Otaru's famous Hanazono Dango. It also appeared in Golden Kamuy, and there was a figure of Asirpa in the showcase. The eat-in service is available until 5 o'clock. I just made it in time. There are five types of dango. One stick costs 110 yen. The recommended flavors are sesame and soy sauce. When I tried it, the first thing I noticed was how soft and delicious the dango itself was. The sesame is a fine powder type, piled high. It was a delicate sesame dango experience like I've never had before. The soy sauce is not like the usual sweet soy sauce you'd find with mitarashi dango. It lacks the grilled marks, sauce drippings, and strong salty taste. It was also delicious. I also tried the white bean paste dango, which was rare, and it was light and okay in taste. I felt like the regular black bean paste one would be better. After comparing, I found that the sesame dango, with its distinctive flavor, was the most delicious.

In the Hanagin-dori area of Otaru City, there is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop along Hanagin Street. You can park your car at a nearby coin parking lot. My wife loves the Hanagin dango from Shin Kuraya in Sapporo, so on our way back from a seafood lunch, we decided to stop by this shop and purchase some dango. The shop also had a café space, but it was full of locals, indicating its popularity. There were seasonal items available, but this time we bought the "Hanagin dango (110 yen)" with sesame and soy sauce flavors. The dango was generously topped with sesame or soy sauce, both flavors were delicious, but compared to the Hanagin dango we buy in Sapporo, the mochi here had a slightly firmer and chewier texture. There are other varieties of Hanagin dango available, and the prices are reasonable, so I recommend it when you're craving dango.

I started my day in Otaru, walking down the slope from the station and wandering around the canal area towards the beautiful garden. I walked in circles too much and got tired, so I took a short break at "Otaru Shinkuraya Hanazono Main Store." I wanted to try the "Dorayaki Soft Serve" but was told it's only available from 11 am, so I ordered a coffee for 300 yen instead. I received a paper cup of coffee brewed by a payment machine, sat down at one of the tables among the 15 available, and rested my legs. The coffee was not too strong or too weak, with a slight lack of bitterness. It would have been better if it had a bit more character, but as a well-established local store, it was no surprise to see customers coming in one after another to buy their famous dumplings. After about 30 minutes, I left and headed to my next destination. Thank you for the meal.

Every time I passed by the shop, I was curious about the "Rum Raisin Cream Dorayaki"!! The store was full of tourist couples, it was like a romantic date in winter Otaru! It was cold with snow falling, so everyone seemed to be enjoying warm tea and dango. Oh, by the way, New Kuraya appeared in Golden Kamuy, right? It's always nice to see Otaru in manga and anime! When I was a kid, I used to eat "San-sei Dango" a lot♪ So, I bought the "Rum Raisin Cream Dorayaki" for 239 yen, but it turned out to be frozen. I thought it was fresh in the store. Oh well, I bought it anyway. When I got home, it was just thawed out and tasted okay. The dorayaki skin was a bit dry...hmm... The raisins were tasty, the cream had a rum raisin flavor, and the anko was just okay. I wish they would choose one version, either cream and anko or cream and rum raisin. Personally, I prefer the fresh cream version. At least in the store, I would like to try the fresh Rum Raisin Cream Dorayaki. Also, I was curious about the "Belgian Chocolate Yokan" for 250 yen, so I got it as a souvenir for my father who loves chocolate and yokan. When I looked at the back, it said "Tokachi Shigure" instead of New Kuraya. It's a mystery... I can imagine the taste somehow, but I'm still curious! I'll try a bite later and update how it tastes!

Otaru City Shin Kuraya Hanazono Main Store Ashiripa-san seemed to be bustling with anime pilgrimage tourists due to its popularity, but it was quiet on this day. I came to eat dango. ◆Order ✔️ Three dango set with sencha tea for 750 yen. I could choose any three flavors except for suama. ◆Impressions I chose soy sauce, sesame, and matcha red bean paste. The amount of sencha tea was just right for two people. We shared the dango and enjoyed dipping them in the sauce. The chewy texture of the dango was amazing, especially when dipped in soy sauce. The sweetness and aroma of the sesame flavor was addictive. The matcha red bean paste had a beautiful color and a refined sweetness that captured my heart. Sencha tea was the perfect choice to go with the dango. It was a fantastic combination. I had a very peaceful time here. Thank you for the delicious meal. Thank you very much!

When you come to Otaru, you must buy Hanazono Dango. It is delicious and reasonably priced. I usually buy it at the Canal Store on my way back, but this time I bought it at the main store as I was strolling through the streets of Otaru. Even though it was Sunday, Hanazono Street felt empty and lonely with few people. The shop here was also empty. I bought a recommended set with various types of dango that my whole family loves.

