The shop closest to Senso-ji Temple, Mayudama, has cute containers and packaged snacks. They honestly say, "Boxed ones are expensive." But don't worry, the cute containers make it worth it. When you bite into it, it's sweet and fragrant... This is it, I love the red bean paste filling. Sometimes, it's nice to have old-fashioned snacks that are not fancy.

Today, I had some errands to run in Asakusa, so I ended up being free by 9 o'clock. Since I was already in Asakusa, I decided to visit Senso-ji Temple. As I strolled through the Nakamise shopping street, I remembered that there are many hidden gem shops in Asakusa. One shop that caught my eye was a traditional Japanese sweets shop called Kimura-ya, known for their ningyoyaki (doll-shaped cakes). Founded in the Keio era, this shop is the oldest ningyoyaki shop in Asakusa. I bought a box of 8 ningyoyaki cakes with sweet red bean paste filling for 600 yen. When I got home and had lunch, I tried the cakes shaped like lanterns and doves for dessert. The dove-shaped cake was long and slender, not exactly like a traditional ningyoyaki, but it was delicious nonetheless. I warmed it up in the microwave for 30 seconds and the sweet red bean paste inside was just the right amount of sweetness. Each cake was small enough to eat in one bite, but I resisted the urge to eat them all at once so I could share them with my family. Overall, it was a delightful taste of a traditional treat from a long-standing shop.

I bought a set of 4 anmitsu ningyo-yaki for 500 yen along Nakamise Street in Asakusa Temple, and the container is cute. Some of the ningyo-yaki do not have anko filling. The ningyo-yaki itself is a snack with a thick and chewy skin filled with anko, nothing special. There are various shapes of ningyo-yaki, and the ones I got were in the shape of a five-story pagoda, Raijin (thunder god), lantern, and dove.

Today is a lucky day. It is a combination of "Tensha Day," a day when the heavens forgive all sins, and "Ichiryu Manbai Day," a day when a single grain of rice yields a thousandfold harvest. This day is considered very auspicious, occurring about three times a year. Furthermore, I happened to be wearing a sweater in the same color as the lucky color for the constellation I saw. Does this mean that everything will go well today? I might get carried away. Anyway, I'm thinking of buying a lottery ticket. Now, let's talk about the "Kimuraya Main Store" in Asakusa, near Senso-ji Temple. Established in 1868, it is the oldest ningyo-yaki (doll-shaped cake) shop in Asakusa, known for preserving the traditional taste since its inception. Located in a small shop at the corner of Nakamise Street, closest to the Kannon statue. I visited in the early evening of New Year's Day and was amazed by the crowd. It was so crowded, even the police officers seemed busy. I had a friend buy some for me later (laughs). Thank you! The ningyo-yaki was delicious, and I even got some Chinese-style rice crackers as a bonus. It tasted like a street stall snack, really good. You can get 8 pieces for 600 yen, which is quite cheap. I've always loved ningyo-yaki since I was young. I could eat as many as I wanted. The taste remains the same as it used to be. I think the minds of the Japanese people have been somewhat invaded by recent sweets and there is still a sense of dissatisfaction or lack somewhere. I felt the same way. It's funny. That's the proof. Since its establishment in Keio 4, we have stubbornly continued to uphold the taste of the first generation. It was truly a heartwarming ningyo-yaki. Thank you for the meal. This is Takumon signing off. Cheers!

A solid snack. When I went to Asakusa, I decided to buy some snacks as souvenirs. My daughter doesn't like red bean paste, so I chose dorayaki without it. I tried one and thought it was quite solidly baked, unlike the fluffy baby castella or mini castella I'm used to. It's been a while since I had dorayaki with such a firm texture. I can't remember the last time I had one like this. It's quite chewy, which makes my mouth dry. It's a simple and traditional shop that makes me crave milk. But 10 pieces are enough.

I passed by the store and suddenly felt like eating some dango, so before I knew it, I found myself inside the shop. They hand-bake dango, onigiri, senbei, and more right in front of you, so you can always enjoy them piping hot. I ordered a seaweed dango (200 yen each), but it seemed like many people were ordering senbei (2 pieces for 100 yen) or okaki (1 piece for 100 yen). There is a small eat-in space inside the shop, so it seems like a nice place to take a break and rest if you're tired from walking.

