This is Daikokuya Jisuke located next to the torii gate of Kanda Myojin Shrine. It is an old-fashioned candy shop with a history dating back to the Edo period. It is said to be the shop where the novelist Higuchi Ichiyo used to buy souvenirs for her mother. It is located on the first floor of the same building as Meishu Center. In the TV Tokyo program "Dēmō! Adomachi! Tenkū no Kanda Myojin" (出没！アド街ック天国), it was introduced as the 6th place. They sell candies made by boiling sugar and water candy. This candy is called "Aruheitō," which was brought to Japan as a gift by Portuguese missionaries during the time of Oda Nobunaga. As a candy shop, they also sell Chitose ame. By the way, it is said that it was Kanda Myojin Shrine that first started giving Chitose ame to children who visited for the Shichi-Go-San festival, so maybe our Chitose ame has been popular since then? On this day, I stopped by on my way back from the first shrine visit of the year. Last year, I was distracted by the barrel sake at the neighboring Meishu Center and didn't notice this shop, but this year I decided to try the candy instead of alcohol. Four types of "Myojin ame" were displayed at the storefront: Nikki, Hakkai, Black Ame, and Sarashi Ame, each priced at 200 yen. I purchased Black Ame (200 yen) and Masago (300 yen). Masago is an okaki flavored with soy sauce. You can eat one piece at a time or take 4-5 pieces in your hand and pop them into your mouth. It has a crispy and delicious aftertaste. The soy sauce flavor lingering in your mouth afterwards is also quite simple and pleasant. Myojin ame has a smooth surface. You can't eat too much of it at once, so it's perfect for when you're tired at work and just need one piece. It lasted for over a week.

I happened to pass by this place in the afternoon on a weekday, and thought they might be open since it's a weekday. They had several types of candy, but not all of them are available every day. On this day, they had apricot candy, cinnamon candy, cider candy, and exposed candy. Unfortunately, they didn't have tortoiseshell candy. As I was leaving, I mentioned to the owner that I have loved apricot candy since I was a child, but it seems like the scent of flavoring has become stronger over the years. The owner responded, "Is that so? Maybe it would be better with a little less flavoring." I hope that the next time I visit, the apricot candy will have a milder flavoring.

This year, I visited the same old-fashioned candy shop in Tokyo, along Route 17, near Kanda Shrine. After visiting the shrine, I passed by the shop and was intrigued, so I decided to go in. Inside, there were various candies in small bags with a nostalgic feel. I couldn't decide which one to get, but the owner came out and kindly explained each candy to me. I ended up buying apricot and peppermint candies. The candies were handed to me in a brown paper bag, and when I opened it, I found some extra candies individually wrapped in sulfur paper. I tried one of the candies, and it had a refreshing and delicious taste, not too sweet. I really liked it and wished I had bought more. My friend said it reminded him of a candy he had at another shrine, but I couldn't tell. Next time I visit Kanda Shrine, I definitely want to buy more candies to take home.

I was surprised to find this place registered on Tabelog... When it comes to Kanda Myojin's candy, this is the place. Without even knowing the store's name, just saying "candy store" is enough. This is the place for Shichi-Go-San celebrations. If you're taking a stroll and want to buy candy, this is the place to go. It's like the Niki candy from Eitaro. It's a shop for Myojin candy.

The candy is delicious, so whenever I come to Ochanomizu, I always stop by. The staff's customer service is truly wonderful, and I always receive extra treats. I look forward to continuing to visit in the future.

A candy store near Kanda Myojin Shrine. It is a long-established shop with a history, but now located on the first floor of a building. Inside the store, empty glass containers are scattered around, and on the tables, candies and rice crackers sit quietly. Today's "Myojin candy" is apricot and cider! The apricot flavor is slightly different from the old taste, not very apricot-like. The cider flavor, on the other hand, retains the old taste and is delicious. The candies are neatly packed in a beautiful paper bag, with two extra candies included as a bonus. The shop owner bends his waist over 90 degrees and bows deeply, saying "Thank you very much!" A true reflection of a merchant, wonderful.

