It seems like a local favorite Japanese confectionery shop. The tai-shaped monaka is a specialty, with a perfectly balanced sweet bean paste inside that makes you want to eat more. Seasonal Japanese sweets are also popular. It was delicious.

A traditional Japanese confectionery shop located a short distance from Geku Shrine. They offer taiyaki-shaped monaka with two types of fillings: black bean paste and white bean paste with pink skin, priced at 120 yen each. The individual packaging makes them suitable for gifts. The filling is quite sweet, so if you prefer less sweetness, you may want to consider that. During my visit, most of the monaka displayed were already ordered, so it's advisable to make a reservation if you want to ensure availability. The other Japanese sweets were also delicious, and I would like to visit again in the future.

I was feeling tired, so I decided to go to Shioyu-no-Sato Yuhi-kan (Fukutsu City Welfare Hall) in Fukutsu to soak in the hot springs. On the way back, I found "tai-shaped monaka" for 120 yen being sold next to the reception. I think Sasabune has been around since I can remember, so it's definitely a well-established store with over 40 years of history. When I was a child, this was the go-to place for traditional Japanese sweets, but I don't remember them being particularly delicious back then. However, this time, when I tried the "tai-shaped monaka," I was surprised. It was a normal size but had a substantial weight to it. It was filled with plenty of sweet red bean paste, which was really delicious. This is the kind of local sweet that you wouldn't be embarrassed to bring to different places. I heard they also have white bean paste, so I'll try that next time. However, it's surprising that this shop doesn't promote itself as an old-established store or anything like that, even when I searched online. They seem to have a very laid-back approach to business.

Store name: Sasabune Tsuyazaki Branch Address: 1-1-19 Tsuyazaki, Fukutsu City, Fukuoka Prefecture Located in Tsuyazaki, Fukutsu City, this traditional Japanese sweets shop produces tai-shaped monaka. It is labeled as "Genkai Tai Monaka," and although the former Genkai Town is now part of Munakata City, the old Tsuyazaki Town where this shop is located also faces the Genkai Sea. I purchased this product at "Umigame," a direct sales shop at Tsuyazaki Fishing Port. It comes in a pack of 6 for 630 yen. In Kyushu, there are various shops that produce monaka shaped like seafood, such as ayu monaka (Hita, Ukiha, Hitoyoshi), karei monaka (Hinodemachi), hamaguri, and more. However, it is rare to come across one shaped like a tai. Tai is a visually appealing fish, and despite being small, it has a strong presence. The size is about half that of a taiyaki, and the red bean paste inside is plentiful and deliciously sweet. This time, I bought the regular black bean paste flavor, but there is also a version with pink outer layer and white bean paste inside. I received one with white bean paste as a gift before, and it was also delicious.