■Reason for choosing the shop I had passed by a few times and it caught my eye. I finally got a chance to try it. ■Order details (including tax) Grilled dango: 110 yen x 2 ■Impressions They start grilling the dango after you order, so you have to wait a bit in front of the shop, but you can enjoy the hot grilled dango! The grilling is just right, with a savory soy sauce char that is delicious. I feel that hot green tea is the best match.

Sasamoto Dango is a local favorite dango shop located in a residential area. It is about a 20-minute walk from Higashi-Murayama Station, which can be considered quite far. It may not be necessary to go out of your way to visit this dango shop, but it is a nice place to stop by during a walk or for local residents to purchase from. The dango has a sweet taste due to the sweet dough, while the soy sauce coating gives it a crispy texture. The simple flavor and affordable price of 110 yen per stick make it a suitable snack option. One standout feature is that the dango is wrapped in a wooden skin, adding to the overall presentation and flavor. I would recommend this shop with a score of 75 out of 100.

There is a shop in a residential area where farmers are lined up, a little off the main road in Higashimurayama, selling freshly baked dumplings. It takes a little time to bake after ordering, but the freshly made dumplings are piping hot with a savory soy sauce aroma that whets the appetite. They cost 110 yen each, and I bought 10 of them this time. We couldn't resist snacking on them before taking a picture. Once you start eating, you can't stop.

Local neighborhood, Higashimurayama. In between my trip to Okinawa, I will review some local shops nearby. After having udon, we headed to a shop that is said to be a favorite of Bakatono. I have actually visited a few times before, but it was always sold out. It is a grilled dango shop. There is a photo of that person on the window of the shop. I ordered 5 for takeout, and 2 to eat right away, a total of 7. After ordering, the owner will grill them for you. She carefully grills them while dipping them in sauce several times, so while waiting, a nice aroma fills the air. And then, the first 2 are ready to eat. We sit on the bench outside the shop and dig in. One is big. The sauce is fragrant, the taste is strong. The charred parts are nice. And the texture is quite soft for a grilled dango. I prefer them firmer, so I wonder how firm they will be when they cool down for the takeout ones... Well, let's see. Oh no, they ended up slightly firmer, but not as firm as I like. But if that person eats them, maybe a softer texture is easier to eat (laughs). I learned that grilled dango is a beloved food not only in my hometown of Sayama but also in the neighboring city of Higashimurayama. By the way, this was my 9th review comparing grilled dango at different shops. Bakatono... for us from the Drifters generation, and especially being close to our hometown, he was like a god-like figure. I hope for a full recovery for him.

Located in Kumegawa-cho, Higashimurayama City, Tokyo. This shop offers traditional and simple rice dumplings for you to enjoy. The nearest station is Higashimurayama Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line, Kokubunji Line, and Seibu-en Line. Highly recommended (*σ´ｪ｀)σ I stopped by before leaving Higashimurayama. It's about a 15-20 minute walk from the east exit of the station. The surrounding area is completely residential. This shop has been loved by locals for over 30 years. It has been featured on TV, and even Shimum Ken has visited. The owner, Mr. Sasamoto, originally came from a farming background, but they have been selling rice dumplings since the previous generation. There was no one in the shop, so I rang the buzzer and the landlady came out from the back (^^ゞ Today's order: Sasamoto Dumplings 100 yen x 3 These rice dumplings are said to have originated from the "Mayu Dumplings" and "Okama Dumplings" that have been made in Higashimurayama since ancient times. About the size of a ping pong ball, these rice dumplings made from joshinko (rice flour) are seasoned only with simple soy sauce. They are cooked after you order them. The aroma is wonderful (*´-`) There is a bench in front of the shop, so you can wait patiently. These hand-made dumplings have a rough texture rather than being sticky, and they have a gentle taste that reminds you of a Japanese folktale. They are not very sweet at all v(´▽｀*) These nostalgic dumplings are loved by both children and the elderly. I hope everyone gets a chance to try them (σ´Д｀)σ #Ranking #Recommended by Baka Tono #Local specialty of Higashimurayama #Local cuisine #Higashimurayama Ondo #Rice dumplings #Sweets #Japanese sweets #Takeout #Souvenir #B-class gourmet #One parking space available #Blurry photo #The content and prices/menu are as of October 2018 #Thank you, Shimum Ken, for bringing so much laughter ===========

No matter how much it cools down, it's still delicious, but hot and fresh out of the oven is the best!

