Walking around Hakata for the first time in 12 and a half years, I started to remember various things, and one of them was the Chidori Manju. I happened to come across a shop, so I stopped by. I think it was the first time I visited Hakata, there was a Chidoriya factory right near the hotel I was staying at, and the smell of freshly baked sweets was wafting around the area. I decided to try it, and it turned out to be a perfect match for my taste. I've been a bit out of touch with the world of sweets lately, it's amazing how much it has evolved. I'm sorry for neglecting it. I really like the crispy skin of Chidori Manju, it's different from other similar baked sweets like "Hiyoko". When you unwrap it and eat it, you should press your nose against the skin before taking a bite. It has always brought me a sense of happiness whenever I eat one, regardless of the season. Despite being in the city, Nakasu Kawabata Shotengai has a down-to-earth atmosphere. I heard that they recently relocated their main store there. I was surprised to find out that it's considered the main store because it's so small. They were selling lucky bags until the end of April. You could get a set of sweets worth 3,240 yen for only 1,620 yen. It's a deal that you can't miss. Although I personally favor Chidori Manju, my family prefers Chirorian. It's a great souvenir to bring back. The illustrations and designs at Chidoriya are always cute. There's also a Chidoriya in Tokyo, but buying it in Hakata just feels different, both in terms of memories and emotions.

In the first and second weeks of August 2023, there was a special event called the "Great Kyushu Exhibition" at the JR Kyoto Isetan 10th floor event space. From Fukuoka, the Chidori Manju Sohonten company exhibited their Chirorian, a well-known Western confectionery. Chirorian comes in three shapes: Chirorian Short, Chirorian Long, and Chirorian Hat, and is only seen east of Fukuoka at local product exhibitions. This time, with permission from Isetan Kyoto, I was able to take photos of Chidoriya's Chirorian booth. They only displayed Chirorian Short, which comes in four standard variations: Vanilla, Coffee, Strawberry, and Chocolate, as well as three special variations from Kyushu Paradise: Amaou Chirorian, Mango Chirorian, and Yame Gyokuro Chirorian. During the first week of the event, they offered Chirorian for sale by weight, but it was sold out on the day I visited. While buying in bags is more cost-effective, I wanted the nostalgic retro tin, so I purchased the Chirorian tin. As of August 2023 (tax included), the Chirorian tin (28 pieces) costs 1,998 yen. Inside the tin are 28 Chirorian Short pieces, seven each of Vanilla, Coffee, Strawberry, and Chocolate. Chirorian is a confectionery inspired by the traditional "Rolled Cookie" from Tyrol, Austria, with cream filling. The buttery, crispy cookie dough with a subtly sweet cream filling is bite-sized and easy to finish in one bite. It is an old-fashioned treat with a slightly rough texture on the surface. While the recent cookie dough tends to be smooth, the Chirorian maintains its traditional texture. The cream flavors of Chocolate and Coffee could have a stronger cocoa or coffee flavor, while the Vanilla cream seems to have the best balance. Chirorian is not widely available, but similar snacks can be found in supermarkets or candy stores. One example is the French Papiro from Nanao Seika, a confectionery from Buzen Kokura. It has been a long time since I enjoyed Chirorian, and it was delicious.

Founded in 1630, this confectionery shop used to be located in the Hakata-ku district of Fukuoka City under the name Chidoriya Gofukumachi Honten. However, in April 2020, it relocated. They offer a signature pastry called "Chirorian" which comes in three flavors - vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. The vanilla Chirorian is a roll cookie filled with Chidoriya's original cream, while the strawberry and chocolate versions have their own unique twists. The pastry has a crispy texture and a delicious taste that sets it apart from similar treats.

Located along the Kawabata Shotengai starting from Nakasu Kawabata Station, there are various shops selling Chidori Manju. This particular shop is called "Chidoriya Honten." The shop is a bit small, and the sign gives off a nostalgic vibe. I bought a Chidori Manju for 162 yen including tax. It has a sweet skin with white bean paste inside, and it tastes delicious. The cute Chidori bird branding on the manju adds to its charm.

