I went to Harukas to find Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) sweets. Since Hina Matsuri is a Japanese event, traditional Japanese sweets shops put more effort into making these sweets compared to Western sweets shops. I chose the Hina Asobi assortment from Motoyoshichoan for 1300 yen because it looked the cutest and most delicious. The "Hina Asobi" sweets, with an outer design of Hina dolls, were chewy peach-flavored gyunyu with peach pulp. The purple "Kawayu Shin" sweets, with a cherry blossom aroma, were delicious Doamagari gyunyu that made me feel the arrival of spring as I enjoyed them.

There is a traditional Japanese sweets shop in the basement floor of Abeno Kintetsu Department Store, along with cake shops and others. Among the various products, I noticed a sweet called "Tsukuyomi" here. It is a dorayaki-style Japanese sweet. The texture of the dough is just right, soft and the red bean paste is not too heavy, with a light yet solid sweetness that is well-balanced and delicious. It is also easy to eat! I think this is a good choice!

"Oh, I wonder if this has been out for a while?" That's what I thought when I found this Beaujolais Nouveau jelly at this confectionery shop. Just the other day, Beaujolais Nouveau was released, but have any of you already bought or tried it? Personally, I'm not very good with alcohol, so even if I buy it, I often can't finish it. Also, even though the state of emergency has been lifted, it's still difficult to have meals with multiple people and enjoy drinks like before, so I don't think there will be many opportunities to drink Beaujolais Nouveau with someone else this year. That's why I was drawn to the "Beaujolais Villages Nouveau Wine Jelly" that I purchased here on this day. "Beaujolais Villages Nouveau" is a wine made from grapes harvested from a very small part of the Burgundy region in France, using higher quality grapes than regular Nouveau wines. This jelly contains a generous 35% of that Nouveau wine. This jelly has been sold every year since 1990, but this was my first time trying it. The taste was different from other wine jellies I've had before, with a fruity flavor unique to Nouveau wines. Even for those who are not big fans of wine, I think this jelly makes it easier to enjoy Beaujolais Nouveau. This limited quantity wine jelly that is only available at this time of year, so please consider trying it out.

The hot days continue every day. On days like this, I want to enjoy a visually refreshing traditional Japanese confectionery. Last year, I purchased the creative yokan "Mizuakari" from Tawaraya Yoshitomi, and this year I was looking for a similar confectionery with goldfish swimming. I found out that the main house Genkichiyoan has a "Goldfish" confectionery, so I asked my family to buy it at Kintetsu Department Store. It cost 959 yen. When I opened the package, it was in a pouch that looked like bringing home goldfish from a festival. Inside were three round jelly shapes resembling goldfish bowls, with two goldfish swimming inside. Taking a spoonful, the smooth jelly with a muscat flavor had a pleasant aroma. The red goldfish were made of yokan, with a smooth texture and a single red bean inside. This confectionery brings back memories of distant summer days spent catching goldfish or watching them swim in a goldfish bowl, making it a refreshing sweet treat.

Takeout series!! I've always been curious about wagashi (Japanese sweets) with fruits that I finally tried. I decided to buy some for home and as gifts. I chose the cherry wagashi. There were two types, one with jelly and one with mochi, and I chose the mochi version. The "Koh-Ho-Gyoku" is a wagashi with cherries from Yamagata prefecture wrapped in white bean paste. The "Hana-Oikawa" is a cherry jelly with cherries from Yamagata prefecture inside. I was torn between the two! Maybe I'll try the jelly version when it gets a little hotter. The mochi version has a delicious blend of sweetness and sourness from the cherries hidden inside. And of course, no seeds to worry about. Traditional wagashi is always reliably delicious! I'll definitely come back in the summer for the jelly version with fruits! (*^^*) [Masamune Genkichi Kyoan] at Kintetsu Department Store Main Store (inside Abeno Harukas) 06-6624-1111

I received a gift at work. This time, I received fig and blueberry jelly. The jelly was plump and cool in appearance, with whole pieces of fig inside. It had a subtly elegant taste... A colleague who tried the blueberry didn't put it in a dish and just ate it straight from the cup, causing it to spill out of their mouth and, of course, stain their uniform. Let's remember to eat jelly in a dish! 😄

