◉Genre: Japanese sweets, Western sweets ◉Area: Kawabata Shopping Street area, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City ◉Access: 5-minute walk from Kushida-jinja-mae Station on the Fukuoka City Subway ◉Parking: Not available ◉Credit card payment: Not available ◉Number of visits: Multiple times ◉Number of reviews: 1st review On this day, I casually visited "Meigetsudo Kawabata Store." ◇Exterior and Interior This Japanese sweets shop is located in the Kawabata Shopping Street in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City. It is a well-known confectionery with a history of over 90 years. ◇Seating: Not available ◇Menu Featuring Hakata Torimon, Meigetsudo Castella, and a wide variety of Japanese and Western sweets. The items I ordered are as follows: - Hakata Torimon (720 yen) → Tax-inclusive price, 5 pieces. Also known as "Masterpiece Manju," this confection has won the Monde Selection Gold Award. It is a popular Japanese sweet known for its distinctive outer layer, which is made with butter and has a hint of Western influence. The white bean paste filling inside is smooth and delicious, and surprisingly, it has a long shelf life while maintaining its taste. ◆Strong Points A well-established confectionery representing Hakata, offering consistently delicious treats! ◆Customer Service Polite service with a touch of the charm of a shopping street! ◆Overall Delicious treats are always enjoyable. Japanese sweets tend to be on the sweeter side, but that's part of their appeal. It's also nice to shop in local shopping streets like this once in a while. Thank you for the meal! ^ ^

When it comes to Hakata souvenirs, the popular choice is the famous "Torimon" sweets. When I visited Kushida Shrine and stopped by the nearby shop called Meigetsudo at the entrance of the shopping street, I thought it was a Torimon shop, but I decided to be a little rebellious and tried their different product called "Yabu-an". The charm of this sweet is the red bean paste inside, which has a nice texture. The skin is slightly chewy and flat, so it looks smaller than it actually is, perfect for two bites.

When it comes to Fukuoka souvenirs, what comes to mind? "Karasumi mentaiko" "Ume no hana mochi" [Yamaguchi Aburaya Fukutaro] menbei, [Gotenzan] Chikushimochi, [Chidori Manju Sohonten] Chirorian, [a.crescent] Mikazukiya's croissant, [Nitsudou] Hakata no Onna, [Saemon] Hakata Burabura, [House] Umakacchan, [Torizen Foods] Hakata Hanamidori Mizutaki Soup, [Hakata Shoko] Hakata Pieds d'Or, [Shinondo] 20 Kosenbei, [Juunidou Etoya] Ume no mi Hijiki, [Ishimura Banshodo] Tsurunoko, [Chocolate Shop] Hakata no Ishidatami, [KAKA] KAKA Cheesecake, [Fubian] Hakata Mentaiebisembei, and so on are famous, but are you familiar with "Hakata Torimon" known for its "masterpiece manju"? The shop is called "Meigetsudo," founded in 1929. Hakata Torimon, also known as Meigetsudo, is a Hakata Western-style confectionery that is mainly sold in Fukuoka and its surroundings (26 stores + 27 handling stores). It is a classic Fukuoka souvenir and is not sold outside the prefecture, so it becomes a popular item at local product exhibitions. (It is more likely to be sold at Fukuoka exhibitions rather than Kyushu exhibitions!) Torimon has been on sale since 1993 and is a famous confectionery in Fukuoka and Hakata, selling 20,000 to 30,000 pieces a day (winner of the Monde Selection Gold Award for 22 consecutive years). The name "Torimon" comes from the "Hakata Dontaku" festival, where people walking in a procession are called "Torimon," and this name was given with the expectation of a masterpiece manju as a Western-style confectionery with a high-collar costume similar to the colorful costumes of Dontaku. Hakata Torimon 140 yen The dough is soft, fragrant with butter, and packed with eggs and fresh cream for a smooth texture. The soft white bean paste melts smoothly on the tongue. It's delicious after all. Truly a famous Fukuoka confection. I think people would be delighted to receive it as a gift. Hakata Gyokuro Manju 200 yen While Torimon tends to catch the eye, this one is also delicious. It contains "Yame tea," a specialty of Fukuoka, and paste made from the leaves of Gyokuro from Kuroki-cho in Okiyame. The mild sweetness of Yame tea blends with the white bean paste and fresh cream, creating a taste similar to rich chocolate! It has a different deliciousness from Torimon! Hakata Jiman 140 yen In fact, this manju was created before "Hakata Torimon." This manju was born and became the catalyst for the development of Torimon, solidifying the name of a Western-style confectionery shop with a masterpiece manju. This one contains red bean paste, but it also includes white kidney beans, creating a smooth paste. The name comes from the 700-year tradition of Hakata weaving, "Hakata Jiman." It was named after the smooth manju and red bean paste, reminiscent of the white silk of Hakata weaving. Each has its own character, and they are delicious to compare and eat, these manju. It's great to have an assortment along with Torimon! Thank you for the feast!