On this day, after enjoying delicious hormone at a nearby yakiniku restaurant, we took a leisurely stroll and stumbled upon Shinkuraya. My companion said, "Let's buy some dango!" and without hesitation, went straight to the showcase and said, "I'll have this!" pointing at the dorayaki. Then, they went to the dango showcase and started ordering without consulting me - two with sweet soy sauce, two with sesame, one with white bean paste. "Do you want anything else to eat?" they asked, clearly planning to eat everything themselves. I decided to share a bit as it seemed like too much for one person to eat alone. The strawberry cream dorayaki was a limited edition item with a hint of strawberry flavor in the fluffy and moist dorayaki skin. Each dango was soft and delicious. The main store in Shukkou seems to cater to tourists, while this store feels more for locals. I will definitely buy souvenirs and treats for myself from Shinkuraya whenever I visit Otaru in the future. Thank you, Shinkuraya!

Half Dorayaki Soft Serve 380 yen for a snack time! My husband's request was to visit the main store of a long-established dumpling shop with an eat-in space and cafe menu available until 4 pm. You can consume the purchased items until 6 pm. For a refreshing treat, I ordered a half portion of cold Dorayaki Soft Serve. It consisted of one piece of Dorayaki skin with a mild sweet red bean paste and plenty of soft serve ice cream on top. The taste was exactly as you would expect. Delicious!

Visited on Monday, February 15, 2021, around 1:30 pm after finishing lunch, I went to buy the famous traditional Japanese sweets of Otaru, "Hanazono Dango"✨. The location is along Hanazono Ginza Street, making it easy to find. The shop has a decent size inside. The signature item is the Hanazono Dango‼️ There are five varieties available. I bought one of each of the four types. Should have bought all varieties though, haha. Plus, it's only ¥99 per piece, which is quite affordable✨✨ I also noticed a Sakura Mochi for ¥140, so I bought that too. There is a seating area inside where you can enjoy coffee or green tea! It's a good place for a short break♫ The dango is generously coated with sweet bean paste, not too sweet, moist, and smooth, making it disappear quickly as I couldn't stop eating it. Every February, memories of Sakura Mochi from my past come to mind, haha. It's funny how I associate Sakura with spring in April and May, right? I absolutely love the unique flavor of the Sakura leaf on the mochi✨ The dorayaki also looked delicious. Otaru has ice cream shops that only operate in summer, and places with irresistible sweets for those who love sweets! There are so many affordable and delicious shops here... I have to be careful not to gain weight, haha.

I spent a blissful time at Toku Sushi and then went for a walk to walk off the meal. This year, there is really little snow, making it easier to walk around, but not necessarily easy. As I walked along Hanazono Ginza, also known as Hanagin Street, I passed by Hanazono Dango, a place I always pass by when in Otaru. There was a sign on the glass door promoting a discount sale on Akari Mochi for the Snow Light Path event, with the name "Shinkuraya" written above it. I always thought this place was called Hanazono Dango, as the signs on the street and the delivery vehicles only had that name. It was only now that I learned about the name Shinkuraya (laughs). I wanted to buy the Akari Mochi, but unfortunately, they were sold out due to their popularity. It's the last day tomorrow, so that's a shame. I ended up buying Mitarashi Dango, Hanazono Sanjyu Dango, and Sakura Mochi to enjoy at the hotel. I made some tea and had them as a snack at 3 o'clock. Oh, it's exactly 3 o'clock now (laughs). The Sakura Mochi, wrapped in salted cherry blossom leaves with sweet red bean paste, had a slightly restrained sweetness with the saltiness of the cherry blossom leaves adding a nice touch. It feels like an early spring with the scent of cherry blossoms. Although cherry blossoms usually bloom in Otaru from early May onwards, which is still three months away. The Hanazono Dango had a strong sesame flavor, with a crispy texture that was enjoyable. The chewiness of the rice cake and the crispiness of the sesame were a great combination. It was easy to eat with a mild sweetness. These traditional Otaru sweets have been loved for many years. I saved the Mitarashi Dango for last. I'm a fan of the Mitarashi Dango here. The smooth red bean paste has a perfect balance of sweetness and soy sauce flavor. It's the only traditional Japanese sweet I found delicious as a child, so I'm happy to find delicious Mitarashi Dango in Otaru. I feel refreshed after this short break. The Otaru Snow Light Path is entering its final stages, so I'll join the volunteers preparing and light the candles. Since I wasn't familiar with the name Shinkuraya, I think I'll continue to call it Hanazono Dango. Please forgive me. Otaru has many other sweet shops and treats like Amaudo, Bion, and Panju, so I think those with a sweet tooth will enjoy it too. Thank you for the meal!

