2022.11.14 (Mon) First Visit【Late Autumn Hokkaido Trip 2022 Day 2⑦】Located in Toshio Town, the long-established traditional Japanese confectionery shop "Wakasaya Shoten" has been in business for over 100 years. This shop is known for creating the original Hokkaido specialty sweet potato snack, "Wakasaimo." I have always loved the Wakasaimo at Lake Toya and have purchased it as a souvenir every time I visit Hokkaido, but this time I learned for the first time that the original version is located in Toshio Town! The current 4th generation owner creates a simple and rustic flavor of sweet potato snacks, carefully handmade. When we visited around 2:30 pm, there were no other customers, only us. The staff did not come out for a while, so we waited quietly in the store. After a while, a female staff member (probably the owner's wife) came out to assist us.● Wakasayaimo 1,880 yenWhen I mentioned that I was traveling from Nagoya, they kindly guided us to an area that is not normally accessible to customers, saying "if you have come from afar..." That area was like a mini museum and a nostalgic miscellaneous goods exhibition corner of the store. Personally, I was interested in the old photos of the store's founding era and the old confectionery tools. The simple and gentle sweetness of Wakasayaimo is a traditional Hokkaido specialty snack that has been passed down through generations. In the Meiji era, the first generation of Wakasaya Wakasa Genshichi introduced a confectionery called "Yakiimo" as a souvenir from Toshio Town, which was the root of the famous "Wakasaimo"! It was later renamed "Wakasaimo" and further renamed to the current "Wakasayaimo." Made mainly of white bean paste and eggs, with the use of kelp to express the fibers of the potato, this snack allows you to fully enjoy the flavor of "baked sweet potato" without using any actual sweet potatoes. This time, I was able to purchase both the "Wakasayaimo" from Toshio Town and the "Wakasaimo" from Lake Toya, so I was able to compare and enjoy them. Wakasayaimo has a handmade feel with a rustic atmosphere. It has a strong egg flavor, moist texture, and a strong sweetness. It is also characteristic of having a short shelf life of only a few days as no preservatives are used. Personally, I prefer the familiar "Wakasaimo" as it has a better balance, but both were delicious. In any case, I am grateful for being able to enjoy this valuable taste comparison this time. Thank you for the meal.

A long-established Japanese confectionery shop on the main street of Kotoni Town. I stopped by Kotoni Town on my way back from a trip to Hakodate, so I bought some sweets here for home. According to other reviews, this shop seems to be the origin of the famous Toyako specialty "wakasaimo", as the names of their products like "wakasaya imo" and "imo no ten" are very similar. The shop is not very spacious, but they sell a variety of sweets. The shop's specialty seems to be "wakasaya imo", so this time I bought a set of "wakasaya imo" and "imo no ten" (250 yen). The "wakasaya imo" has a slightly less pronounced kelp flavor compared to "wakasaimo", and the sweetness is a bit stronger. I felt that "imo no ten" had too much oil for my liking. Personally, I prefer the shop in Toyako, but the prices are reasonable, and the staff at the shop were friendly, so I think it's good for those who like traditional sweets.

I came to Susumu in Gifu to eat fresh Shirasu (whitebait) and decided to stop by Susumu Michi-no-Eki while I was there. Inside, as I was looking at the souvenir section, I came across Wakasaya's sweet potato snacks. There are many shops selling traditional Japanese sweets inspired by sweet potatoes, such as Wakasaya Honpo and Wakasaiimo Honpo. In the past, there has been discussion about which shop is the original source of these sweets. It seems like this shop might be the origin based on what I saw online. I decided to try their sweet potato snacks this time and purchased both the regular Wakasaya sweet potato and the deep-fried sweet potato tempura. Compared to the ones from Lake Toya, the texture of the kombu (kelp) fibers in Wakasaya's sweet potato felt weaker, and it had a more eggy and Western-style flavor. It also seemed sweeter to me, and the use of soy sauce added a nice savory touch. The sweet potato tempura had a crispy coating which enhanced the flavor and aroma, but it was a bit oily. I have tried various snacks of this kind before, but I think I like this one the best. I don't have many opportunities to come to Susumu, but if I do, I would definitely want to try these snacks again. Thank you for the delicious meal!