After visiting Yushima Tenjin, I decided to extend my visit to Kanda Myojin. It was during the plum festival period, so there were many visitors. Some people were even riding horses. I found a small shop nearby that sold sweet sake. According to reviews on Tabelog, it's an old candy shop. I bought cider, apricot, and cinnamon as souvenirs. The shop even included some free candy in the bag. What a nice service! I tried the cider first. Wait, is this really cider? I was expecting something like Mitsuya Cider, so it was quite a surprise. It's more like a carbonated drink in general. I'm curious to try the apricot and cinnamon next. The shop also had Koshigaya Senbei for sale.

Since my last purchase, I had passed by many times and it was always closed. But on this day, it was finally open! The lineup today was apricot, cider, and nikki. They don't always have all flavors available. The tortoiseshell candy I bought last time was not there. When I was a child, I hated candies sold in supermarkets, but I always liked the apricot candy here, so I was happy to see it available today and ended up buying all flavors. However, the apricot flavor seemed much more artificial compared to before. Cider is fine since it's always made with artificial flavoring anyway. It's a shame because the tortoiseshell candy and thousand-year candy I bought last time were so delicious. Next time, I'll buy the tortoiseshell candy if it's available. The lack of business sense is still the same, as I only bought four bags of candy for 200 yen, but the owner tried to give me a 200 yen rice cracker for free, and when I declined, he tried to give me an extra bag of candy. The owner is just so kind-hearted. I wonder if they would make a batch of the old version of apricot candy without artificial flavoring if I order a decent amount...

I decided to visit Kanda Myojin because I was nearby. After paying my respects (for matchmaking, business prosperity, etc.), I enjoyed the tradition of having sweet sake or candy afterwards. There is a store called Daikokuya near the entrance of the shrine. The showcase inside the store is very simple, displaying only a few types of candy. I chose the apricot-flavored Myojin candy and enjoyed it in the car on the way home. The candy is nothing extraordinary, but the scent of apricot is delicious to me. Although it is a very ordinary action, I am grateful for the things that are not visible to the eye, so I grip the steering wheel and head home.

Facing Kanda Myojin, on the right side of Hongo Street, there is a small, inconspicuous shop selling bagged candies. There are several varieties, like a tortoiseshell-like one that is said to be cinnamon, and a light blue one that is thought to be cider. And they are only 200 yen per bag, which is unusually cheap. I decided to buy some. It was a mixed assortment of candies in various colors. I thought the green one was matcha, but it wasn't. It was quite sweet. What flavor was this again? I've tasted it somewhere before, but I can't remember. Eventually, it was gone. Sweet, sweet, it was a traditional candy taste.

I grew up around Kanda Shrine and Yushima Tenjin, so we often had their candies at home. I was a child who didn't like to eat candies bought at supermarkets, but I remember liking the apricot candy from this place. The shop has been around since the Edo period, and it used to be a standalone house, but now it's quietly tucked away on the first floor of a probably newly built apartment building due to redevelopment. I parked my car and was about to stop by after a long time, but the shutter was almost closing and the interior was dimly lit, so I thought maybe they were closed. However, a customer came out and the owner saw me off, indicating that they were open. When I entered the shop, there were hardly any candies left. The only ones available were apricot, cider, tortoiseshell, and thousand-year candies. The apricot candy was sold out, and the owner mentioned they were planning to make more tomorrow. I purchased the tortoiseshell and thousand-year candies. The tortoiseshell candy was 200 yen, and the thousand-year candy was 70 yen each. Compared to the main store of Kintaroame in Iriya, it was significantly cheaper. Considering the effort put into making them, I was worried that it might not be profitable. Moreover, despite having only a few items, the owner tried to put them in a paper bag for me, but I declined, thinking about the cost of the paper bag eating into their profit. The shop has a charming atmosphere, and the candies taste completely different from commercially available ones made with glucose, fructose, and liquid sugar. The quality of sweetness is not superficial and shiny but has depth to it. Despite being delicious, the shop only has two reviews at the moment. It's a shame. It's within walking distance from Akihabara, so if you happen to be near Kanda Shrine or Akihabara, be sure to visit. The shop has a small entrance that you might easily overlook, so be careful not to miss it.