The perfect souvenir from Hakata is "Hakata Torimon". It has a rich buttery flavor from the white bean paste, and a hint of milk aroma from the skin. It has a strong sweetness but not overwhelming, making it easy to eat one or two at a time. It pairs perfectly with a cold and delicious pasteurized milk.

I happened to pass by the store around 6:30 pm on Sunday. I had been told to buy some "通りもん" when I went to Fukuoka, so it was great to find the store at a good time. A young female staff member was starting to tidy up the store, but when I asked if I could still make a purchase, she kindly agreed and told me the store closes at 7:00 pm. I bought a 6-piece pack for 810 yen and an 8-piece pack for 1100 yen. "通りもん" was delicious.

When it comes to Hakata, there is Kushida Shrine. After visiting the shrine, I went to Kawabata Shopping Street and found a Hakata Western and Japanese confectionery shop called "Meigetsudo Kawabata Store". What I wanted to buy here was a confectionery called "Hakata Torimon", which has an interesting name of "Western and Japanese confectionery". When I opened Meigetsudo's website, I found the origin of "Hakata Torimon" written there. [Origin of Hakata Torimon] The famous Fukuoka Hakata festival "Hakata Dontaku" is held every year on May 3rd and 4th. The Dutch word for holiday "Zondag", which was a popular phrase during the Meiji era, was abbreviated to "Dontaku" in Hakata dialect. Dontaku was enjoyed as a "Western holiday", and people parading in a fun and interesting way made Hakata's streets lively! The appearance of these people enjoying Dontaku, dressed in Dontaku costumes, playing the shamisen, blowing flutes, and beating drums while parading, is called "Torimon" in Hakata dialect. Wrapped in a milk-scented colorful costume, Meigetsudo's steamed bun, with moistly kneaded bean paste, is truly a Hakata specialty worthy of the name "Hakata Torimon". Now loved by many, it is also highly praised as a souvenir from Fukuoka Hakata. The yellow packaging is impressive, and when you take out the individually wrapped bun, you will find a light brown steamed bun inside. When you taste it, the gentle flavor of condensed milk and the soft white bean paste with a moist texture offer an elegant sweetness. This is delicious! I have tried various sweets before, but this easily ranks in the top five for its deliciousness. Meigetsudo's "Hakata Torimon" has won the Monde Selection Gold Award for 22 consecutive years. Truly a confectionery recognized by the world. Thank you, Meigetsudo, for making delicious Western and Japanese confectionery.

"Tondaymon" is said to be delicious no matter who eats it. Of course, I love it too! It has a milky flavor that is exquisite for those who enjoy it. This masterpiece of Hakata, a soft white bean paste that melts on the tongue, has won the Monde Selection Gold Award for 22 consecutive years, and has now become a famous confectionery of Fukuoka Hakata that is proud worldwide. "Tondaymon," which incorporates Western confectionery ingredients into the tradition of Hakata wagashi, is a playful and sophisticated treat loved by Hakata locals, born and raised in Hakata. Since this sweet is mainly sold in the Fukuoka area, it is very popular as a souvenir or mail-order Japanese sweet from Hakata, a local specialty.

