Probably everyone in Tokyo knows the familiar dango. Even though I have probably eaten it many times before, the taste didn't leave a strong impression (according to my family, we have bought it many times). This time, I decided to go to the store myself since it is a well-known traditional Japanese sweets shop, but... it didn't really stand out to me. On the same day, I also tried the hanjuju dango, which left a stronger impression on me, and the tea was delicious. The appearance was nice though. The tea that came with it felt lukewarm like it had been sitting out for a while. It was nice that they quickly refilled it once I finished.

When you exit the front of the store of Nagameiji Sakuramochi and turn right, you will see another store of the three famous traditional Japanese confectionery shops on the opposite side of the road, called "Kotodango." I entered the store at 9:35 and there was one customer dining in and four customers taking out. The establishment dates back to the Keio era (1865-1868), when Sakiichi Toyama, who used to be a gardener at a daimyo's residence, opened a tea house called "Uesaya." Renamed "Kotodango" after a poem by the Heian poet Ariwara no Narihira, the shop flourished and continues to thrive. The specialty of Kotodango is their namesake dango and "Kototoi Monaka," shaped like a city bird. I ordered the Kototoi dango set for 780 yen at the reception counter, and payment is made when leaving. The dango set consists of three beautifully colored dango: red bean paste (black), white bean paste (white), and miso bean paste (yellow, colored with kuchinashi seeds). The dango are about the size of a ping pong ball, and it is recommended to eat them in one bite as they tend to crumble when cut in half. Each dango has a refined sweetness and aroma, allowing you to enjoy their individual characteristics. They pair excellently with slightly stronger tea. It was a delicious meal.

A long-established dumpling shop that has been in business for over 160 years, standing along the Sumida River, is featured in the novel "Onihei Hankacho" and is sometimes included in the sightseeing courses of the Hato Bus. One of the three major traditional Japanese sweets in Mukojima, the famous "Kotoiwa Dumplings" come in three colors: white, brown, and yellow. They are a set of three with different fillings: "Shiro-an" made with hand-picked beans, "Azuki-an" made with Fujimurasaki beans from Tokachi, Hokkaido, and "Miso-an" flavored with white miso from Kyoto and red miso from Niigata. Each color not only has a different taste but also a different texture. The white and brown dumplings have a smooth texture with Azuki-an and Shiro-an fillings wrapped on the outside. The yellow dumpling has a soft texture with mochi on the outside and miso-an filling inside. I thought three dumplings might be too much, but I enjoyed each one with warm tea until the end.

This place, just like Chomeiji Sakura Mochi, has a space where you can eat in. The atmosphere feels like stepping back in time to the Showa era. It's quite calming. Inside the shop, you can choose between a dango set or a monaka set. I heard that the monaka is delicious, so I tried the anko and shiroan monaka. The dishes and teacups with bird motifs are cute. The monaka shell is crispy and the filling is elegant. The shop staff were also very kind, refilling my tea several times. It seems like there will be an autumn festival around here soon.

This is a dumpling shop on Mukojima. The tricolor dumplings are beautifully made and have a cute appearance. There are two types, one with white bean paste and the other with red bean paste wrapped on the outside, with the outer layer being colored with gardenia flowers. They taste as good as they look, and I personally found them more delicious than regular dumplings. The staff were all very kind, and I had a relaxing time. Thank you.

In Sumida Ward, the second stop on the tour of 100 traditional Japanese sweets shops was Kototoi Dango, located right near Chomeiji where I had just enjoyed some Sakura Mochi. The parking lot in front of the store must be near the interchange. I had just had some Sakura Mochi with tea, so I was already feeling quite full of sweets. Even if I wanted to take some home, they only sold Dango in sets of six and Monaka in sets of five. So, I decided to sit down and rest in the cozy red-fabric alcove after taking off my shoes. As the name suggests, Kototoi Dango must be their specialty, but I opted for the Monaka with cute bird designs. The Dango had a boat-shaped appearance, reminding me of a similar snack I had tried before. Each Monaka had a crispy outer shell filled with plenty of sweet red or white bean paste. The sweetness was just right, making it easy to keep eating. The Dango also looked delicious with mochi inside. The staff at this shop were friendly and made the experience very relaxing. Now, onto the third traditional Japanese sweets shop!

I arrived at the store around 12 o'clock on a regular day, and it was dimly lit with no customers in sight. I thought about eating at the store, but it felt awkward so I decided not to. I ended up buying 6 dumplings for almost 1500 yen. The taste was decently good, but is it not good enough for a department store basement?

It's hot so I came to cool off. It's located next to the Sumida Interchange on the Shuto Expressway, with a spacious free parking lot. It blends into the scenery, so if you're not careful, you might miss it. There's a traditional restaurant district nearby, so maybe husbands buy geisha souvenirs here. The menu only has rice cakes, but they are incredibly delicious. Please note that they are only good until the expiration date for souvenirs. It's nice to forget about time in this wonderful space filled with the atmosphere of old Edo.

I visited the famous traditional Japanese sweets shop "Chomeiji Sakura Mochi," which has been in business for over 150 years, located a 10-minute walk from Horikiri-Shobuen Station. It is one of the top 100 sweet shops in Japan and is known as one of the three major traditional Japanese sweets shops in Mukojima. I ordered the "Kotoidango Senjo" (one serving) for 780 yen. The cute three-colored dumplings arrived promptly, each representing different flavors - red bean paste, white bean paste, and miso paste colored like green plums. The bean paste is made from carefully selected beans from Hokkaido, and the mochi, made from the finest Koshihikari rice, has a silky texture and delicious taste. I enjoyed every bite until the very end.

