Kabuto Manju from Kitahara Senbei in Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, is a limited-time treat available from November to February. There are two flavors, black bean paste and white bean paste. The skin is soft and not too sweet, making it a delicious snack. If you happen to be in the area, why not give it a try?

Opposite to the birth home of Kitahara Hakushu is Kitahara Senbei. Although the sign for river rafting senbei was displayed, what I received was probably their other signature product, "kabuto manju." It's shaped like a manju, but it's essentially an imagawayaki. Since they only had cold ones left, they offered it to me for 50 yen, which was more than fair. I enjoyed it even though it was cold. It's probably tastier when warm, but this was still delicious. I had it for breakfast and got to savor the taste of Yanagawa.