I stopped by a shop with a sign that said "Mochi, Japanese sweets" on a whim. Inside the shop, there were various types of mochi displayed in the showcase. Since I wasn't particularly hungry, I bought one piece each of "Kusa Daifuku" and "Kusa Shinko". The Kusa Daifuku was priced at 145 yen. When I cut it in half, the mochi was soft, and the red bean paste filling was not too abundant. The sweetness was mild, and there was a nice texture from the grains of red bean. The Kusa Shinko was priced at 105 yen. It was much softer than the Daifuku, sticking to my fingers when I tried to cut it. When I took a bite, it was so soft that it stuck to the roof of my mouth. The flavor of mugwort was more pronounced in this one. There were other products on display, but I couldn't fully appreciate them as I wasn't very hungry when I visited the shop.

I arrived at the store around 1:00 PM in July 2023. There were no customers before or after me. I ordered the skewered dumpling set and sweet bean paste mochi. This shop is a long-established dumpling shop that my parents love, so I often visit. The staff here are very friendly and always make me feel good. The skewered dumpling set includes two skewers each of sweet soy sauce, sesame, and sweet bean paste flavors. The skewered dumplings are a bit small, with soft rice cakes and delicious sweet bean paste. The sesame flavor has a fluffy sesame aroma that lingers in your nose when you chew it, making you feel intoxicated. The sweet soy sauce flavor has the perfect balance of soy sauce and sugar. Overall, everything is delicious. For me, my favorite skewered dumpling ranking is sweet bean paste, sesame, and sweet soy sauce.

I visited Narita Mochi Kashiya for the first time in a while on a weekday off. They are closed on Sundays, so it was a rare chance to visit. I arrived in the afternoon to make sure I could get their popular bean daifuku. I also bought some other mochi, but I had to be careful because their sweet red bean paste is quite sweet. I brewed some strong tea and enjoyed the bean daifuku and mugwort daifuku. The bean daifuku was filled with plenty of black beans, giving it a great flavor. The balance of sweet red bean paste and salty bean mochi was perfect. The mugwort daifuku had a nice aroma and a slight bitterness that complemented the sweet red bean paste well. Overall, the mochi was delicious, and I enjoyed it with a cup of strong tea.

I had the chance to go to Narita Mochi Shop in Kyushu, even though it's a company from Abashiri, I was told to meet in Sapporo. Basically, they were saying that I had to cover my own travel expenses to Sapporo. Being young and rebellious, I couldn't help but say, "If that's the case, I'm not going!" I regretted it later as I had to manage the site I went to, and even had to handle two sites at once. I was completely overwhelmed. On a sunny day, when I saw a plane taking off, I couldn't help but think, "I hope it crashes!" That's why today I'm in Kushiro. I already had ramen, so next up is mochi. When you come to Kushiro, it's all about mochi. I've had "Narita Mochi Shop" on my list for a while now, so I might have been rejected a few times before. When I arrived, I couldn't find the parking lot, so I just decided to park at the contractor parking lot across the road with the sign saying "Narita." I assumed it was fine. When I walked towards the store, someone inside was staring at me intently. Probably the lookout. I couldn't help but feel curious. As I approached the store, the person inside quickly disappeared. Then, an old lady came out. Well, she's probably younger than me, right? The door was left open, so the old lady hurried to close it. She was smiling. The lookout man was probably grumbling about something. I thought it might be something like, "There's a man parked in our parking lot! Should I go scold him?" Anyway, I thought they had red bean mochi, but they didn't. They had red rice, so I bought some. I remembered being told, "Don't buy too much next week is Golden Week!" But it's time to go home now. The back seat is so full of items that I can't move. Well, if I get scolded, I'll just pretend to reflect and make a run for it. This red rice is delicious. As always, they put pickled ginger on top, so the red flavor transfers to the red rice. There are a lot of beans in this red rice, and they are surprisingly firm and tasty. The rice is delicious too. It's been a while since I had such delicious red rice. Isn't this red rice amazing? The uncle, the lookout, is doing his best. Good luck to him.

When you come to Kushiro, you must visit Narita Mochi Shop. As always, the grass mochi has a rich color. They also had seasonal treats like Mizuyokan. I didn't buy anything this time, so I'll have to stop by next time for these cute Monaka.

I happened to pass by in a car and wanted to try the Daifuku in Kushiro, so I checked on Tabelog. I was surprised at how cheap it was! The history is also amazing, with 110 years of establishment. Even though it was a weekday after 11 am, there were only 2-3 customers. I heard that the black sesame Daifuku was delicious, so I had to try it. When I asked about the "Kusashinko" being so dark, they explained that it is because they use a lot of real yomogi. I usually dislike overly sweet Daifuku like "Suama". However, it's been hard to find Daifuku with the right level of firmness lately. I finally found the perfect firmness I was looking for, with the red bean Daifuku having a satisfying chewiness. The Kusashinko also had a rich yomogi flavor and was delicious. I definitely want to visit this place again next time I come to Kushiro.