My friend from overseas was visiting, so I decided to treat them to some unique Japanese sweets. After wandering through various department store basements, I finally settled on three seasonal and beautifully crafted sweets from this store: - "Gozenshii Kurumi": A sophisticated chestnut sweet with a layer of sweet chestnut paste surrounded by a crumbly exterior, mochi, and sweetened chestnut filling. - "Benibana Ringo": A colorful agar sweet with apple, a unique combination for a Japanese sweet. - "Tsumakuri": A sweet chestnut wrapped in chestnut paste, showcasing the essence of chestnut in every bite. These small sweets filled with seasonal flavors truly represent the wonderful culture of Japan.

Established in 1947, this traditional Japanese confectionery shop has its main store in Ginza, Tokyo, and branches in department stores. In addition to traditional sweets, they also offer products that highlight the natural flavors of fruits. I tried their Melon Jelly priced at ¥432, which has a rating of 3.2 stars. The jelly has a slight texture of melon flesh, and although it contains Western liquor, it is hardly noticeable. The strong aroma and sweetness of the melon are prominent, giving it a luxurious feel.

Kintetsu Department Store has a fairly large space dedicated to the sweets corner, including Genkikochan. Genkikochan is known for their fruit-based sweets, but this time I decided to play it safe and bought their "Fukuwatarisenbei". It's a type of Western-style rice cracker with cream inside, similar to Kozue. It costs around 150 yen per piece and is available in boxed or individually wrapped options. It's a great choice for souvenirs or enjoying at home during tea time.

I found a wonderful confectionery that is perfect for early summer souvenirs. It is the "Rikunohoshu" from "Genkichokan". It uses the "Muscat of Alexandria", known as the "Queen of Fruits" from Okayama, in a luxurious way, with one whole fruit per piece. I bought some as souvenirs and for myself. Each Rikunohoshu is individually wrapped, giving a sense of luxury. It feels like a waste to eat it in one bite. When you bite into the soft and chewy mochi, the skin bursts and the juice overflows. It is incredibly fresh! It has a refined sweetness and is very refreshing. The crunchy texture of the sugar coating is exquisite. It tastes even better when chilled! Highly recommended. The only downside is that it has seeds. It was so delicious that I want to buy it every summer! It was a delightful Japanese confectionery. Thank you for the meal!

A friend came and visited Abeno Harukas, and brought me these (*^^*) Strawberry manju was smooth with a sweet and sour strawberry flavor. The chestnut one tasted just like chestnut. Both were delicious and the packaging was cute, giving a traditional feel. I would like to go buy them again. Thank you for the treat.

It seems like a traditional shop... I'm not very familiar with Japanese sweets, but as shown in the photo, I had a two-item set. When I think of Japanese sweets, I think of dorayaki, manju, and dango... Am I outdated? (laughs) I really like black sugar manju. However, this time I tried some unfamiliar Japanese sweets. The two items were introduced as follows: colorful strawberry white bean paste and chestnut glace. The colorful strawberry had an elegant taste, I guess. It was quite delicious. The packaging is cute too. That alone made me happy (laughs). I was surprised by the chestnut glace. I thought it was going to be a chestnut manju, but it was just chestnut (laughs). The pleasure of discovering something new is wonderful, but in this case, it's a bit embarrassing. Glace... I'll remember that (laughs). However, when it comes to Japanese sweets, I still prefer black sugar manju.