My family loves Chidoriya, and whenever there is a special sale of Chidoriya candies in Tokyo, we are always excited to go and buy some. That's why when I visited Hakata, I had a secret wish to buy Chidoriya candies from the main store. During my trip, I visited this shop in the shopping street and bought one bag for my family, two bags as souvenirs for my colleagues, and one can for my collection. Chidoriya candies are also sold in other Chidoriya stores, but the designs are slightly different. It might be interesting to buy and compare the differences. Personally, I think the original Chidoriya candies were invented by the third generation at the main store, Chidori Manju Sohonpo. I visited their main store and bought some candies. I have kept them carefully and it has been over a month since my trip, but I finally opened them today. I heard they will also have a special sale in Ariake soon, so I'm looking forward to it. ^^

In the morning, while walking along the Kawabata shopping street near the hotel, I came across a shop called "Chidoriya Main Store" with a flag outside. I decided to go inside after making eye contact with one of the staff members. I have visited a few "Chidoriya" shops in Osaka near my hometown, and I used to enjoy their classic "Chirorian" snack as a child. It was still being sold as a signature product, so I felt nostalgic and decided to buy some. The "Chidoriya Main Store" was established in 1630 in Kubota, Saga Prefecture, and is a long-standing store that will soon celebrate its 400th anniversary. The "Chirorian" snack was first released in 1962 and has been a long-selling product for over 60 years. The main store in Nakasu Kawabata was relocated and opened in 2020, and it was indeed new and clean. While the staff wrapped my purchase, they served me tea and "Chirorian." I remember receiving a similar service at the Osaka stores. They had chairs and tables, so I sat down and enjoyed the treat. I bought a variety pack in a unique character-decorated tin, containing 7 each of "Vanilla," "Coffee," "Strawberry," and "Chocolate," totaling 28 pieces. When I got home, I had it with coffee. It's a rolled cookie with cream inside, with a crispy texture, a mildly sweet cookie dough, and not too sweet cream inside. It tasted just like I remembered. It may not be remarkably delicious, but it's a comforting taste with a sense of nostalgia. Over the past 60 years, the world of sweets has changed unbelievably. In the midst of all that change, maintaining a consistent presence is truly challenging. While looking at the slightly comical characters on the packaging, I couldn't help but think about that. The bill came to 1,998 yen. Thank you for the meal!

From Kawabata Shopping Street ♪♪(´ε｀*(´ε｀*) I felt like I had to visit Kushida Shrine on the way, and I stumbled upon Chidoriya. It didn't offer black soybean tea like the stores in Osaka (took a peek), and the timing seemed off as the initial staff response wasn't great. However, the nostalgic and soft cooking style with a gentle sweetness was good (*´-`) Thank you for the meal ☆★☆★☆ (σ´∀｀)σ Thank you for visiting and viewing (´∀｀)/nankaihawks1’s gourmet guide [2021]Instagramhttps://instagram.com/nankaihawks1Twitterhttps://twitter.com/nankaihawks1

I stopped by just before closing time. They offered me a sample of Tyrolean chocolate. It was a nice contrast to the salty taste of the yakiniku I had just eaten. Thank you! I felt like I had to buy some after trying it... I ended up buying the smallest assortment. Next to the Tyrolean chocolates were some steamed buns. I learned that this shop originally started as a steamed bun shop, so I decided to buy some of those too. They have been around since 1630, which is amazing. The steamed buns had a smooth white bean paste that melted in my mouth. It had a refined sweetness.

After my medical check-up, I stopped by the Daimaru department store where there was a temporary store called "Chidoriya" and bought "Chirorian." They were sold by weight, so I got 100g. There were four flavors of Chirorian, and with 100g, I could buy 13 pieces. So, I got 4 chocolate, 3 vanilla, 3 coffee, and 3 strawberry. I also bought "Alps Chocola." The layers were coffee, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. The "vanilla" one reminded me of "Colon" but with a thicker outer layer and more cream. The "coffee" had a sweet coffee flavor, like a cafe latte. The "strawberry" had a strong strawberry scent with a refreshing acidity and sweetness. The "chocolate" had a creamy and gentle chocolate taste. The "Alps Chocola" was about three times the size of Chirorian, with a vanilla Chirorian coated in milk chocolate. The chocolate was quite sweet. "Chidoriya" Main Store 9-1570 Kamikawabata-cho, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City 092-283-8101 10:00 - 18:00 Closed: None