I received this from a local resident. The local resident said, "When you think of Kushiro, you think of Niko, but don't forget about Narita Mochi." I had never heard of it before, so I checked and found out that it is a long-established store that has been operating since around 1911 on Minami Odori Street. When I opened it, it was close to Children's Day in May, so in addition to sakura mochi, there was also a "beko mochi." I wondered why it had such a two-tone color and leaf shape. Apparently, this shape is unique to Hokkaido. Among the four SKU I received this time, the sesame daifuku was particularly good. I'm not usually a fan of sesame, but the soft mochi paired with it creates a texture that is addictive. The sweet red bean paste inside is not too sweet, and it does a great job. Although I happened to receive them, these mochi were made using traditional methods that have remained unchanged for many years. They had a simple yet elegant taste and were very delicious. Thank you for the meal.

<Posted with a photo and notes from August last year> I was drawn to the small but well-maintained building as I passed by, so I decided to stop by. The location is on Minami Odori in Kushiro. This area doesn't feel as lively as it used to, so it's nice to see a place operating properly, which caught my attention. [Shiro Daifuku] Smooth red bean paste - 105 yen I bought this around lunchtime, and the mochi was soft and additive-free! It stretches well and is a good quality mochi. It's a bit too sweet for my taste, but it's popular in Hokkaido. [Kusa Daifuku] Whole red bean paste - 105 yen Subtle mugwort flavor, solid mochi quality. Also on the sweet side like the previous one. [Goma Daifuku] Smooth red bean paste with sesame - 116 yen White mochi mixed with sesame seeds, visually appealing and flavorful. [Mame Daifuku] Whole red bean paste with beans - 137 yen This one has beans mixed in, and the bean flavor and texture are great, especially when fresh. I would prefer it to be a bit less sweet, but it's probably difficult to adjust. All of them are of regular size. When you try to cut them, even if there's powder sprinkled on, the mochi sticks to your fingers with a nice chewy texture (laughs). The service was polite and friendly, making the shopping experience pleasant. Thank you for the treat.

JR Nemuro Main Line, about a 15-minute walk from Kushiro Station. There are no particular landmarks, so it is recommended to use a map when going there. It is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop loved by locals for a long time, and you can often see people from the neighborhood visiting. The taste has been consistently good over the years, with no special characteristics or standout products, but it is a very convenient place to stop by for Japanese sweets. When I went around 10 o'clock, some items were not available. Items like mochi tend to sell out early, so it's better to go in the morning if you want to purchase them. ● Revisited in April 2012 ● The size of the mochi has become smaller...!? The mochi remains soft even the next day...!? The lemon cake was still delicious, but there were significant changes in the mochi. ● Revisited in November 2012 ● The taste and color of the yokan had become lighter. There was no trace of the old flavor. I can't forget the taste of the yokan from the past. The lemon cake was still delicious as always.

I also like Nisachi, but I also love the Daifuku here (*´∀`). It's located just after turning right at the rotary towards Minamiodori, on the right hand side. There is no parking lot, so many cars park on the street, making it easy to spot. I chose a Daifuku for myself. The grass Daifuku is delicious too, but today I chose the bean Daifuku!! I also bought the sesame Daifuku and Bekomochi that were next to it. Come to think of it, I first ate Bekomochi when I came to Kushiro, but I wonder why it's called Bekomochi? They don't use any additives or preservatives, so you have to eat it on the same day or it will harden. But I always end up buying too much... Bean Daifuku is so delicious!!!! The perfect amount of salt, the firmness of the beans, the red bean paste inside!! I never get tired of this taste no matter how many times I eat it! The sesame Daifuku has a nice texture with the mixed-in sesame seeds. People who don't like it may find it a bit off. Bekomochi has a bit of a unique taste, I wonder what's mixed in it? The smell and aftertaste are... Castella is 105 yen each. There are various types like Daion, orange peel, but the most delicious is the classic one. It has a nostalgic taste. It's a different kind of deliciousness from a Western-style pastry shop.

I happened to discover a monument dedicated to Ishikawa Takuboku while exploring the area. Kushiro is known for its delicious Japanese and Western sweets, but the rice cakes and sesame daifuku here are exceptional. Even though I used to dislike sweet bean paste, I fell in love with it after trying the daifuku here. I think the sweets in Hokkaido are particularly delicious because of the quality of the sweet bean paste. Since it's not too far from MOO, why not visit while sightseeing? There is also a nearby park where you can relax and enjoy your treats.

The most popular mochi dish is skewered dumplings, and Chinese steamed buns.