This is a famous stand known as the go-to place for yakidango (grilled rice dumplings) by Ken Shimura. It is located in an old residential area quite far from the station, but I wanted to visit it. The dango is grilled after receiving the order, so it takes some time. When we placed our order, there were other customers ahead of us, so we waited for about 15 minutes. A large dango with a nicely grilled surface was served. The savory aroma of burnt soy sauce whets the appetite. Perhaps because it was freshly grilled, the dango itself is very soft, with a texture more like "bunyu" than "mochi." The dough is likely made only with joshinko (rice flour), as the dango itself has little sweetness, and you can taste the rice flavor if you chew consciously. The soy sauce flavor is strong, possibly due to grilling, giving a sharp, salty taste. Since the dango's taste and aroma are subtle, the burnt soy sauce aroma and flavor are the main focus. For those who prefer a type of dango with more elasticity and sweetness (such as Izumiya in Sakaemachi or the now-closed Iseya), this dango may feel watery and salty. On the other hand, for those who want to enjoy a strong flavor of well-grilled soy sauce with a freshly grilled and soft dango, it is likely to be very delicious. Since they are completely different types, preferences may differ. I am a fan of the slightly sweet dango from Iseya, so I found the dough of this dango a bit lacking, but I am satisfied to have experienced the taste of this famous shop that attracts many visitors from afar. It is worth trying at least once. There is a bench in front of the shop, but it can only accommodate about two people, and with a continuous stream of customers waiting in front of the shop, it is best to eat on the spot. Also, there is no shade nearby or a place to pass the time, so it can be difficult to wait if you have small children. It might be a good idea to make a reservation, come by car, and quickly visit for takeout. Thank you for the meal!

I also ate delicious dango at Shimura Ken's restaurant.

A nostalgic and simple dumpling with a soy sauce flavor from the old days. The burnt soy sauce taste is irresistibly fragrant.

From Shin-Akitsu Station to Higashi-Murayama Station, I brought a hiking map from the station and found a little present listed on it - if you buy 10 pieces at Sasanomoto Dango Shop, you get 1 piece for free. Well, I don't think I would buy 10 pieces (laughs). But I was tempted by the nice smell of soy sauce, so I decided to buy one piece at a time. The shop is known for being frequented by Ken Shimura and has a photo of Bakatono displayed. It only takes about 3 minutes to get freshly baked dango for 100 yen each. They are soft and the soy sauce flavor is irresistible. It's a simple taste of the Showa era. The slightly burnt parts are especially delicious.

Visited on September 3, 2016. Today, on my way back from Tama, I felt a little hungry and searched the area for recommendations. I found a small dumpling shop recommended by Shimumu Ken. I decided to check it out and found that it was located in a residential area. There were two customers ahead of me, so it seems to be quite popular. The lady at the shop takes orders and then bakes the dumplings, so I had to wait for about 10 minutes. Each dumpling was large and had a good soy sauce aroma. The crispy outer layer added a nice flavor to the soy sauce. They were really delicious, but at 100 yen per dumpling, it felt a bit expensive.

I tried the famous grilled dango at Mogumogu in Tokorozawa and loved it, so I decided to visit a well-known shop in Higashimurayama. The shop is located in a residential area and a bit hard to find. There is barely any parking space in front of the shop. It takes about 10 minutes for the dango to be grilled, so I called ahead to place an order. There were many customers in front of the shop carrying lots of dango to take home. My order was properly wrapped in paper. It costs 100 yen per stick, so I gave the lady 400 yen for 4 sticks and received the wrapped dango. There was a sign saying it's a favorite of Shimuma Ken, which was featured on a TV show. There are benches and chairs outside the shop for customers to wait for their order. Some people eat there too, I guess. This time, I parked a bit further and bought some hot tea from a drugstore to eat in the car. The dango is not too chewy or smooth, with a rustic texture and a simple soy sauce flavor. It gets a bit hard as time passes, but it's still delicious. This one had a stronger soy sauce flavor and a crispy, delicious taste. The area where grilled dango and Musashino udon are popular overlaps in places like Tokorozawa and Higashimurayama. However, dango is made from rice flour while udon is made from wheat. I found out that the Musashino plateau had little water and couldn't grow rice, so they started growing wheat. They also tried growing rice in dry fields, but it didn't taste good. That's why they turned it into rice flour, made dango, and ate it. It seems it all started because they couldn't have rice paddies. It's impressive how people in the past came up with various ways to eat. It's great that these food cultures born out of necessity are still continuing today.

Returning from getting a stamp at the "Udokichi" in Tokorozawa, I came across a place in Higashimurayama with a flag advertising dango. The area is quiet, with houses and farms lining the streets. This place is known for its Musashino udon, but their grilled dango is also famous. The savory soy sauce flavor is more prominent than the typical sweet soy sauce dango. The shop was a simple prefab building with just one lady working inside. Even though the dango was not ready yet, the delicious smell of soy sauce filled the air. I ordered five pieces and waited while they were grilled. Surprisingly, more customers arrived one after another. Watching the lady at work was enjoyable. The dango started to develop a nice char and was glazed with soy sauce before being cooked to perfection. The aroma of the soy sauce grilling was delightful, a scent that most Japanese people would love. The dango may not look fancy or expensive, but the color and aroma of the finished product were amazing. It was the perfect snack, and I could have eaten as many as I wanted!

