One of the cool old mochi shops in Otaru! Here are two other cool places: Tsuruya Mochi Confectionery and Kikuhara Mochi Confectionery. But the hardest one to get is Shinfurukai, where you have to line up from around 5 am until they sell out, which is around 7:30 am. It's quite a trek from Otaru Station, so early mornings can be tough! I was wondering when I would be able to buy some, but suddenly, the opportunity came unexpectedly! We happened to be driving out with my family in the morning and passed by there when going to Minami-Otaru Market. "Wait! I want to buy mochi at Shinfurukai!" "It's probably already sold out at this time." "They are still open, so there might be some left! Let's check it out!" Around 10:30 am, we finally went in for the first time! The "Walnut Mochi" I was looking for was still there! There were also a few red and white mochi and a big piece of bean mochi left—just made it in time! Lucky! The regular-sized mochi were all around 150 yen each. The "Walnut Mochi" was 150 yen. When I got home, I immediately tried it... "Oh my gosh! It's so salty!" "What is this?!" Wait, is the mochi salty too?! Just tried the mochi... it's salty too! What is this?! Are all mochi and anko salty like this? Is this how old Otaru mochi used to be? But other places don't have mochi this salty, right? No, seriously, it's so shocking! Even my dad, who said he used to eat it occasionally in the past, laughed and said, "It's so salty, haha." No way, you can't eat this if you have high blood pressure and take medication for it! People with high blood pressure must not eat this! Are the elderly okay with this? This salty mochi would probably be delicious if it wasn't so salty! The mochi is soft with plenty of walnuts in it, so it would be great if they didn't add so much salt. It's probably ten times saltier than regular mochi! After eating it, I checked a certain review site... "Quite shocking and avant-garde taste." Yeah, I get it, totally understandable. Quite shocking! But it's very popular among regular customers and enthusiasts! Everyone has their own preferences! The world of mochi is deep... Definitely try this unique Otaru specialty mochi! Maybe this mochi would be good in hot water as a prevention for heatstroke on hot summer days... I haven't eaten mochi in the middle of summer, but personally, if it's an old establishment, I recommend Kikuhara Mochi Confectionery. I like anko, and their soft grass mochi is delicious! I recommend their perilla mochi!

In the morning, with no work to do until the afternoon when I will be going to Otaru, I decided to head to Otaru in the morning and wander around the city. However, when I arrived, it was already 9:00 AM, which was too early (lol). The first place I visited was a dumpling shop called "Kaminokesinboku," which opens at 7:30 AM. The shop had a quaint wooden building with a few cars parked out front and a few customers inside. I had to wait a few minutes for my turn to enter the small shop. I bought a "Mame Daifuku" for 130 yen and a "Kusa Daifuku" for 130 yen. I tried the "Kusa Daifuku" in the car and it had a strong flavor of mugwort, giving it a homemade feel with the scent of non-additive mochi rice. I saved the "Mame Daifuku" for later and upon tasting it at home, I found the taste to be a mix of salty and sweet bean paste, which was quite shocking and avant-garde (at least to me). Maybe this is the traditional taste of this long-established shop. Despite my personal preference, judging by the crowd at the shop, there are definitely people who are charmed by this unique taste. So, with that, I finished my meal and decided to move on to the next shop, which also happened to be a mochi shop. Thank you, and let's go to the next one!

There are so many mochi shops in Otaru that locals have their favorite ones. I had only been to one shop before, but finally visited a second one! I wasn't sure if they were open when I went around 8 o'clock, but there was a sign indicating they were open, so I went in. I could hear the sound of mochi being made inside the shop. A lady came out and wrapped the mochi on display for me. She said they open at 6 in the morning. I was surprised that people come to buy mochi so early! I bought sesame and yomogi mochi, as well as some with beans, and also got three leftover mochi from yesterday for 300 yen. What a deal! Even the mochi from yesterday was soft and delicious. It had a hint of saltiness which was a new flavor for me. The red bean paste and azuki bean mochi had a nice taste, and the white mochi had a slight texture from the rice grains. These would be perfect with tea for a delightful snack. Thank you for the meal!

My husband and I are heading to Nishi-Otaru Market. We are going from Sapporo to Otaru. We decided to take the highway on the way there and take the local road on the way back! We chose the highway because we wanted to buy Daifuku. Success! We managed to buy some. The mochi in the Daifuku has a nice chewy texture and is delicious. Nowadays, Daifuku is usually round and plump, but this flat shape is quite nice. It feels like a taste of history. It's more like a simple traditional sweet than a trendy Japanese confectionery. It's wrapped in thin skin and then in wrapping paper. Simple and nostalgic. I want to go back to Ikkotto again, but we'll have to go early in the morning...

I visited the long-established store Oofukuya around 9 am on Saturday. When I arrived, there were only 2 sesame daifuku left, and we ended up buying them all. We also bought white daifuku for 150 yen, bean daifuku for 150 yen, and sesame daifuku for 150 yen. My companion also bought grass daifuku. There were a total of 4 types of daifuku available. The daifuku were larger in size and had a lower ratio of sweet red bean paste, allowing us to enjoy the slightly salty mochi. It was a simple and traditional daifuku. Thank you for the delicious treat.