Kimuraya Honten, located at 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo. Established in 1868, it is the oldest ningyo-yaki (sweet bun with bean paste filling) shop in Asakusa. Situated at the corner of Nakamise Street, closest to the Kannon statue, you can watch them baking through the glass. They accept electronic payments, do not have a parking lot, and only offer sales. Operating hours are from 10:00 to 18:00, open year-round. Website: http://www.kimura-ya.co.jp/ I visited Asakusa Temple in Asakusa after a long time. Asakusa Temple is a Kannon pilgrimage site with a history of nearly 1400 years. The main deity appeared in the early morning of March 18, 628 AD, when two brothers fishing by the Miya River (now Sumida River) found a statue in their net. Today, it is a place where you can experience national treasures, cultural properties, and Japanese culture. As a world-famous tourist spot, there were many foreign tourists on the day of my visit. Passing through the Kaminarimon Gate, I entered Nakamise Street where around 90 shops are lined up. Further ahead is the Hozomon Gate. The precincts have been visited by worshippers for centuries, and the path leading to the main hall is filled with the scent of incense. It is said to prevent illness and promote health, so people bathe in the incense smoke. I bought some incense and experienced it myself. I admired the ceiling painting in the main hall while offering my prayers. Unfortunately, I drew a bad fortune from the fortune slip, so I tied it to a nearby tie bar. I have bought ningyo-yaki from various shops in Nakamise Street before, but I have never tried it fresh. I decided to buy some from Kimuraya Honten, the oldest and original shop among the ningyo-yaki shops in Asakusa. They bake them one by one by hand in the store. Using a mold with five tiers, they fill the dough with sweet bean paste and bake them. The smell of the freshly baked treats filled the area around the shop. I ordered two sets of freshly baked ningyo-yaki, each set containing four pieces for 300 yen (tax included). They advised me to eat them right away, so I tried one on the spot. It was delicious with a crispy exterior and hot bean paste filling, and the aroma was delightful. I also bought several boxed ones as souvenirs. The expiration date is one week. Another popular shop, Motoyui Kimuraya Ningyo-yaki Honpo, is located in the middle of Nakamise Street. I was initially puzzled by the same address, but I realized that this block of row houses shares one address. It was a satisfying experience to visit Asakusa Temple, officially known as Kinryuzan Sensoji, and offer my prayers to Asakusa Kannon. It was a pleasant visit on a sunny day.

After a two-year hiatus, the "Hozuki Market" was held again! It's a summer tradition in Edo, isn't it? Also, the Morning Glory Market is nice too. I love these kinds of festivals! ^^ Of course, I bought some hozuki lanterns! Whenever I visit Senso-ji Temple, I always buy ningyo-yaki, especially from here. When I went after a long time, I saw many new ningyo-yaki shops in Nakamise Street! There weren't this many in the past. The traditional ningyo-yaki shops are either here or a few doors down at Motozao Kimuraya. Kimuraya Honten or Motozao Kimuraya? (laughs) Both are delicious. Somehow, I tend to prefer this one. In the past, you had to wait in line to buy them at events like the Hozuki Market. But this time, I could buy them easily. Maybe because new shops have opened? I bought a pack of 8 for 600 yen. I like to open and eat them right away. Eating them in the precincts of Senso-ji Temple is just wonderful! These are soft with smooth anko filling. The anko is also great. It's elegant. I could eat as many as I want. I once bought a lot and got tired of them halfway through (laughs). It's nice to just want a little more. I resisted the temptation this time. It was delicious. When will be the next time? Thank you for the meal!

Asakusa is a place located in front of Sensoji Temple, on Nakamise Street, closest to Sensoji Temple. It is a ningyoyaki (doll-shaped cake) shop that was established in the first year of the Meiji era, so you can feel the history there. If you want to eat freshly baked ningyoyaki, this is a good place to go. They offer a set of 4 pieces for 300 yen, which is perfect for when you just want a little snack. I ordered the set of 4 and enjoyed the freshly baked, hot ningyoyaki. It's really delicious when it's hot. Even though it's just ningyoyaki, the taste is surprisingly good. Definitely try ningyoyaki when you visit Asakusa.

[Purchased Items (including tax)] - Manju (sweet bean-filled bun) 8 pieces: 600 yen [Impressions (personal thoughts. Note: Taste preferences and impressions may vary depending on the ordered items)] - The sweet bean filling had little moisture, moderate sweetness, and not much saltiness. The dough had little moisture and was firm. It felt like a simple, old-fashioned manju, not modern. Payment by card was possible. Thank you for the meal.