There is one enjoyable aspect of hiking from the station, which is food tasting. A perfect option for such food tasting is the "Yaki Dango (grilled rice dumplings) from Sasamoto Dango Shop." The shop is located in a residential area and may be easily overlooked without a sign. As I approached the window, the owner called out, "We have freshly grilled ones available!" Lucky for me, no waiting was needed. - Yaki Dango (grilled rice dumplings) for 100 yen Overall, the dumplings have a soy sauce color and some parts are slightly burnt. The savory smell of soy sauce before even eating them whets your appetite. I took a bite right away. The chewy dumplings with no sweetness, combined with the soy sauce, and the added smoky flavor were delicious. It's like a soft grilled rice cake. I think there's no Japanese person who wouldn't like this (a bit exaggerated, maybe?!). If this shop was nearby, I would definitely visit regularly. It seems common, but it was a type of dumpling I had never tasted before.

Finished work in Higashimurayama and made a quick stop. This is a famous local shop with a lot of media exposure, including Shimuma Animal Park. It seems like Shimuma Ken's support plays a big role in its popularity. The price is 100 yen per stick. It's a bit pricey for a small shop, but it's a slightly upscale dango. It took about 10 minutes from ordering to serving as they start grilling after you order. Back at work, I quickly enjoyed it. The good aroma and the bitter taste of burnt soy sauce stimulate the appetite. It was gone in no time. The cost-performance ratio is a bit challenging, but it was quite enjoyable. Thank you for the meal.

After a long time, I went on a journey to try grilled dango. This time, I visited a specialty shop called Musashino Dango in a residential area quite far from Higashi-Murayama Station. The shop prominently features an illustration of Bakatono, a character played by Shimura Ken. The small shop has a buzzer, and when you press it, an older lady comes out from the neighboring main house. Each dango costs 100 yen. They grill it after you place your order. The dango, made of rice flour, is grilled with soy sauce twice to create a crispy exterior. Let's try it while it's still hot. The texture is a bit chewy but slightly firm, with a hint of burnt flavor typical of Musashino dango. At the checkout, the older lady mentioned that Shimura Ken had visited recently and that it would be featured on TV soon. I saw Shimura's animal park show the other day, and the older lady was smiling in it. Keep up the good work and stay healthy, older lady. Thank you for the meal!

I visited Sasamoto Dango in Higashimurayama. It is located near Toyoshima Sake Brewery, a bit far from the station. It seems to be a highly recommended shop by Ken Shimura. The grilled dumplings cost 100 yen each. They are grilled on the spot. They have a soy sauce flavor that is not too sweet, more like a meal than a snack. They are very chewy and change the image of grilled dumplings. When I brought them home and ate them, without heating them up, the chewy texture stood out, making them feel like mochi. I think it's better to warm them up even when taking them home.

■Visit Date: I visited on a Saturday afternoon.■Exterior, Interior, Atmosphere: Located just a short walk from Higashi-Murayama Station East Exit, this place is easy to spot with its dango flag and posters of Bakatono on the glass windows.■Food: I ordered the "Grilled Dango" (100 yen per skewer). You can order just one skewer. The white rice flour dango is grilled over charcoal right in front of you. Each dango is quite large. It is flipped several times, dipped in soy sauce, and served wrapped in newspaper. The flavor is a strong soy sauce taste, with a smooth texture. When freshly grilled, it is soft and chewy, but as it cools, it becomes more elastic, offering a different texture and deliciousness.■Service: The female owner, Mrs. Sasamoto Etsuko, has a warm and friendly demeanor, typical of a dango shop owner.■Overall Impression: Previously run by Mrs. Sasamoto Toyo, it seems there has been a change in management. The current owner, Etsuko, is also a seasoned veteran. Watching her skillfully make dango balls from rice flour dough is quite impressive. I hope they continue making delicious grilled dango for a long time to come.

I just love it (lol) It takes about 20 minutes on foot from Higashi-Murayama Station. The shop is a bit hard to find, so it's better to check the map before going. An easy way to get there is to go along Fuchu Kaido towards Tokorozawa from Higashi-Murayama Station, turn right at the police box on the right side of the road, then left at the fork. When you see the flower gardening shop, go a little further, and when you see the sign for Tamagoyaki (Tamano-ya, I think?), turn left. When you see the orange awning, you have arrived (*´∀｀*) What I love about it is the heavy dough. It's so chewy!!!!! It's completely different from the mochi or shiratama-like things you find at convenience stores. I feel like eating it regularly, so I visit often, but it's often sold out by the evening, so I recommend going by around 3 o'clock (⊃Д`) You can also make a reservation by calling, so that might be a good idea too (・∀・)