Japanese summer is hot and humid. When you go out from your house, you sweat profusely.
But if you eat anmitsu, the heat of summer will vanish immediately!

Anmitsu is one of the most popular Japanese sweets in summer. It means bean jam, agar, and pieces of fruit served in syrup. You can eat it everywhere in Japanese cafes but I will introduce an especially delicious place in Tokyo this time.
Mihashi is a long-established sweet store which was founded in 1948. The main store is in Ueno, but there are another 6 stores in and around Tokyo. Although there are many sweet stores in Tokyo,　this one is famous for having a strong obsession for the ingredients. They always use Bean jam (adzuki beans) from Tokachi in Hokkaido. The brown sugar is from the south island 200km to the left of Okinawa.

The lightly coloured syrup between black syrup and white syrup. Agar is made from agar-agar blended in Miyake island, Hachijyou island, and Koudzu island.

Creamed anmitsu is 530 yen. Agar, syrup, red peas, bean jam, and oranges are topped with thick soft cream. It tastes very smooth. The Agar is chewy and fresh.
If you go there in the daytime of a weekend, maybe you have to have line up to eat it, but eating anmitsu in the hot summer must be very delicious!

(Translated by Humi)

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Every Japanese knows Peko-chan. She has been one of the original characters in Fujiya (Famous confectionery in Japan) since she was born in 1950. The meaning of her name, ‘Peko’, is calfs.

Peko-chan yaki which is made in the shape of her face can only be bought in Kagurazaka, Tokyo in spite of there being a lot of Fujiya shops in Japan. The outside tastes savory but the inside is fluffy, soft and mellow.

Adzuki beans, chocolates, custard cream, and cheese are standard flavors. In addition, 2 more kinds of tastes are added. They change every month or every season and those sorts are rich in variety! For example, Black sesame bean jam, mangoes, pineapples, vegetables curry, and so on. You can buy them for a really reasonable price (about 1 dollar for 1 cake) so you can enjoy a lot of different kinds of tastes. If you buy some kinds of Peko-chan yaki, you can’t tell what their flavors are from their outward appearances so they wear ribbons marked with their flavors. They look very cute!

Poko-chan who is Peko-chan’s boyfriend has also been in appearance as doll yaki since 2006. There a few of him produced, so if you meet him, you are lucky!

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Have you ever eaten or seen TAIYAKI? It is Japanese confectionery and means fish-shaped pancakes stuffed with bean jam (ann).

Although we can eat “famed” fish (baking many taiyaki at once) in a lot of places, “natural” fish (baking them one by one) are very rare because workmen need to learn a special technique.

YANAGI-YA is one of the rare shops which bake natural taiyaki(140 JPY). Lots of people stand in a long line to buy them made by expert workmen even on the weekdays. This shop was established in 1916.

They use the highest ranked adzuki beans and the way of how to make bean jam hasn’t changed for 94 years! After baking taiyaki, many other shops cut down the parts left on the edge because they look unattractive but in the case of Yanagi-ya, they don’t do such things on purpose. They know, this part is the most delicious!!

(Translated by Humi)

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Do you want to little stimulus in everyday life? If that “stimulus” were snacks and you could get them easily, do you think you would want to try them?

There are spicy snacks all over the world, but “Bokun Habanero” is special. This is not only hot and tastes just like potatoes but also tastes of vegetables. This snack strengthens the taste of tomates and a mellow mushroom flavor. By improving them, “delicious” and “spicy” could keep the best balance. Of course this is very hot and spicy, but you will never have had enough of them. Once you start to eat this snack, you won’t be able to quit!

If you aren’t satisfied with “Bokun Habanero”, there is another kind of spicy snack from the same company.

“The evilest tyrant Habanero” is in doubanjiang (it is a Chinese seasoning) which enriches the taste. And “Devil Jolokia” is very popular too. This is used in “Bhut Jolokia”. which was recognized as the most spicy cayenne pepper in the world in 2006. It’s a complicated mixed spice, black pepper, and the sour taste of tomatoes make exquisite harmony. They are for advanced people.
If you think Death Rain or Doritos flavor are not good enough, you should try to eat them and find your favorite snack!

(Written by Humi)

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These cardcases look like real chocolates.

