I happened to come across a popular traditional Japanese sweets shop from Gotokuji in Sangenjaya, and I bought their red bean paste-filled imagawayaki. The imagawayaki was large and when I split it open, it was filled generously with red bean paste. It was a perfect snack when I was a little hungry, and it was delicious when eaten with the dough.

Houtokuji is known for its beckoning cat, but this shop offers beckoning cat dorayaki. Aside from the traditional sweet bean paste fillings, they also have unique options like chocolate. Their signature menu item seems to be imagawayaki, but they also offer savory options like ham fillings. I tried the seasonal chestnut filling and also ordered a ham and egg burger for lunch. I was pleasantly surprised by the burger, it was even better than the imagawayaki. The ham was delicious.

While walking around Gotokuji Temple, I came across a cute beckoning cat-shaped Monaka and decided to enter the shop. The shop had a seating area at the back where you could enjoy treats like Imagawayaki and Baby Castella. I chose the Premium Japanese Soy Sauce Ice Cream for 600 yen (tax included), which you can select from various flavors. It was a unique choice, and the ice cream had a delicious umami flavor rather than a strong soy sauce taste. The Monaka on top was crispy and delightful. They also served red bean paste on the side as a bonus, which complemented the slight saltiness of the ice cream perfectly. It was a random find, but the staff were friendly and provided detailed explanations about the treats. It was a great shop experience.

Red bean paste ¥150 I chose red bean paste because they said it was freshly baked! The dough is delicious, not too sweet, fluffy, and piping hot. It has a simple taste that is somehow nostalgic. The sweet red bean paste inside is just the right amount, making it a perfect snack. It's not heavy at all, and I devoured it quickly.

There is a cute shop in Gotokuji Shotengai that opened last year. They mainly offer takeout items such as monaka, imagawayaki, and baby castella, but you can also enjoy them inside the shop. There are two 4-seater tables inside where you can relax. The imagawayaki has different fillings daily. This time, I also tried the "rare cheese" mentioned on the outdoor sign. I also got the "maneki-neko monaka" with a strong flavor to go. In addition to the classic red bean and coarse red bean fillings, there are also unique options like bitter chocolate and ham mayo for the imagawayaki. You can also have coffee (300 yen) inside. It's a nice place to use as a cafe. I hope they can continue to coexist with the nearby Japanese sweets shop. "Setagaya souvenirs" is a campaign that is held annually in the area. Shops can apply to be registered and their items will be featured in a booklet distributed the following year.

This is a cafe and gallery that opened on December 27, 2020, specializing in Imagawayaki (sweet red bean-filled pancakes). It is located near Gotokuji Station, along the same street as Ironcoffee. There is a takeout counter at the entrance, and the back of the store is a cafe where you can also dine in. The interior is bright and stylish, with a white color scheme, giving off a trendy cafe vibe rather than a traditional Imagawayaki shop. They offer both classic and seasonal Imagawayaki flavors. During my visit, I ordered Custard Imagawayaki for ¥150, Amaou Strawberry Imagawayaki for ¥250, Premium Vanilla Ice Cream for ¥500, and a Cafe Latte for ¥550, all including tax. There was a steady stream of customers coming in to purchase Imagawayaki to go, so there was a bit of a wait for my order. The owner, a friendly man, provided detailed explanations about the products and the store. Beautiful dishes were displayed at the entrance, indicating that the cafe also values the enjoyment of tableware. Since the lifting of the state of emergency in October, they have started serving alcohol from 5 pm onwards. The concept seems to be to enjoy sweets during the day and have a drink or two in the evening after work, all served in beautiful dishes. The Cafe Latte was easy to drink, the ice cream was refreshing, and even when the Imagawayaki cooled down, it was still delicious.

I just realized that there is this interesting taiyaki shop that has opened up. It seems like they have different flavors on different days, and I've been following them on social media to see the owner working hard. Not only are the taiyaki cute and unique, but they are also delicious.

Imagawayaki with red bean paste for 150 yen. It had a simple and gentle taste, and was delicious.

I found a cozy cafe a short walk from Gotokuji Temple where I could take a break. They offer a set of Imagawayaki (sweet red bean cake) and coffee for just around 600 yen. The coffee was a bit weak for my taste, but the rare cheesecake Imagawayaki was delicious.

I got my hands on this Imagawa-yaki that was recommended as a souvenir from Setagaya. It was well-packaged and when I opened it, the shape was nice. The dough was fluffy and the sweet bean paste was just right. Overall, it was quite delicious.