When it comes to things that represent Kurume, people often mention ramen and yakitori. However, when it comes to souvenirs, I couldn't think of anything that really stands out. But one thing that caught my attention was "Shioya no Musume," which I had checked in advance. It is sold at the Nishitetsu Store Kurume Tommy store for 1000 yen for 6 pieces, 1450 yen for 9 pieces, and 1950 yen for 12 pieces. Since I wasn't too keen on buying a whole box without knowing the taste, I decided to pass on it for now. As I wandered around the pedestrian deck on the south side of the station, I stumbled upon a traditional Japanese confectionery shop with a sign that said "Shioya no Musume." Curious, I decided to go in and check it out. The shop had a quaint atmosphere typical of a local station-front Japanese confectionery shop, with few customers in sight. The owner appeared from the back of the shop and I quickly spotted the "Shioya no Musume" individually wrapped for 140 yen. I asked if they had the regular type of "Shioya no Musume" sold separately, and the owner confirmed that they did. I ordered just two, one for my wife and one for myself, and the owner handed me the freshly restocked "Shioya no Musume" wrapped in paper. The total came to 280 yen. Other confectioneries available included Takarayama for 140 yen, Koi Monogatari for 110 yen, and Cheese Manju for 110 yen. Back home, my wife and I enjoyed the confectionery with tea. The wrapping paper featured a simple illustration of a woman, which made me wonder if it was designed to appeal to foreign tastes, given Kurume's historical connection to the Nanban trade. Upon unwrapping, we found a round senbei sandwich filled with sweet bean paste between two thick layers of senbei skin. The senbei skin was surprisingly crunchy and didn't crumble easily, which was unexpected. The taste was a traditional sweet bean paste, but what stood out was the senbei skin, which was unlike the usual senbei skin. While it was interesting and unique, I would say it was just average in terms of taste. If the sweetness of the bean paste was more subtle, it would have been more enjoyable. Overall, I would give it a rating of 75 out of 100.

Established in the 12th year of the Meiji era, this long-standing traditional Japanese confectionery shop's specialty is the "Salt Shop Girl" that I received this time. Located near the east exit of Nishitetsu Kurume Station. As for the origin of the name, please refer to the photo provided. I can't believe there is such a delicious traditional Japanese confectionery in Kurume, it's fantastic. The "Salt Shop Girl" consists of a mochi filled with black sugar sweet bean paste sandwiched between slightly thick wafer-like senbei crackers. The combination of the chewy mochi and the crispy senbei creates a delightful texture. It's quite a unique combination in a way, but the balance of flavors is excellent. The sweetness is just right. The design on the wrapping paper of the Japanese confectionery is quite classical. The packaging box is lovely, and even the wrapping paper of the box exudes a sense of history and tradition. The quality is high. If they were sold at the airport, they could easily become nationally known. The price of 2280 yen for a box of 20 pieces, including the box fee and tax, is reasonable. It is truly a famous confectionery. Thank you for the treat!

I was drawn to a local specialty called "Shioya no Musume" at the JR Kurume Station exit, so I bought it. This traditional Japanese sweet consists of sweet bean paste sandwiched between a senbei-like monaka and wrapped in mochi. It has a retro feel but is perfect for tea time. When I was in Kyoto for a while, I used to find time to buy traditional Japanese sweets and realized there are so many I didn't know about. This particular sweet has a unique name, packaging, and taste that left a strong impression on me.

This is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop near Nishitetsu Kurume Station in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Their signature sweet is called "Salt Shop Girl," which consists of mochi mixed with black sugar anko and sandwiched between crispy monaka shells. The texture of the crispy shell is delightful, and the taste of black sugar comes through beautifully. According to the accompanying leaflet, there used to be a guest reception called "Salt Shop" in Kurume, where a beautiful woman named "Odaisan" worked. It is said that Odaisan used to wash her face every day with a mixture of rice bran and black sugar, which is the inspiration behind the name of this confectionery.

I received this as a souvenir. It's the first time I've had this snack. At first glance, it looks like a monaka. I thought it was a snack with sweet bean paste inside. But when I looked inside, I found a whole mochi manju filled with sweet bean paste, sandwiched between monaka dough. The monaka dough had a crispy and pleasant texture. I was surprised that it wasn't just sweet bean paste, but also mochi. It felt a bit strange eating it for the first time. However, this snack seems to have many fans. Maybe because it's wrapped in mochi, it's easy to eat without falling apart. It's a mysterious snack. Even after eating it, I keep thinking about it. It's not too sweet. Apparently, it's a famous snack from Kurume. I'm satisfied to have tasted this famous snack from Kurume! Thank you for the meal!

When I brought an eel kabayaki to my mother's place, she served me a traditional snack, a specialty of Kurume called "Shioya no Musume". It has a crispy wafer-like texture made from rice flour, filled with sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a soft mochi layer. The combination of crispy texture and moist filling goes well with green tea. The "Takarayama" is a larger version of the snack with red bean paste filling, and the skin is soft and moist, complementing the paste well. Enjoying these treats with a cup of tea while looking at the beautiful moon at Takarayama is a delightful experience. The original store, "Suigetsudo", used to have two large shops in the cultural district, but unfortunately went out of business after the owner's passing without a successor. The locations are now occupied by a restaurant and an antique shop. However, this branch in Tenjin still carries on the same taste, allowing customers to enjoy the nostalgic flavors.

I received the famous confectionery "Shioya no Musume" from Kurume. The outside is a light and crispy monaka with a thick texture. Inside, there is a slightly firm red bean paste wrapped in mochi. One piece is very filling. It's an impressive sweet treat. The address is Tenjin Suigetsudo Tsutsumi Shokan, 68-3 Tenjincho, Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Phone number 0942-32-6012. Open irregularly from 8:30 to 18:00.