Even if you are bored with your job, the cardcase will cheer you up.

The body is made of non-coated brass, so it becomes antique over time.

You can choose your favorite one from 6 flavors.:-)

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Castella has been a popular cake in Japan for a long time but it seems to be different from traditional Wagashi. It looks like a Western sponge cake, made of eggs, flour, sugar and starch syrup.
In addition, it is more sweet than ordinary Wagashi.


Castella is thought to have been brought by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. Since then, Castella is a sweet which represents Nagasaki city. Nagasaki people like sweet food so Castella has been loved for centuries.
Several Portuguese and Spanish cakes are considered as the origin of Castella, but no one knows for sure.

The texture of Castella is moist and soft. Its taste is unique, little different from ordinary pound cakes. Its yellow and brown colors are from eggs and brown sugar, not from artificial coloring. Many Japanese like to eat Castella with no cream decoration.
The feature of Wagashi is taking advantage of natural flavors. Although the origin is Portuguese, Castella has progressed as a Wagashi.

Today, Castella is very popular in all areas of Japan. There are some famous Castella manufacturers such as Bunemido and Fukusaya.
A large, pound cake type Castella is popular as a gift. A small, spheral Castella, called “Suzu Castella” is very common at festivals.

(All photos are provided by Bunmeido Shinjuku Inc..: Copyright 2009 Bunmeido Shinjuku Inc.)

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This USB drive looks like a piece of chocolate. The craftsman makes them by hand from a natural solid tree. The grains of the cap and body are so straight that you can’t find the grain. It feels so smooth, you won’t be able to resist touching them.


There are also another model “Monaca”. Monaca is a traditional Japanese sweet. (see also this article) The rounded corners are very cute and distinct.

You can choose three kinds of wood ; maple, teak and rosewood. The dark color of rosewood is like a real chocolate.

URL: Chocolat http://item.rakuten.co.jp/mokko-ya/hp002/ (Japanese)
Monaca http://item.rakuten.co.jp/mokko-ya/hp001/ (Japanese)
Capacity: 2GB
OS : Windows Vista/XP/Me/2000, Mac OS 9.1-
Interface; USB 1.1/2.0
Size: W22mm*D76mm*H9.4mm
Price: 5,980 Yen
Urethane painted.

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Monaka is a kind of Japanese sweets made of bean filling sandwiched between two thin crisp wafers made from mochi. This peanut monaka is shaped like a peanut shell. The package is also shaped like a peanut. This cute appearance is popular in Japan, and suitable as a gift.

It isn’t sold outside of Japan, so you can get it only in Japan.  It won 2 awards.

This monaka contains a delicious filling made of white kidney beans and peanuts. It has a natural and delicate sweetness. The moist filling and the light crisp wafers are a good combination.
The monaka is low-calorie, so it is good for your diet. You can enjoy the maximum flavor of peanuts without being obese. It’s so yummy!!

Made by Yoneya Corporation (なごみの米屋)
Price : 100 Yen a piece

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Warabimochi: a bracken-starch dumpling. a typical Wagashi in summer.

“Wagashi” is a traditional Japanese confectionery. It’s made of mochi, wheat, azuki bean paste(”an”), starch syrup, sugar and so on, but fruit is rarely used. It has a history of 1000 years or more, and developed greatly with the tea ceremony.

A dorayaki by Taneya. It is very noted for Doraemon.

There are many kinds of Wagashi. They are divided by moisture content into “Hi-Gashi”, “Nama-Gashi” and “Han-Nama-Gashi”. “Nama-Gashi” contains a lot of moisture, and “Hi-gashi” contains the least moisture. “Han-Nama-Gashi” are those in the middle.

Higashi by Toraya. "Jinger", "Mint" and "Plum" from the left.

All Wagashi are made of natural ingredients, additives are rarely used. and they are not too sweet or fatty. Some Wagashi are very beautiful as art. They make you happy not only because of the taste but also the way they look.

l introduce Wagashi separately because it becomes too long if I write about Wagashi.
You can ask me anything about Wagashi.:-)

Taneya Dorayaki; http://taneya.jp/okashi/tsunen_dorayaki.html

Toraya Higashi “Goshiki-ito” serise ; http://www.toraya-group.co.jp/products/pro04/pro04_001.html

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