When you think of Asakusa, you think of Funawa! They are famous for their sweet potato yokan, but they also have a variety of other sweets that are fun to discover! I noticed that foreign visitors were buying them here and there. Some popular items include Anko Dama, Ningyo-yaki with red bean paste or sweet potato filling, and Sweet Potato Pie. I especially like the colorful Anko Dama. Ningyo-yaki would also make a nice gift for someone. Kusu Mochi and Suama also look delicious. Thank you for the meal!

Fuwa-san is famous for their taro yokan. This time, I only bought the taro yokan as a souvenir. When I warmed it up in the toaster at home and ate it, it tasted just like freshly made sweet potato. It doesn't contain any additives or preservatives, so the expiration date is until the next day. It was delicious. It's a classic souvenir from Asakusa.

I purchased some sweet potato-flavored senbei in the shape of a boat, treasure chest, baked sweet potato, daifuku, and koban from Funawa. The treasure chest from Funawa seems to be a limited-time offer. The expiration date is until the next day. The sweet potato yokan and chestnut steamed yokan are delicious. The anko-dama has something inside. The red one has strawberry jam inside. The baked sweet potato daifuku is until the day after tomorrow. It is soft and delicious with plenty of baked sweet potato. Be careful as the expiration date is short. I was interested in the raw chestnut yokan and raw baked sweet potato yokan, but they were sold out.

I always avoid the crowds and purchase sweet potato yokan at the main store or the Kaminarimon-dori store, but on this day, I was sightseeing in Asakusa with a friend who had come to visit. My friend said, "I want to eat sweet potato yokan in Asakusa," so I wanted them to experience the most Asakusa-like atmosphere, we headed to Nakamise Street. In autumn, new sweet potatoes are in season! We bought one piece sold individually, wrapped in paper. It has a mild sweetness, moist, and you can fully enjoy the original taste of sweet potatoes. It's delicious no matter when you eat it. My friend was also very satisfied. I'm happy that they enjoyed it! Nakamise Street is just a minute away from Kaminarimon. (Autumn 2020)

The sage, who loves sweet potato snacks, came across this place. After trying it, they found the sweet potato snacks to be delicious, with a refined taste that was easy to eat and enjoyable. They especially liked the round dango sweets. The sweet potato snacks were easy to eat. The price was reasonable, and although they were told they don't last long, the sage thought it wouldn't be a problem during this season. Overall, they highly recommend Funawa Nakamise 2nd store. It was the best in the world. Thank you for the meal! Gassho!

Sweet potato yokan for 259 yen After visiting Senso-ji Temple and taking a stroll around the area with a bit of drinking, we stopped by here on our way back. It looks delicious even when you're full. Although it's better to warm it up at home, it's cold, so I bought it just because I wanted to eat it... Let's dig in. The slightly burnt parts are fluffy and enhance the sweetness. It was delicious after all.

When walking in Nakamise, you will see Funa-Wa everywhere... Maybe because it's my current favorite, I ended up getting sucked in. When it comes to Funa-Wa, it's all about sweet potato yokan and anko-dama. Come to think of it, I've never tried anko-dama before. Anko-dama, with a total of 6 varieties, is 500 yen for a sampler pack, which is quite reasonable. Surprisingly, the fruit balls like strawberry and mandarin were delicious. Matcha, coffee, green bean (at the back), strawberry, mandarin, red bean (in the front).

Finally, I stopped by here to buy some anko-dama before heading home. Since I'm alone, I opted for the smallest assortment, which contains 6 pieces with various flavors such as azuki, matcha, green beans, mandarin orange, strawberry, and coffee. Although I had never tried anko-dama from Funawa before, I fell in love with their sweet potato yokan at the main store in Asakusa. This made Funawa one of my favorite traditional Japanese sweet shops, alongside Mihashiya and Okame. There are still many excellent sweet shops out there, like Kinotsuyoshi and I have yet to visit Shigemura in Mejiro. If this is the situation in Tokyo, imagine how many more there are in Kamakura or even Kyoto. As for the anko-dama here, I bought them and enjoyed them slowly at home. Surprisingly, the fruit flavors like strawberry and mandarin balanced out the sweetness of the red bean paste and were quite delicious. However, it didn't give me the same feeling of excitement as the sweet potato yokan did. It's more like a colorful, cute treat that is best enjoyed as a gift with some bitter tea to savor leisurely, rather than just popping them in your mouth like I did. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Asakusa, but there are still many places left to explore. The depth of this experience is truly remarkable. The person I was with this time will be overseas from August for a while. I hope this has become a good memory of Japan for them. I wish them all the best in their new endeavors.

