People have started calling me an old man at some point... I had some "inari sushi" for takeout. Inside the bag, there were pieces of fried tofu stuffed with vinegared rice, topped with pickled radish and seaweed. The inari sushi was a bit larger than usual for one bite. When I took a bite, the sweet flavor of the fried tofu spread in my mouth. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

- One piece of Inari sushi is big. - The origin of the expensive Fukuda Mochi is that when the owner used to have a shop elsewhere, the neighboring house belonged to Prime Minister Fukuda, and the name was given by the Prime Minister himself. They also serve bento boxes inside the restaurant during lunchtime.

Inari sushi has a slightly salty and surprisingly large skin compared to other stores! The inside contains simple white rice, but the thick and large skin, combined with the slightly salty sauce, makes it so delicious that you'll keep wanting more. Since each piece is quite big, if you buy three thinking it's a light lunch, you might end up feeling really full. During lunchtime, they also sell homemade bento boxes in the store, but they tend to sell out quickly. If you have a specific bento box in mind, it's best to call ahead. However, even the bento boxes that are left are filled with attractive contents (such as hamburgers, fried chicken, and sometimes fish), so you can't go wrong picking one at random. The sweet bean paste rice cakes are also recommended, but I'll write about them next time.

I happened to pass by a shop that had been bookmarked for a while. I decided to buy some items. I purchased 2 pieces of Inari sushi for 120 yen each and 1 piece of Fukutamochi for 200 yen. The shop had a showcase facing the outside, and a cheerful lady who seemed like a typical mother from the old town served me from inside the shop. She engaged in a pleasant conversation with me from the moment I placed my order until I received my items and paid. The Inari sushi was huge! It was about the size of two Inari sushi from a convenience store or supermarket, very voluminous. The sweet fried tofu and tangy rice were delicious. As for the Fukutamochi, it was a sweet treat named after former Prime Minister Fukuda (the father). The Fukutamochi was dense and heavy, with a firm and delicious mochi filled with plenty of sweet red bean paste inside!

Located right near Asakusa Tower, down a small alley next to View Hotel, is a traditional Japanese sweets shop. The shop has a very old-fashioned exterior, so you might miss it if you're not paying attention. They offer items like ohagi, yokan, onigiri, inari sushi, and bento boxes at lunchtime. My favorite item here is the Ebi Maki, which costs 210 yen each. It's a shrimp tempura wrapped in seaweed, drizzled with sweet sauce, wrapped in shiso leaf, and rolled with rice and seaweed. It's similar to tempura sushi, but the refreshing taste of the shiso leaf makes it addictive. It could easily become a signature dish of Asakusa. Next to Imahan, there is a branch in Hama-cho, which is a Japanese restaurant with a shop space facing the street, making it easy to purchase items. If you're visiting Asakusa, the Hama-cho branch might be more convenient. Check out their blog too! http://ameblo.jp/pchanko33

Located next to the outstanding "Tendon" restaurant "Fuji" in Asakusa is a shop that sells traditional Japanese sweets and dishes like inari sushi and "red rice". These kinds of shops that have been around for a long time are a sign that the neighborhood is thriving. You can catch a glimpse of the traditional side of Asakusa here. The products here are also quite popular! I heard about it and decided to come here for some shopping. I picked up some items to have as a late-night snack while working at my desk. The quality of the "inari sushi" here is not as high as similar items sold at other long-established shops in Asakusa. The taste is not very rich, and the sauce doesn't have a distinct flavor. It's more of an old-fashioned type, but not necessarily tastier than what you can find at convenience stores. The "ebi tempura roll" lacks the crispy texture of "tempura", and it wasn't something I would want to eat again. Instead of "daifuku", they have "fukutamochi". This auspiciously named product was too simple in terms of both the filling and the outer layer, leaving a lot to be desired. Overall, all the products were neither good nor bad, more on the bland side. They lack individuality and seem to cater more towards older customers. While some people may appreciate products with "no personality", the value for money is not great for everything except the inari sushi. I personally prefer something more original. These items would definitely be a hit as souvenirs for my grandparents back home in Asakusa, but unfortunately, I no longer have my grandparents or parents around.

I had a meal at the restaurant next to Mt. Fuji, and when I looked outside, I saw a carp-shaped flag for a Japanese sweets shop next door. I decided to take a peek inside. As I stood in front of the shop, I saw a counter and a showcase with various sweets like rice cakes, daifuku, inari-zushi, and sekihan. It wasn't a traditional Japanese sweets shop, but more of a mixed variety shop. I chose a Fukutamochi, which was recommended on the flag, and a Kintsuba. I placed my order with the friendly lady behind the counter. When I paid and received change, I was given more change than I should have received. I couldn't accept the extra change, so I returned it. The lady chuckled and said, "Oh dear, what kind of math are you doing?" I left the shop feeling warm and content. The Kintsuba was not as refined as those from famous shops, but it had a delicate dough and tasty red bean paste. The Fukutamochi had a firm mochi texture and delicious sweet bean filling. The overall experience, including the lady's friendly personality, made it a pleasant and heartwarming visit.

I went shopping in the Asakusa area and then had some freshly made soba noodles at a soba restaurant. After feeling a bit unsatisfied, I wandered around and came across a shop with a sign that said "Fukuda Mochi." I was drawn to the shop, where they were displaying inari sushi and steamed buns in the showcase. Inside the shop, an elderly lady who seemed to be the owner and a woman of the same age were preparing something behind the counter. I opened the glass window and said, "Hey lady, one Fukuda Mochi please." In this area, I tend to speak like the old men in rakugo stories. "Just one?" she asked. "Yes," I replied. "Do you need a bag?" she asked. "No, I'll eat it right away, while walking," I said. "Then I'll hand it to you... that'll be 180 yen," she said. "Around here, do they call bean daifuku 'Fukuda Mochi'?" I asked. "That's what we call it. We got the name from Prime Minister Fukuda. We didn't want to just use 'Fukuda', so we changed it to 'Fukuda'. "I see, that's interesting," I replied. "We use locally sourced mochi rice from Gunma," she said. "Oh, I see. You're quite particular about it," I said. "Well, it's delicious, so give it a try. Make sure to dust off the powder," she said. "I will, thank you." The Fukuda Mochi was carefully wrapped in paper wrapping and generously coated with powder to prevent sticking. I lightly brushed off the powder around the mochi as instructed and took a bite. It was so delicious! The chewiness of the mochi rice and the stretchiness in my mouth were exquisite. The red bean paste had the traditional sweetness, different from the modern milder versions. I usually don't like traditional Japanese sweets, but I love bean daifuku. It was a lucky find at the old-fashioned Inari Sushi & Dumpling shop in the backstreets of Asakusa. Enjoying my mochi, I continued my stroll through the nostalgic neighborhood.

This is a shop in Asakusa. I got it for takeout. It's not completely wrapped in batter, a little bit of the head is sticking out. The head is filled with plenty of ingredients and neatly arranged, it looks beautiful. The texture of the flying fish is quite satisfying. I had it for breakfast and I was satisfied.

Today, while wandering around the Asakusa area and finding my favorite traditional Japanese sweets shop closed, I stumbled upon this nostalgic-looking shop and decided to give it a try. I chose the "kusa mochi" from the many traditional sweets they had. It was easy to eat as it was wrapped in thin plastic, preventing it from sticking. It had a nice aroma of yomogi (Japanese mugwort) and the sweet red bean paste was not too sweet, making it delicious. I found a reasonably priced traditional Japanese sweets shop that I enjoyed discovering.