I had some time before boarding the Shinkansen, so I went to the Kogado Tea House near Kokura Station. Feeling a bit peckish, I decided to order a Mont Blanc (this time with ice cream). The smooth texture and perfect level of sweetness were absolutely delightful! It really helped me shake off my fatigue. The shop has a traditional feel, so the clientele tends to be on the older side, but it's quiet and relaxing. They have a wide selection of menu items, making it a valuable find. Next time I'm in Kokura, I think I'll take a break here again. Thank you for the meal! 😊

Kogakudo is an old-established Japanese confectionery shop in Kokura, Kitakyushu City. It was founded in 1895. The shop is famous for its chestnut manju (sweet buns). I received a gift set of sweets from a friend who lives in Kitakyushu, which included three types of sweets. Firstly, there were the signature chestnut manju from Kogakudo, which had a natural chestnut flavor and sweetness, giving a simple and comforting taste. Then, there was "Hitotsu Kuri," a sweet with a whole chestnut covered in its skin. It had a straightforward chestnut flavor and a nice texture. Lastly, there was "Gion Daiko," a popular choice among my family, which consisted of matcha, coarse red bean paste, and smooth red bean paste wrapped in a crispy pie crust. All of the sweets were delicious, and I enjoyed them. Thank you for the treat.

Today, I had some business in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and afterwards I went to Kokura to catch the bullet train. Since I missed lunch, I was wandering around the shopping street and stumbled upon Kogetsudo. I only had the image of it being a souvenir shop, but they had a cafe called "Kissa Ko" so I decided to stop by. I ordered the Hamburger Steak Set and the Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc (with iced coffee). I was completely surprised to find a hamburger at Kogetsudo! I had no idea. At first, my expectations were too high, so when I took the first bite, I thought it was just okay. But after finishing it, I thought "it was delicious." Next was the Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc, and this was really good! I don't usually eat dessert, but I highly recommend it. The cream had just the right amount of sweetness for me, and it was rich. I will definitely have this again next time! Thank you for the meal. ^ ^

Whenever I go back to my hometown, I always make sure to visit this place. I love their Lake Moon Cream, so I always order it after my meal. As a sweets shop, their red bean paste is delicious. I usually order pasta, but this time I went for the set meal. The atmosphere is calm and you can enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace. Highly recommended.

The place is very spacious and relaxing. The interior has a retro atmosphere, but they provide Wi-Fi and power outlets. It's a great place to hang out for a long time. You can sit at a table for four people even if you're alone, so it's convenient when you have a lot of belongings. The Japanese-style desserts also look delicious.

I bought these traditional New Year's sweets when I went back home. The prices were quite cheap: 270 yen for the flower petal mochi and 140 yen for the rabbit-shaped sweets. I purchased them on New Year's Eve, and the flower petal mochi had a shelf life until January 3rd. Even though they are fresh sweets, they seem to last quite a while. After buying them, I started to worry about the additives used in them.

In the shopping street, there is the main store of Tsukigetsudou. Next to it, there is a spacious café. Today, I bought bean daifuku as a snack for myself. The outer mochi is thin. It is filled with plenty of red bean paste. The salt is just right, and the beans are soft. The red bean paste is not too sweet, making it easy to eat. Whichever you choose, it's a reliable and delicious traditional Japanese sweets shop.

I received a souvenir from a friend who was visiting Fukuoka (*^^*) It's a famous confectionery ✨ It's a simple chestnut bun in the shape of a koban coin, with a sweet chestnut filling inside. The chestnut bun is round in shape, with a whole chestnut wrapped inside, making it a luxurious treat. Made with domestically sourced hand-picked beans, including white beans, it has a rich sweetness that pairs well with hot green tea. (*^^*)

Fukuoka Prefecture is known for delicious mentaiko and other foods, but this time I tried a traditional Japanese sweet called "Hitotsu Kuri" which contains 6 chestnuts. It has an elegant sweetness different from its white appearance. I ate 2 of them in one go and they went well with tea, coffee, black tea, as well as milk, soy milk, Calpis, and cola. It seems like everyone in my family has become a big fan of it. Thank you for the delicious meal.

For the residents of Kitakyushu City, especially those in Kokura Kita and Minami districts, this confectionery is likely familiar since childhood. Not only does it have a long history and tradition, but it is still delicious when eaten today. I have been a fan since I was a child, so I thought about setting the "visit date" to around 1980, but that's not possible, so I'll share my most recent purchase instead. My favorite is Gio Daiko, but this time I bought Kurimanju. It's a classic and has a taste that can compete on a national level. When buying souvenirs on a business trip, I tend to go for the typical choices like "Hakata no Onna" or "Torimon," but if you want to emphasize Kitakyushu, I highly recommend considering Kokaido (Tsuruhei is also good). The cafe attached to the shop is also recommended. It used to have long lines, but it seems to be easier to visit since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. That being said, even I haven't visited during the pandemic.

Visited on November 18, 2021. After stopping by the Kogendo teahouse, I happened to come across this bread on my way back. I was so focused on the Japanese sweets that I completely missed it, but when I entered the shop, I found it quietly placed in the corner on the left side. As of 2021, the bread was only available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Please check with the shop for current information if you plan to visit. There were two types of bread available: a loaf bread and a pandemi curry bread. I chose the loaf bread as it was described to have a slight sweetness to it. The loaf bread cost ¥237 for two loaves, which was a bit smaller but still a great deal. The bread was very moist and had a strong, chewy texture. It was delicious! Highly recommended☆ So, this review is for the bread specifically.

