At Toraya in Nihonbashi. Every year, it's a tradition to have chestnut sweets in autumn. This year, I received them again. - Chestnut Kinako Mochi: A chestnut made with kinako. Inside is a gentle sweet bean paste wrapped in gyuhi. The scent of chestnuts is lovely and it makes you feel calm. - Chestnut Steamed Yokan: A light steamed yokan with a different texture from regular yokan. It's very elegant, typical of Toraya. It's somehow different from other traditional Japanese sweet shops. I enjoyed it with green tea. Thank you for the meal.

I thought I would receive red and white manju as a celebration gift, but I received these adorable rabbit-shaped red and white manju instead. It really warms my heart. When I was a child, I wasn't that interested in traditional Japanese sweets, but as I get older, I find myself craving sweet bean paste more and more. Next time, I'll go buy some yokan for myself. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞#Toraya #RedAndWhiteManju #RabbitManju #LoveTorayaYokan

Visited for souvenir shopping on April 30, 2022 (Saturday). Entered the store at 3:00 PM. Located near Nihonbashi in Chuo-ku, Tokyo. Purchased the following items: - Small size yokan (sweet bean jelly) 5-pack: 1,620 yen (tax included) - Small size yokan: 292 yen each (tax included) - Sweet bean paste: 972 yen (tax included) There were two female staff members who provided polite and friendly service. The customer service was excellent. ---Ingredients--- Sugar (domestically produced), azuki beans, agar No unnecessary additives. The taste is truly elegant. When it comes to yokan, Toraya is like a synonym for it.

As I passed by the storefront, I noticed a sign for kashiwa mochi. It was a bit early, but I decided to buy some to take home. I asked and found out they had koshi-an and miso-an fillings, and I chose the koshi-an. I planned to quickly buy and leave, but they put it in a sky-blue paper bag for me. The mochi was soft and stretchy, with a faint scent of kashiwa leaves. I enjoyed the subtle aroma transferred to the mochi as I ate it. The koshi-an filling, which melted away, was also delicious.

It's a bit expensive so I can't buy it often, but Toraya's sweet bean paste is the best. I paired it with Central Bakery's square loaf bread. It was incredibly delicious. The store is small and located near Nihonbashi. It was nice that it wasn't crowded on a weekday!

This is a roadside store of a long-established Japanese confectionery shop located across from Nishikawa futon store along the main street of Nihonbashi, where redevelopment is underway. I visited here after hearing that they have a product that is not available at the Nihonbashi Takashimaya department store, which I visited for shopping on the weekend. The product in question is a limited edition "Yokan au Chocolat" priced at 1,944 yen. I learned about it for the first time this year, but it is a chocolate-flavored yokan released every Valentine's season. I arrived after 3 pm, and as rumored, this store was selling the "Yokan au Chocolat." So, I bought one of those along with a "An'yaki Kokuto Cacao" for 238 yen, which has a chocolate connection, and a newly released sake lees yokan called "Manju no Tsuyu" for 2,160 yen. The "Yokan au Chocolat" looks like Royce or Sils Maria's fresh chocolate at first glance, but when you taste it, it's definitely yokan. The combination of chocolate, rum, and red beans is delicious without any discomfort. The An'yaki is made by mixing egg yolk and baking powder into the red bean paste, but if served without saying anything, it looks just like a Gateau au Chocolat. I wonder how the paste is baked to achieve such a crumbly cake-like texture. The "Manju no Tsuyu" is a yokan made with sake lees from "Manju Izumi Junmai Daiginjo Kotobuki Platina," with three layers of white refined yokan, black refined yokan, and transparent white amber yokan stacked beautifully. It was a new discovery that the flavor of sake lees goes so well with yokan. In the end, all three have a quality that is unique to this place, using good ingredients and solid techniques. There is no sense of being overly eccentric or conforming to societal trends. It was a taste that truly reflected the dignity of a long-established store and a hint of playfulness.

At Toraya in Nihonbashi, they serve ohagi, a seasonal limited-time product available only during the Higan period with a same-day expiration date, sold exclusively at their direct stores in Tokyo and Kyoto. Ohagi is traditionally associated with Buddhist ceremonies, but this particular ohagi is also popular for its novelty, making it a great gift for customers. Therefore, I decided to buy some as a personal treat as well. They offer white bean, whole bean, and brown sugar bean flavors, each priced at 286 yen. Despite its elegant appearance, it is a size that can be finished in just two bites.