I went to Imoni Dango in Yayoi and bought a box of colorful dango. There were three colors: burnt brown, yellow, and skin color. The yellow dango had a taste similar to brown sugar. The burnt brown one had a sweet red bean paste filling. The skin-colored one had white kidney bean paste with a hint of white kidney bean fragrance. They were all bite-sized and delicious.

The famous "Kototoi Dango" shop, named after a poem by the poet Ariwara no Narihira, who was one of the Rokkasen (Six Poetic Geniuses of the Heian Period). They offer three types of dango sets: one with red bean paste, one with white bean paste, and one with miso-flavored paste. The dango is quite sweet. The shop was established in the late Edo period by Sakyujiro Toyama, who was originally a gardener for a daimyo's mansion. The shop has been visited by many literary figures and even appeared in novels like "Onihei Hankacho" by Masutaro Ibun. The shop is also the family home of TBS announcer Keiri Toyama. A poem by Ujo Noguchi, carved on a monument in front of the shop, was composed while enjoying dango inside the shop.

I visited this place for a break while shopping in the Yanagibune area. I had a set of dango. The three colored dango came in red bean, white bean, and miso flavors. The colors were vibrant and cute. Each had a gentle sweetness. The texture of the anko was particularly good, giving an elegant taste. The warm tea was refilled promptly by the staff. The atmosphere of the store was calm, allowing me to relax and enjoy a leisurely time. Thank you for the meal.

On a holiday around noon, it was a scorching hot day, so the place was not crowded. I was surprised by the price - 1500 yen for a pack of 6. The actual size was not as big as it looked in the photos on food review websites. The taste was delicious, with smooth and carefully made sweet bean paste. However, at 250 yen per bite, it felt a bit expensive. It's worth trying once, but that's probably enough.

At the end of the Edo period, I visited a dumpling shop that had been established. When I saw the Sumida River, I suddenly remembered this place and the cherry blossom rice cakes at Chomeiji Temple, so I decided to visit. Chomeiji Temple was closed for a TV shoot, so I ended up here instead. When I sat down, tea and dumplings were served shortly afterwards. The set menu seemed to be fixed, so it might be better to ask for the rice cakes first if you want them. I had the "Question Dumplings" for 780 yen, which came with tea. In the calm atmosphere of the restaurant, I enjoyed the historic three-colored dumplings - yellow, white, and brown. The yellow one had miso filling, the white one had white bean paste, and the brown one had red bean paste. The yellow dumpling had a thin mochi surface, while the white and brown ones had anko on the outside with a little mochi inside. They were all delicious, but if I had to choose, I would say the miso filling in the yellow one was the best. The restaurant had a display of past dumpling plates with cute and simple bird designs. Overall, it was a lovely dining experience.

The round three-color dango balls are cute and visually appealing. The white one has white bean paste, the yellow one has miso bean paste, and the brown one has sweet bean paste. The yellow one has a mochi exterior while the other two have the mochi wrapped in bean paste. The smooth bean paste has a refined sweetness and the chewy mochi is delicious. The difference in taste comes from the bean paste, as the mochi is the same for all. Simple and rustic, each dango was elegant and very delicious.

Kototoi Dango (780 yen) and Kototoi Monaka (670 yen) at Kototoi were enjoyed in the store. With so many highly rated shops nearby, it's a must to have a second round. The three-colored dango and monaka in chick shapes are cute, but a bit pricey. The dango has smooth red bean paste, white bean paste, and possibly sweet potato fillings, while the monaka has a crispy texture and a good aroma. Overall, the taste is just average.

I really wanted to go to the sakuramochi shop I have been going to since I was a child, but it happened to be their regular holiday, so I ended up going here. I was in the mood for something sweet, and it was really delicious! But it's still expensive, haha. I can only buy it as a reward for myself.

This is a traditional dumpling shop in Mukojima, located near the Sakura Bridge over the Sumida River. Established in the late Edo period, this shop is a long-standing establishment, known for its cherry blossom mochi from Chomeiji Temple. The shop is located on the ground floor of a ryokan-style building, with a staircase leading up to it. A white noren curtain with charming characters welcomes you at the entrance. Inside, there are showcases, tables for dining, and a raised seating area. Upon entering and expressing a desire to dine in, you are guided to a table near the entrance. Without saying anything, a set of three colored dumplings and tea are served, known as "meshiagari" for 780 yen. The dumplings come in white, brown, and yellow colors, each with a unique filling and texture. The white dumpling is filled with white bean paste and wrapped in rice flour mochi, the brown one has red bean paste with rice flour mochi, and the yellow one is made with colored rice flour mochi and miso paste. As you savor the different flavors and textures of each dumpling, the staff kindly offers a refill of tea. The serene and cozy atmosphere of the shop makes it a delightful place to enjoy the simple yet elegant dumplings with delicious tea. It's a truly satisfying experience.

I found a popular traditional Japanese confectionery shop on the way to Mukojima, along the Route 461 (also known as Sumida-dori), with just about 700 meters distance between them. The shops include: 1) Chomeiji Sakura Mochi (3.72 rating), 2) Kotoi Dango (3.69 rating), and 3) Shiman Kusamochi (3.74 rating). Additionally, I visited Kibidango-ya (3.43 rating), a long-established shop with over 160 years of history. The shop is famous for its Kotoi Dango, a three-colored round dumpling named after the poet Ariwara no Narihira. The shop is owned by TBS announcer Eri Toyama's family. They offer seating for dining in. I ordered the Kotoi Dango set with green tea for 780 yen. The black and white dumplings have red bean paste on the outside, while the yellow one has red bean paste inside. They were elegantly delicious.