Since ancient times, there has been a confectionery shop called Kotgetsudo in the Fish Market shopping street in Kokura. Even on weekdays, the Madams of Kokura flock here. It's always crowded, even after 2 o'clock. It seems like everyone really loves Kotgetsudo. It's a place of relaxation for the older ladies. It's like a cultural difference where young people go to Starbucks and the older generation goes to Kotgetsudo. I had the nostalgic taste of simmered noodles. It had a light broth and a heartwarming flavor. It was delicious.

I received a souvenir from a friend, which was a selection of chestnut-themed treats from Kitakyushu, with Kurume as their base. I tried three items: a whole chestnut with its skin on, a chestnut manju (sweet bun), and a Gion Taiko pastry filled with sweet red bean paste. The whole chestnut was a bit dry, but the chestnut manju was moist and had a delicious filling. The Gion Taiko pastry had a great balance between the buttery crust and the sweet red bean paste. Overall, I would rate the whole chestnut at 3.0 stars and the other two items at around 3.7 stars each. Thank you for the meal!

I was recommended to try chestnut bun by a friend who is stationed in Kyushu, so I decided to visit a large shop in the shopping district. The shop had a wide variety of sweets, including ones that could be paired with tea. Even though it was already nighttime, customers kept coming in and picking out their favorite sweets to buy. I bought the small chestnut bun and a dorayaki, which cost around 250 yen in total. When I returned to the hotel, I immediately tried them. The chestnut bun was small and had a subtle chestnut flavor. The dorayaki was also on the smaller side, with a sweet red bean paste filling. While they didn't leave a strong impression, I still enjoyed them both. The shop offers reasonably priced and convenient sweets.

After working in Kokura, I visited this place for dessert after enjoying eel at a local restaurant. As my second hometown is in Kitakyushu, I have visited this area frequently since I was a child. This time, I had the Shiratama Anmitsu, and the amount of fruit and shiratama was amazing! The price is also reasonable, at less than 1000 yen, and of course, the taste is delicious! The restaurant is spacious and has a high-class feel, so it's great to be able to enjoy this at such a price. I was impressed by my visit after a long time.

Macaron Rusk 378 yen [Energy 349kcal Carbohydrates 46.2g] Kotsukido, there were quite a few and it was tough. Like Koyase. At first, I didn't pay attention, but when I went to the Asahigaoka store, I decided to visit all the stores. I'm not a fan of macarons, but I bought them to overcome my dislike. I don't think it's delicious, but it's quite different from what I imagined. I thought it would have a chalk-like texture, but it's light and crispy. No issues at all. Finally finished the Kotsukido pilgrimage. Along the way, I was nervous about being refused entry with signs like "No Entry". Goodbye Kotsukido. Until we meet again. Congratulations, me! I'm so happy!!

Kogetsudo, a confectionery shop in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, was founded in 1885 by confectioner Junichiro Ono. They mainly produce and sell souvenir sweets, with their signature product being the chestnut steamed bun. The shop is located in the bustling area of Mocho in Kokura, just a 2-minute walk from JR Kokura Station. They also have a cafe with seating for 300 people. The shop's packaging is a prestigious purple color with a symbol mark featuring two moons, symbolizing the reflection of a moon on a lake. The shop was named by General Inoue Kozo in 1899, who was the commander of the 12th Division in Kokura at the time. The shop is known for its chestnut steamed buns and other traditional sweets, such as Ichigokan and Mugi Kogashi. If you are in Kitakyushu, be sure to visit this historic confectionery shop.

This is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop founded in 1895. The shop's name is said to have been named by General Mitsu Inoue, who was the commander of the Kokura 12th Division at the time. I tried their signature menu item, the chestnut bun. It is baked to a chestnut color, resembling a real chestnut. Inside, there is a moist and sticky sweet bean paste with chestnuts, combined with a fragrant outer layer, making it delicious.

I took a sudden slightly longer break, and as souvenirs for my husband's workplace and my workplace, I chose "Gion Taiko" from Kotsukudo and "Menbei" from Fukutaro. I have used Menbei as a souvenir several times, but Gion Taiko was my first time. I didn't know about Kotsukudo, but my husband knew that they have been famous for a long time. The famous sweet here seems to be a chestnut-based steamed bun, but I don't like white bean paste or steamed buns, so I chose Gion Taiko, which uses red beans. Gion Taiko is a Japanese-Western confectionery that wraps just the right sweetness of grain and smooth red bean paste in pie crust, shaped like a taiko drum. I have received Fukushima's Exxon Pie several times, and since I like Exxon Pie, I thought this would be to my liking as well... and I was right! It is a sweet that goes well with green tea, coffee, and black tea, and it was well received at my workplace. The size was just right, perfect for souvenirs. Thank you for the meal~!

I visited a traditional Japanese confectionery store called "Kogetsudo Honpo" near the south exit of Kokura Station, known for its popular souvenir item, chestnut steamed buns. The store had a typical cozy atmosphere with a variety of traditional Japanese sweets on display, including baked goods, mochi, yokan, nerikiri, and more. The store's best-selling items were the chestnut steamed buns and "Gion Taiko" matcha sweets. I purchased three items to try: the chestnut steamed bun, Gion Taiko (matcha), and Ice To. The chestnut steamed bun had a familiar taste with layers of sweet chestnut filling, while the Gion Taiko had a moist texture with a hint of lemon juice. The Ice To was a simple sweet made of sugar, azuki beans, and agar, with a subtle sweetness. Overall, the store's long history and popularity in the region were evident in the quality and taste of their products.