30th Komatsuna Gourmet Stamp Rally. Last time, I bought "Komatsuna Pie" at the Funabori store, and this time, let's try "Komatsuna Mochi" at the Koiwa store. Gensoan is a local Japanese confectionery shop in Edogawa Ward. I always rely on them for souvenirs. When I lived in Funabori, it was "Kintoto" (laughs). It's my first time trying Komatsuna Mochi, but it's nice in an Edogawa Ward way. It's perfect for casual souvenirs. It's a sweet, so it doesn't have much of a Komatsuna flavor (laughs). Thank you for the meal.

On the first floor of Shapo Koiwa, there is a shop where I purchased two items: Hanagokoro for 160 yen and Edogawa Komatsuna no Pii for 120 yen (excluding tax). Hanagokoro resembled the famous Miyagi confection Hagi no Tsuki in shape and taste. It was delicious, but compared to the original, it lacked the smoothness of the cream and the delicacy of the dough, giving it a slightly rough finish. Edogawa Komatsuna no Pii, on the other hand, was a very delicious steamed bun with moist dough and milky white bean paste. Although it is advertised as a Komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) bun, I couldn't taste the presence of Komatsuna anywhere, but I could sense its essence somehow. This shop, with only four locations in Edogawa Ward, is a local traditional Japanese confectionery store that strives to create delicious sweets that reflect the local characteristics. I will continue to support them from the shadows in the future.

I had dinner in Oiwaa and felt like having some Japanese sweets, so I bought some. There aren't many shops in Shapo, but Gensoan is a traditional Japanese sweets shop with its headquarters in Edogawa Ward. When I got home and tried them, the sweet bean paste was quite soft, more like smooth red bean paste rather than firm yokan. There seems to be less agar in it. There were plenty of chestnuts, and they also had a crumbly texture like the bean paste. It's not a smooth yokan, but it has a rustic charm typical of steamed yokan. The sweetness is also moderate, making it perfect for tea time. When the popular stores like Toraya feel too formal, it might be nice to buy souvenirs from local shops like this one.