The dough is firm and has a nice flavor, while the sweetness of the red bean paste is just right. The red bean paste filling only contains smooth red bean paste, but the red bean paste-free imagawayaki also has a delicious rustic taste. The red bean paste-free version is outstanding. The taste is decent and has become a topic of conversation, with a reasonable price.

A shop selling ningyoyaki (traditional Japanese cake filled with sweet red bean paste) on Nakamise Street in front of Sensoji Temple. You can see them being freshly baked in front of the shop, just like taiyaki (fish-shaped cake). The taste is nostalgic and traditional, and they come in shapes like Kaminarimon Gate and the five-story pagoda unique to Asakusa.

In front of Sensoji Temple, I found a cozy ningyo-yaki shop! I wanted to try some freshly baked ningyo-yaki, so I bought a pack labeled as freshly baked from this shop right by the temple. I got a pack of 10 without filling for 600 yen. They had ningyo-yaki shaped like the five-story pagoda and doves, with a gentle sweetness that was really delicious.

"I have been vaguely thinking about comparing and trying different ningyoyaki (Japanese doll-shaped cake) in Asakusa for a while now, but amidst the current pandemic, I have decided to support local businesses and start doing it little by little. What I received: - 10 pieces of ningyoyaki (filled with sweet red bean paste) for 600 yen The shapes are as described on the bag: "dove," "five-story pagoda," "thunder god," and "lantern." The filling is so packed that I can't analyze the dough properly. Personally, I prefer less filling, but it's a luxury, isn't it?!"

I bought some an-nashi ningyo-yaki from Kimuraya Honten, located near the main hall of Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, where it says "Established for over 100 years". I have had ningyo-yaki before, but this was my first time trying an-nashi. It was delicious even without the sweet bean paste inside! It can last for a while, so you don't have to rush to eat it. I had only known about the somewhat scary Seven Lucky Gods ningyo-yaki, but this one comes in four cute shapes: lantern, pigeon, five-story pagoda, and Raijin (thunder god). I became a fan and will definitely buy more when I visit Asakusa in the future! Thank you for the delicious treat.

It's been a while since I visited Asakusa! It was really crowded there! I found a dorayaki shop called "Kimuraya Honten" at the end of Nakamise Street and couldn't resist getting some. When I got home, I tried a piece and it was delicious! It was sweet, fluffy, and the sweet red bean paste inside was just right. It was exactly as I imagined it would taste! I enjoyed it with a cup of black coffee, and it was really good!

I bought a ningyoyaki as a souvenir from Asakusa Temple. I wonder how many years it has been since I last ate one. When I took a bite, it had a bit of a chewy texture. I used to think ningyoyaki had soft dough, but this one has quite a hard texture. Maybe it was baked too long? Despite that, it was delicious. The anko filling was moist, so I enjoyed both textures.

I strolled around Asakusa Sensoji Temple in Taito Ward, Tokyo, looking for souvenirs for my company. I found a shop that sold rice crackers and rice cakes for myself. The shop was called Kimuraya Honten. I bought 2 thin rice crackers for 100 yen. They bake the rice crackers after you order them, which is fun to watch. The freshly baked soy sauce-flavored rice crackers were delicious. I also tried a new product, a black sesame rice cake for 150 yen. It was tasty and I enjoyed it on the spot.

Yes. I have purchased dorayaki from a similar store near this one before. Now, it says "main store" here, but I wonder if there is a difference in taste? Basically, kids love it, so I'm happy with just one. I bought a pack of 10 with red bean paste filling. When I got home and tried one, I found it to be delicious. The dough has a firm texture rather than being fluffy. This might be the best dorayaki I've had so far. By the way, I feel like it goes really well with Yakult. Thank you for the meal.

May 2019. Last day in Tokyo. Before lunch, I visited Senso-ji Temple. I usually skip Nakamise Street, but this time I had some time so I peeked into a few shops. One of them was "Kimuraya Main Store," where I bought their classic ningyo-yaki (sweet red bean-filled cakes). You can't go wrong with Kimuraya's ningyo-yaki. *You can also get them freshly baked, but since it was close to lunchtime, I bought a box for souvenirs this time. (They can last at room temperature for a week, which is great for souvenirs!) Ningyo-yaki with red bean paste, 4 pieces in a box (in a Kannon design box) for 500 yen. *They also have versions without red bean paste. I brought them home and enjoyed them right away. Inside the Kannon design box are four ningyo-yaki in the shapes of "five-storied pagoda, Raijin (thunder god), lantern, and dove." The moist cake with a gentle sweetness of the red bean paste was delicious. They weren't too big, so I finished all four in one go. Thank you for the meal!