I usually ignore shops I see in department stores or train stations, but for some reason, when I come to Asakusa, I feel like buying something before heading home. Today, in the mood for "Japanese sweets," I stopped by during my cycling trip and bought the following: - Sweet potato yokan @160 yen - Anko-dama (black) @80 yen x 2 - Anko-dama (strawberry) @80 yen - Bag fee @5 yen It's been a while since I visited Funawa. The sweet potato yokan is made without any artificial colors, preservatives, or flavorings, so the natural sweetness and aroma really stand out. The Anko-dama has a whole red bean paste wrapped in agar. I chose the traditional black (regular red bean paste) and the new strawberry flavor. Both are not overly sweet. The strawberry one is interesting, with a subtle taste and a real strawberry aroma. I used to not think Funawa's traditional Japanese sweets were particularly delicious, but trying them again, I found them simply delicious. It must be a sign of aging for me, haha. Funawa is a historic shop celebrating its 130th anniversary, but they continue to adapt to the times with new items and offerings like cafes and sweets, making it a place where you can enjoy visiting regularly. Thank you for the delicious treat - I will definitely visit again! ✨

I bought a sweet potato soft serve ticket and placed my order. I couldn't choose between a cone or a cup, and it came in a cone. It was made with Shofu's sweet potato paste, so it was delicious. It wasn't as potato-y as I thought it would be, and it had a milky taste to it.

Located a 5-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tobu Skytree Line, Funawa Nakamise 2nd store is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop. Established in 1902 as "Yokan-shi Funawa," the shop initially sold sweet potato yokan, anko balls, chestnut yokan, and refined yokan. The founder, Kazusuke Kobayashi, invented sweet potato yokan as an affordable alternative to the high-end refined yokan, which quickly gained popularity. Today, Funawa operates about 14 directly managed stores. The shop is situated on Nakamise Street, connecting the Kaminarimon Gate to the main hall of Senso-ji Temple, near the intersection with Shin-Nakamise Street. Visiting around 10 a.m. on weekdays, you'll likely find no other customers. The showcase displays colorful anko balls and plain yellow sweet potato yokan, with a recommended assorted set containing both. One interesting item is the Baked Sweet Potato Yokan for 480 yen, although it may not look as appealing as expected. With the emergence of sweet potato varieties like Beni Haruka with a sugar content of 30 degrees, even solo sweet potatoes are becoming significantly sweeter. Baking them in a home toaster oven can deliver a sweetness rivaling sweet potato yokan, hinting at further evolution for the confection. The 6-color Anko Balls for 480 yen feature cream (green beans), green (matcha), yellow (mandarin orange), black (red bean), brown (coffee), and red (strawberry). While each has its own flavor, the main taste is the red bean paste. It would be interesting to see future attempts with flavors like mango, dragon fruit, or pineapple. The Matcha Warabi Mochi for 200 yen is a long-lasting product. Funawa's sweet potato yokan may be a well-known brand, but even when baked, the taste and simplicity remain largely unchanged. The colorful anko balls paired with it are still the best choice.

Today, while watching the Olympics on TV, I felt like having something sweet, so I decided to get this assorted sweet potato dumplings to go. When it comes to sweet potato yokan, it has to be Fuwa-san. I'm heading back home now. The sweet potato yokan has a gentle and natural sweetness. The smooth texture feels comforting. The anko balls also have a nice level of sweetness. The quality is consistent and delicious. I particularly recommend the matcha ball, as it allows you to enjoy the matcha flavor. By the time I finish eating, I feel like the tiredness of the day has been somewhat healed. Thank you for the meal.

I purchased souvenirs during a stroll in Asakusa. The store is located inside Nakamise, making it perfect for souvenir shopping while exploring. I bought the famous sweet potato yokan and anko dama from Funawa. I would like to try their baked sweet potato yokan and other products as well.

Crossing Azuma Bridge, I arrived at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa! It was quite a distance from Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho. Walking here was really refreshing. I continued walking towards Senso-ji Temple. Along the way, I spotted Funawa Nakamise 2nd store. They had delicious looking soft serve ice cream...!! I decided to try the sweet potato yokan soft serve. It was incredibly delicious. After walking quite a bit, this cold treat was just what I needed. The baked sweet potato yokan also looked amazing. This place was bustling with customers one after another, they were selling like crazy. Amazing.