"Fukuoka Torimon" is a super famous traditional Japanese confectionery (with a touch of Western influence) from Fukuoka. It is also sold in Kokura, and sometimes people from Kokura bring it when they travel to other prefectures. Pure Kokura locals don't seem to care about this, but as a half-hearted Kokura resident, I have a bit of pride, so whenever I travel from Kokura, I always make sure to bring some confectionery from Kitakyushu. Now, about the well-known "Fukuoka Torimon," I wonder if it contains condensed milk in the sweet bean paste. It's sticky, and personally, I find it a bit too heavy, not as popular as it's hyped up to be. Of course, it's fine to have it occasionally, but when I was living elsewhere, I got tired of it because it was always the go-to treat whenever guests from Kyushu visited (laughs).

After enjoying a yakiniku lunch, we took a leisurely stroll through the shopping street. We came across the famous "Meigetsudo" known for its "Hakata Monaka." We had just arrived, but decided to make our purchase first. It's great that they offer various sizes. I bought some for home and some for the office. The strong tea was just perfect! Thank you for the delicious meal! (๑>◡<๑)

Hakata Torimon (人´∀`*) I often eat it because I like it, but I'm always dissatisfied with the size, so this time I tried something different, Hakozaki Popo. I also visited Hakozaki Shrine this time. (´ω｀(´ω｀) There are quite a few pigeons and Popo in front of Hakozaki Shrine, so that's probably why it's named that. Maru Bororo is moist and nostalgic, and it's a good size for the price. good (*´-`) At Nakasu Yokokawabata Shopping Street (´ω｀(´ω｀) I found it convenient on the approach to Kushida Shrine. Hakata Yokabai's Dorayaki "Meigetsu" has a good balance of sweetness in the bean paste. However, the slightly flat shape is a bit disappointing. Well, there are intentionally flat shapes in traditional Japanese sweets, so it's okay. Thank you for the meal ☆★☆★☆ (σ´∀｀)σ Thank you for visiting and viewing (´∀｀)/ nankaihawks1’s gourmet guide [2021] Instagram Twitter

As usual, I decided to try something different this time and bought a box of 6 Hakata Gyokuro Manju for 1,080 yen. These manju are made with Gyokuro tea leaves specially blended by a tea shop. They have a rich and unique sweetness with minimal bitterness, using the Fukuoka specialty "Yame tea". The Gyokuro tea leaves grown with care in Okuyame, the birthplace of Yame tea, are processed into a paste and generously kneaded into the sweet bean paste filling. The fibers of the tea leaves are preserved in the manju, allowing you to enjoy the aroma and flavor of Gyokuro tea. The size is similar to regular manju, maybe slightly smaller. The texture is moist, similar to regular manju. However, there is a downside as the individual manju are all stuck to the desiccant packets on the top of the packaging, causing the dough to peel off. Overall, I still prefer the regular manju over the Gyokuro-flavored one.

After visiting Kushida Shrine, I had a delicious matcha steamed bun on the way back!

At Kawabata Zenza Plaza and Meigetsudo Kawabata Store, you can buy a souvenir Kawabata Zenzai for 500 yen including tax! Made by Meigetsudo, a well-known confectionery in Hakata, so the quality is guaranteed.

I saw a product called "Imoppo" at Meigetsudo, famous for its Otorimon in Hakata, so I bought it. It was really potato-like and delicious. I always used to buy Otorimon as a souvenir from Hakata, but I will add this to my list from now on.

When it comes to souvenirs from Hakata, mentaiko and Toorimono from Meigetsudo are a must. The delicious flavors make you want to eat them over and over again.