Bell is Mexican." It's an American creation that borrowed from one Asian culture and was adopted by another.

The Automation Revolution

For decades, fortune cookies were folded by hand — a labor-intensive and sometimes painful process, since the cookies had to be folded while still hot and pliable. This changed in the late 1960s when Edward Louie, owner of the Lotus Fortune Cookie Company in San Francisco, invented the first automatic fortune cookie machine.

Louie's machine could insert the fortune and fold the cookie while the dough was still soft. This innovation caused prices to drop and production to skyrocket. Today, Wonton Food Inc., based in Long Island City, New York, is the largest fortune cookie manufacturer in the world. Some key numbers:

| Statistic | Figure | |-----------|--------| | Fortune cookies produced globally per year | ~3 billion | | Wonton Food daily output | 4.5 million cookies | | Number of different fortunes in rotation | ~10,000 | | Main ingredient cost per cookie | Less than $0.01 |

Donald Lau, Wonton Food's former "Chief Fortune Writer," personally authored many of the fortune messages for over 30 years before retiring. The company has since used a mix of freelance writers and — more recently — algorithmic assistance.

Fortune Cookie Fun Facts

• Fortune cookies are virtually unknown in China. When Wonton Food tried introducing them to the Chinese market in the 1990s, the project failed. Chinese diners found them "too American" and were puzzled by eating a dessert with paper inside.
• The lucky numbers printed on fortunes have won real lottery prizes. In the 2005 Powerball drawing, 110 players won second-place prizes by using fortune cookie numbers. The payout was so unusual that lottery officials investigated for fraud before confirming it was a coincidence — all the winners had eaten at Chinese restaurants.
• Fortune cookies contain about 30 calories each and are made primarily from flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and sesame seed oil.
• The folding must happen within 15 seconds of the cookie leaving the oven, while the dough is still warm and pliable. After that, it hardens and cracks.

The Messages Inside: An Evolution

The messages inside fortune cookies have evolved dramatically over time:

• 19th century (Japan): Poetic verses and spiritual guidance from temple traditions
• Early 1900s (America): Thank-you notes, Biblical quotes, and simple wisdom
• Mid-20th century: Confucius-style sayings and vague optimistic predictions ("A pleasant surprise is waiting for you")
• Late 20th century: Lucky numbers, "Learn Chinese" vocabulary, and horoscope-style forecasts
• 2020s: Jokes, pop culture references, and AI-generated personalized fortunes tailored to individual moods and themes

This progression mirrors broader cultural shifts — from spiritual tradition to mass entertainment to personalized digital experiences.

Key Takeaway

The fortune cookie is one of America's most perfect cultural artifacts: born from Japanese tradition, popularized by Chinese entrepreneurs during wartime, mass-produced through American industrial innovation, and now being reimagined through AI. It's a story of immigration, adaptation, and the way food traditions evolve when cultures intersect.

The next time you crack one open, you're not just eating a cookie — you're holding over 140 years of cross-cultural history in your hand.

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Sources: Jennifer 8. Lee, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles (2008); Yasuko Nakamachi's folklore research; Wonton Food Inc. production data; Associated Press reporting on the 2005 Powerball incident.

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