A traditional Japanese confectionery shop located less than a 3-minute walk from exit B9 of Nihonbashi Station. If you want to buy Toraya's wagashi in Nihonbashi, you can also find stores at Nihonbashi Takashimaya and Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, but this store is a directly operated storefront. I visited around noon on a weekday looking for nama-gashi. There were about two customers ahead of me on this day. It seems less crowded compared to the stores in the department store basement, but still quite busy. I purchased the following items this time: - Sakura Mochi ¥411 x 2 - Kusa-an Mochi ¥486 x 1 - Tozakura ¥486 x 1 The total cost for these items was ¥1,794. It's a bit pricey, but Toraya's wagashi definitely offers value for the price. I have shared my thoughts on the items I tried here: https://www.kuma110.com/entry/2021/03/19/toraya_nihonbashi

Seasonal limited edition chestnut yokan. I received it as a gift. It's the usual type I always get. The price is a bit higher than normal yokan, but worth it. Right now, there's also a collaboration yokan with Pierre Herme which is delicious. The chestnut flavor is traditional and you can't go wrong with it. Taking it out of the box and unwrapping the silver paper is satisfying. It's even more delicious when enjoyed with tea. It's irresistible. That's why I can't resist autumn. Thank you for the treat.

I visited in the early evening on a weekday. It was a Friday, so it was quite crowded. I was looking for some sweets with anko (red bean paste) and decided to get this "ayaki" to take home. I chose the limited edition black sugar cocoa flavor. It had a subtle cocoa aroma that blended perfectly with the anko. It was delicious. This would make a thoughtful gift that could be appreciated. Thank you for the meal.

From Nihombashi Station, head towards Nihombashi Mitsukoshi direction. Just before the next traffic intersection on the left side, you will find "Toraya Nihombashi" store. It is a small store with a wide variety of products, directly managed by the store. During lunchtime, I was intrigued and decided to enter. While looking at the counter, I noticed that the limited release date for the chestnut sweets that I wanted to try. Unfortunately, the fresh sweets were sold out, but I was able to find a nearby store that carries them. Kuri Meigetsu, also known as "Chestnut Meigetsu," is a limited edition sweet available for only 3 days. It consists of chestnut paste inside chestnut yokan. The chestnut yokan and chestnut paste blend well together, creating a harmonious taste. This dessert fully brings out the sweetness of chestnuts. Although it is a bit pricey, I felt that it was worth trying, living up to the reputation of the renowned Toraya. The staff at the store were also very kind, and I would love to visit again if given the chance.

During the one-week sales period of Ohagi for the spring and autumn equinoxes, I forgot to make a reservation and could only get the two types with sweet bean paste and white bean paste. Unfortunately, the red bean paste was sold out. I usually don't like white bean paste, but this one is delicious. As expected, Toraya is truly amazing. I also bought some Toyama sheep jelly as a souvenir, but I'm sorry to say that it's completely different. I highly recommend everyone to visit Toraya during the autumn equinox.

I chose this as my New Year's gift for 2019. ◆ Anyaki 220 yen each (excluding tax) This product was previously sold under the name "Koganegiku." It is a limited-time product available from September 1st to early April, with three flavors: white bean paste, matcha, and black sesame. The name "Anyaki" may be more straightforward than "Koganegiku." Anyaki...baking bean paste...? What happens when you bake bean paste...? Mixing bean paste with egg yolk and leavening agent and baking it creates a snack with a sponge cake-like texture. It has a texture similar to "castella" rather than "anko." It is a curious sensation as there is no wheat flour used in it. Unlike manju, there is no bean paste filling inside. The bean paste and leavening agent are mixed well, so there is no paste-like filling. Since it is a Japanese confectionery, it is quite sweet and goes well with tea. For those who are not fans of yokan, this might be an easier-to-eat Japanese confectionery. It has a relatively good shelf life at room temperature, individually wrapped, and looks presentable. It is not too big or too small, making it easy to eat. We found the white bean paste to be the most delicious, followed by matcha and black sesame. My husband preferred black sesame, followed by matcha and white bean paste. ----- I visited in the evening of the first three days of the New Year. Although Toraya in the department store seems crowded, this directly operated store where you can buy fresh sweets has a smaller storefront and no other customers were present. Toraya's customer service is consistently excellent. Whether you visit any of their stores, you can always shop comfortably and with a good feeling. There are nearby Toraya stores in Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi and Nihonbashi Takashimaya, but if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the department stores, it may be a good idea to shop at Toraya.

When I met my nephew from out of town after a long time, he gave me a souvenir. I hardly ate any of it, and mostly just my family members were eating it (laughs).

I finally purchased the premium sweets. They are quite large and each has a unique flavor - black sugar with black grape and white bean paste inside, which was unexpectedly delightful! The packaging is also beautiful, especially the summer chrysanthemum design.

The messenger of abundance serves yellow sweets. Koubunka offers pink sweets. Toraya's red bean paste is delicious!

At the foot of the Nihonbashi Bridge is Toraya, a place my family often visited. It had a nostalgic feel to it. They have unique names for their sweets like "Omotegi" and "Ume" which are types of yokan. Inside the silver packaging, the yokan sparkles beautifully, which I love. I prefer the traditional flavors, but overall, I enjoy their sweets.

Sweets for Wagashi Day 2021