[Revisit] May 31, 2016. I made a phone call! ◆"Could you please hold two 'green ons' for me? I will come by at 7:30 tonight." ●"Is this for Rikuno Houju? Understood. How many would you like?" ◆"It's a green 'on' made from muscat grapes. Just two, please." (*^_^*) I gave my phone number and name, and the staff kindly accommodated my request. I apologize for only ordering two. The store is called "Rikuno Houju" (pronounced as 'riku no houju'). I was embarrassed for shouting "green on." It's a Japanese sweet made with Muscat of Alexandria grapes from Okayama prefecture. It was my first time trying it, and I felt the urge to eat it after seeing it on Tabelog. I'm glad I got to try it while I'm still alive. (*^_^*) Price: 270 yen per piece (tax included) as of May 31, 2016. [Popular 'Rikuno Houju' sold out @ Revisit or order online to eat it (~o~)] On May 24, 2016, I arrived after 7 PM. "Please give me the famous green 'on'." (@_@) After some confusion, I was told, "Ah, you mean this Rikuno Houju." The conversation is omitted. <They are sold out today (>_<)> Well, it's understandable. It's a seasonal limited edition and the most popular item, so it's not surprising. They were kind and polite in their response. Since I came all the way here, I was given a sample of a castella-like cake on display on the Rikuno Houju showcase. It had layers of matcha, egg, and sweet bean paste, with a moist, subtly sweet, and elegant taste. I will definitely try the popular 'Rikuno Houju' and reevaluate it.

The season for Rikuno-Houseki has arrived! I always see it when passing by Kichizaan, and today I bought some for myself. They sell it from early May to mid-September. I bought individual pieces without the box, which makes it a bit cheaper at 250 yen each. They are made with Muscat Alexandria grapes from Okayama, wrapped in sweet bean paste. The combination of the grape's acidity and the sweetness of the paste is luxurious and elegant. The grapes have a slight fizzy texture, maybe due to the paste. The sizes vary, and sometimes the grapes are very sour. It's a luxurious treat that I really enjoy. I've tried other sweets like Shimizu white peach jelly, goldfish, and Saisai fruits, but Rikuno-Houseki is exceptionally delicious! Next time, I'll try the Sun's Seed (mango) since I haven't had it before.

I came back to the underground sweets section to buy sweets related to Setsubun. Setsubun is a day to ward off evil spirits and mark the transition between winter and spring, getting ready for the coming spring. There were many options, but I chose this one because the packaging was cute. Inside, it was more of a celebration of the beginning of spring rather than Setsubun. The sweets were themed around auspicious plum blossoms, with a sweet and sour taste. The Hana Yuushin had a refined taste with cherry blossom leaves, sweet red beans, and small grains of sakura-colored mochi. The zigzag senbei had a nice sweetness and a mix of Japanese and Western flavors. I also have one more to try. The sweets from Genkichi Chouan have elegant packaging and a recommended level of sweetness. Now, what should I use the bag for?

In March 2014, I received a gift of wagashi from Genkizouan. The sales period is from late February to early May. The "Hanaoutou" (Cherry Blossom Peach) costs 1575 yen for 6 pieces and contains 38 calories per serving. The description of the product is as follows: "Preserving the natural shape, form, and taste of fruits grown in nature. This fruit confectionery uses a whole cherry as its main ingredient. Inside the beautifully polished jelly, there is a cherry preserved in sweet honey. The moment you taste it, you will experience a refreshing sweet and sour flavor and a sweet aroma. The cherry is whole inside the jelly, providing a natural sweetness to the overall light and refreshing taste. Today's satisfaction level: satisfied. Thank you for the meal."

Tsunukko and Chibitsunu are exploring Abeno Harukas. Let's go to the sweets section on the basement floor. Even in Abeno Harukas, the rotating candy section is still there. It may be unknown to people from other regions, but there are various nostalgic candies rotating around, and you can pick the ones you want and put them in a basket. Surprisingly, the payment is based on weight. Chibitsunu: "I'm getting dizzy!" There are many delicious sweets shops, like Foundry, with lots of fruits. At Antenor, there were cute cakes being sold. In the western confectionery section, there were long lines everywhere, so I, who dislike waiting in line, decided to buy some Japanese sweets, which were relatively less crowded. I went to a shop called Sohonzai Genkichoan. I bought these two types of Japanese sweets: Rikuno Hoju (263 yen) and Goldfish (284 yen). Rikuno Hoju is made with Okayama's king of muscat grapes, Alexandria, wrapped in a whole piece of gyuhai. It was juicy, sweet, and sour, and delicious. The Goldfish is a Japanese-style jelly with a floating goldfish. It has a mint flavor and a refreshing, lightly sweet taste. I think it will be crowded for a while after opening, so I will report more on Abeno Harukas once it calms down.