I stopped by a traditional Japanese sweets shop on my way to get stamps for a stamp rally in Iwanai. I bought a set of "Wakasayaimo" and "Imo no Ten" for comparison. "Wakasayaimo" looked just like the famous Wakasaimo Honpo's "Wakasaimo" from Hokkaido. I remembered there was a similar snack called "Wakasaimokko" in the past. I wonder if they have the same origin? "Imo no Ten" is a deep-fried version of "Wakasayaimo." It was a bit oily. I will try a different snack next time. Thank you, "Wakasai" shop!

Visited on December 8, 2020! Enjoyed the playful spirit of the shop. Jyuto Child for 120 yen and Awabi Musume (Red bean paste, White bean paste) for 120 yen.

This is a long-established confectionery shop in Susukotown, Hokkaido. It is a small, family-owned business that sells handmade sweets. They offer a variety of sweets besides their specialty "imo" (sweet potato) products. I tried their "Wakasaya Imo" and "Imo no Ten" set, as well as their "Koshi An Donut" and "Benkei" white chocolate-coated pastry. Each treat had a simple and rustic flavor, with a moderate sweetness and a unique texture. The differences in taste and approach between these sweets and those from other regions like Toyako were noticeable, showing the dedication and creativity of the shop. I also enjoyed their "Awabi Musume" sweet bean paste confection, which had a subtle sweetness that would pair well with Japanese tea. Overall, the service was pleasant and the experience was enjoyable. I would recommend stopping by this shop if you're in the area for a unique and delicious treat.

I stopped by after eating at Daimaru Oya Kaikan, which is located nearby. When I heard about the Juto specialty snack called Wakasai mo, I thought it would be a snack similar to Wakasai mo. However, when I looked at the bookmark that came with the snack, it said that it was first introduced as Yakiimo in Meiji 42, then later became Wakasai mo, and now it is known as Wakasaiya mo. It mentioned that although similar products are available in various places in Hokkaido, this product has a unique hand-baked taste that cannot be imitated by others. It's interesting how similar snacks can have different histories based on how they were introduced. Wakasai mo was introduced with a bang. Wakasaiya mo does not have the taste of soy sauce, and the kelp flavor is not very strong. It is made with white bean paste and egg. The package containing two pieces of fried sweet potatoes is priced at 220 yen, making it easy to try. The inclusion of an oxygen absorber helps it last longer. The customer service is polite and friendly, and the shop has a good atmosphere that blends well with the town. It's a perfect souvenir option.

I saw a website called "Wakasaimo Roots" before, and it seems there are now three different types of wakasaimo, one of which was being sold at Minatomare Suto. They had a set with wakasaimo and sweet potato tempura, which is perfect for someone like me who is single (joy). You can compare and taste them together...! I've tried tempura with other sweet potatoes before, but when you reheat them in a toaster, they turn into a sweet and crispy tempura, similar to the fried momiji manju I had in Hiroshima - crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. It's worth trying. You can also sprinkle some salt on it, and it looks delicious. In the main store of Wakasaimo Honpo, they sell freshly fried sweet potato tempura... (although this is about another store). I found that the regular wakasaimo was more moist and to my liking when warmed up! Compared to other wakasaimo, it seemed to have a sweetness and moistness. It makes me want to pair it with green tea. It felt easier to eat because it had more moisture than other wakasaimo. It was great to be able to compare and taste them together! Thank you, wu-ta!!! (((orz

I received a souvenir♬ I wasn't very thoughtful and went empty-handed (^_^;) At first glance, it looked like a sweet potato! I haven't had it in a while, so I listened to the story while on the trip. Wait, isn't the region different? Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be "Wakasaya." Who copied who? (laughs) ◆Imo Ten: A slightly thicker tempura coating, like that, they fry the "Wakasaimo"... I mean, the "Wakasaya" sweet potato. ◆Wakasaya Imo: Smooth texture, like that, the "Wakasaimo"... I mean, the original and delicious "Wakasaya" sweet potato. Thank you! It was delicious♬