Otaru last day. Feeling like having some red bean paste... While walking, I came across a Japanese confectionery shop. They also have an eat-in area! So, I went inside. The spacious interior is divided into a sales area and an eat-in space. You need to pay at the counter before ordering. This time, I ordered a half-size "Dorayaki Soft" which includes Dorayaki skin, soft serve ice cream, and red bean paste, along with a cup of coffee. They also have coffee options, giving a mix of Japanese and Western styles. I was unsure about the regular size, but the half-size was just right... The soft serve ice cream was delicious, and I left fully satisfied. It has a casual atmosphere, so if you're tired from walking, why not stop by for a visit? Thank you for the meal!

After having lunch, it's dessert time! Today, I decided to visit Shin Kuraya in Hanazono for the first time. Their specialty is dango, but I was there for the dorayaki soft serve. I ordered the regular size, which comes with two pieces of dorayaki skin (430 yen). The two pieces of dorayaki skin looked like a big mouth to me at first glance! I dug in with a spoon, enjoying the soft serve and red bean paste. The soft serve was rich in milk flavor, and the red bean paste was not too sweet, creating a delicious combination. After eating a bit, I closed the dorayaki skin with both hands and turned it into a dorayaki soft serve sandwich. The skin was moist and not dry, sweet and tasty. Shin Kuraya did not disappoint! Satisfied with my meal. Thank you for the delicious treat!

I wanted to try Shin Kuraya. There's a store in Sapporo too. This is my first time at the main store!! I tried the dango first. It's not on a plate, but in this cute packaging! There weren't many options for cafe latte or coffee, which was a bit disappointing, but the dango was delicious (*≧∀≦*) I could have eaten about 5 of them.

I went on a food tour with my colleagues from work. As someone who loves dumplings, I was really looking forward to trying Hanazono dango, which I had admired for a long time. The dumplings that came out were just as delicious as I had hoped. The texture of the dumplings was amazing, and the taste of the sweet bean paste was irresistible. I tried matcha bean paste, white bean paste, mitarashi, and sesame flavors. Surprisingly, my favorite was the white bean paste. If you like bean paste with a distinct bean flavor, you should try the white bean paste. The sesame flavor was very aromatic and delicious. I don't usually eat sesame-covered dumplings, but this one was really good. Among the four, my favorite was the sesame flavor. I prefer mitarashi to be a bit sweeter, as is common in the Kansai region, but for those who like the taste of soy sauce, this balance should be just right.

On a certain holiday, I went on a little expedition to Otaru. I stumbled upon the old-fashioned rice dumpling shop called Hanazono Honpo, which also has an eat-in space. The interior is relatively spacious with about seven tables available, and they play soothing music in the background. I found a Soft Serve Set (480 yen) on the menu, which includes soft serve ice cream (330 yen) and rice dumplings in soy sauce (90 yen). The soft serve ice cream had a sherbet-like texture with a hint of small grains, similar to what I had at a different shop last week. I sprinkled some matcha powder from the tea cup provided, feeling a bit wasteful. The soy sauce-flavored rice dumplings were rich with a good balance of soy sauce and sugar. Overall, it was a good place to take a break and enjoy some rice dumplings in between exploring. Thank you for the meal.

Shinkuraya Hanazono Dango. In the past, I used to stop by Shinkuraya on my way to a sushi restaurant in Hanazono Ginza. However, the familiar sushi restaurant relocated and then closed down, so I only went to the shop in Nagasaki-ya. But by chance, I had the opportunity to take a train and noticed the shop. I decided to buy some dango to eat on the train. It's been a while since I bought dango! The Hanazono dango includes sakura mochi, sweet bean paste, and mitarashi flavors, each costing around 100 yen. They are delicious and affordable. And this! The Daifuku with beans was amazing! As expected from Hokkaido, the sweet bean paste, beans, and mochi were all incredibly tasty.

It was disappointing that the machine was broken and I couldn't drink any drinks, but the rice cakes were very delicious.

Matcha set is stable and reliable in taste. It used to be sweeter in the past!? Is it adjusted to the current era!? Refreshing sweetness.

Visit on May 14, 2021! Chestnut tweet for 170 yen, Otaru sa koi for 175 yen, Hanazono three-color dango (3 pieces) for 430 yen.

I took a break at the Nukuraya shop, eating dango and recharging. I also bought some as souvenirs to eat at home. The way they coat the anko is really good!