This is a visit from a little while ago. When you think of "Funawa," the first thing that comes to mind is their main traditional Japanese sweet, "Imo Yokan"! This Imo Yokan was actually created by Funawa in the 35th year of the Meiji era and has been sold continuously up to the present Reiwa era, making it a traditional and historical Japanese sweet. What's more, this Imo Yokan is made only with sweet potatoes, sugar, and a small amount of salt, without any artificial flavors, preservatives, or chemical seasonings, truly embodying the essence of traditional Japanese sweets. On that day, when I visited Asakusa, I made sure to buy this Imo Yokan, which is a favorite of my daughter. In addition to the Imo Yokan, Funawa also sells a variety of other Japanese sweets. On that day, popular items like "Anko Dama" and sweet potato "Pie" were displayed alongside the Imo Yokan. They also had the original "Neri Yokan" and "Fruit Mitsumame," both of which were also invented by Funawa. They were also selling Tokyo's famous "Kuzumochi" made from wheat flour. However, this time I was focused on the classic "Imo Yokan." I confirmed its availability at the storefront and purchased the "Shin Imo" version (6 pieces for 864 yen) as planned. Later, I enjoyed it back home, and true to its reputation, it was subtly sweet with a simple and rustic flavor. The texture and taste, unlike the smoothness of regular Yokan, were all about the sweet potatoes. It felt like a truly authentic Japanese sweet. It's no wonder it has been beloved for such a long time, from the Meiji era to the Reiwa era.

I haven't been to Asakusa in a while, so I decided to buy sweet potato yokan and anko balls to take home. The sweet potato yokan is 120 yen per piece and the anko ball is 80 yen per piece, excluding tax. I bought two sweet potato yokan and six different types of anko balls - azuki bean, matcha, mandarin orange, strawberry, coffee, and green bean. I really wanted the seasonal sweet potato anko balls, but they would arrive a few hours later so I gave up on them. Both the sweet potato yokan and anko balls need to be refrigerated, so I also purchased a cooling bag with ice pack for 50 yen. The sweet potato yokan has a delicious sweet potato flavor and the price and size are reasonable. The anko balls are not too sweet and you can enjoy the different flavors of each one. I particularly liked the slightly tart strawberry and fragrant coffee flavors. Thank you for the delicious meal.

This place is located in Asakusa. It's the Nakamise Street of Sensoji Temple. I found it while strolling and looking for something slightly sweet to eat. They sell items individually, so it's great for when you just want a little treat. I ordered the anko flavor, which is surrounded by agar and filled with anko inside. It's not too sweet, but it's definitely anko! They have different flavors like red bean, kidney bean, matcha, coffee, orange, and strawberry. They also offer assorted packs, which would make a great souvenir. Thanks for the meal!

I visited Funawa Nakamise 2nd store in Asakusa area, which has been a topic of conversation due to the issue of forced eviction. I bought a set of 2 sweet potato cakes and 6 sweet bean paste balls for 777 yen to take home. When I got home, I placed the sweet potato cakes in an aluminum foil-lined toaster oven, added butter, and baked them. Despite being traditional Japanese sweets, they had a sweet potato-like flavor. The strawberry and orange flavored sweet bean paste balls were also delicious when enjoyed with cold tea.

I bought some sweet potato yokan for myself for 120 yen. It's located on Nakamise Street, so the atmosphere is nice. It was crowded during cherry blossom season, but I didn't see many foreigners. The yokan has a natural sweetness and tastes amazing! It would make a great souvenir that people would appreciate!

I passed by the main store of Funawa in Denbara town, but decided not to buy anything at first. However, I later found out there are several other stores in Nakamise street. I think I bought from the second store based on the exterior photos of other people. Some shops in Nakamise street were closed, and there were no foreign tourists around, which made me feel a bit sad. I like to support local businesses when I go out, so I stopped by various places while heading to the station. It was an enjoyable experience. I bought ningyo-yaki with regular red bean paste and sweet potato paste. I'm not a big fan of sweet potato paste, but the paste in these ningyo-yaki was smooth and easy to eat. Funawa's high-quality ningyo-yaki definitely lived up to its reputation. Next time, I'll buy some anko-dama to take home. Thank you for the delicious treat.