I went to Otaru. My husband suggested it two days ago. I believe that success or failure is determined by "eight minutes of planning," so I am not good at improvising or being unplanned, but recently I have become a little more accustomed to it. We got off the highway and went straight to Raizushin Furuk. It was open on Saturday morning at 9 o'clock! I first learned about this place on TV about 20 years ago, but I couldn't buy it twice due to regular holidays and closures, but finally I was able to buy it on the third try. The products were only three types: beans, sesame, and pink, with a few of each. Did they sell out? Or are there still more in the back? I chose sesame. I had decided on it since I saw the photo of Kunocho-san. (^_^)v Bean daifuku can be found anywhere, but sesame is quite rare, so as a sesame lover, I couldn't pass it up. My husband chose pink. I don't have the receipt, so I vaguely remember the price being 150 yen for 2 pieces, so I paid 300 yen. The customer service is typical of old Japanese confectionery stores, simple and unpretentious. I don't mind it because Muroran also has similarities to Otaru in terms of customer service. (Otaru is a tourist destination, but the customer service hasn't kept up with the development, right?) My husband thought it was white bean paste, so he chose pink, but he was disappointed to find out it was just regular red bean paste inside. The sesame one was delicious, with the expected nutty flavor and the salty bean paste complementing each other well.

Simple rice cake sweets ♬ Oh, it's been 9 years since I revisited this place ♬ It's not just been a long time, it's like a whole new experience! From Sapporo, I took a train and got off at Minami-Otaru Station, just one stop before Otaru. Crossing the pedestrian crossing in front of the station and heading north, you reach the top of a steep hill where you can see Otaru Port below. Looking back from there, you can see the beautifully renovated Otaru City Hospital on the left. That's where Raizome Shin'koshin is located, behind the city hospital ♬ This popular shop usually sells out and closes by the morning, so even though I arrived at 8:30 AM on a weekday, the stock was limited to only white mochi and mugwort mochi (known locally as "kusa shinko"). The sesame mochi was sold out. So, I got two white mochi and two mugwort mochi instead. That night, after having dinner and returning to the hotel, I brewed some tea and had them as a late-night snack ♬ Oh, the forbidden night mochi, hahaha, so delicious! Definitely might gain some weight, but so happy ♬ I want to come back again, maybe next time I'll come earlier and get the sesame mochi too, hahaha ♬ Otaru's town is actually more interesting outside the tourist areas ♬ Just walking around aimlessly, you can find charming buildings like old churches, markets, and public baths, making it feel like a treasure hunt and very enjoyable ♬ This shop was also found while wandering around the town early in the morning, in a seemingly normal residential area after descending the hill from Minami-Otaru Station. The inconspicuous appearance of the shop adds to its charm ♡ The freshly made mochi in the morning is just delicious, with a firm mochi texture and a perfect balance of sweet bean paste with just the right amount of saltiness ♬ They are big, so having two feels like a breakfast replacement, and they are affordable too ♡ Nostalgic and simple rice cake sweets, I hope they continue for a long time ♡ (^O^)

In front of the Sumiyoshi Shrine, across the street from the Otaru City Hospital and Otaru Kyokai Hospital, there is a shop that may be easily missed for those visiting for the first time. Known for their large daifuku, the shop "Kaminoshin Koshin" is a popular spot among locals in Otaru. The shop was temporarily closed during a visit on a weekday afternoon, but upon returning earlier in the morning, they were open. I purchased their bean paste and sesame daifuku, which had a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness. The shop also has a sister store in Sapporo, but each operates independently. Be sure to visit early, as they may sell out quickly.

In May 2008, I visited a long-established shop in Hokkaido with a history of one and a half centuries. The unique name "Kaminarizome Shin-Ko" has various explanations, such as the strength of the mochi's texture that even lightning can't break it apart. The shop specializes in daifuku, with flavors like red bean, sesame, and grass daifuku being popular choices. The sesame daifuku stands out for its black sesame flavor. The filling has a slightly salty taste, which surprisingly enhances the overall flavor. The shop tends to sell out quickly, so it's recommended to visit early in the morning.

I saw a review of the Sapporo branch and found out that the main store is in Otaru, so I decided to go there right away. Even though it's a road I often pass by, I didn't notice the store at all as it has a small and unassuming storefront. However, once inside, I saw that they have been featured in TV shows and had signed displayed. I went there around 9 in the morning and there were already a couple of customers, so I assumed they sell out quickly. The lady at the store was very friendly, and I bought bean daifuku, grass daifuku, and sesame daifuku (each for 140 yen) to take home. Each daifuku was very substantial, with a diameter of about 8 cm and a thickness of about 3 cm. The daifuku wrapped in thick mochi with salty red bean paste inside was my favorite, especially the sesame one which had a nice nutty flavor. The grass daifuku I ate right after buying it felt the most fluffy, so it seems that freshly made mochi is the most delicious.

I woke up early this morning and visited my favorite mochi shop, Raijoji Shin'ko, at around 8:30 am. They close once they sell out, but you can also make reservations by phone. Today, I bought two sesame daifuku, two grass daifuku, and two bean daifuku, totaling 840 yen. The anko filling had a salty taste and the mochi was soft. Even though I had already eaten breakfast, I couldn't help but finish them all (^^;) They are closed by around 11 am, so I'll make sure to come back early if I want to buy more. Closed on Sundays.

Firm and delicious mochi. One piece costs 140 yen. Some may say it's expensive, but the taste is worth it. Made with mochi pounded in Usuki, I fell in love with it from the first bite. There are sesame, grass, bean, white, and red flavors, all delicious, but I recommend the bean flavor. The amount of black beans is just right and goes well with the mochi. However, it seems like the size of the mochi has gotten smaller compared to before. Also, did they reduce the salt in the red bean paste? I heard that you need to go early in the morning (around 8 am) or they might sell out. It seems you can also make a reservation, so I might consider that if I don't feel like waking up early on a holiday. No parking available. Closed on Sundays and holidays.

★Traditional Japanese Confectionery - Daifuku★ Established 150 years ago, they open from 5:30 in the morning.