I stopped by on my way back from Musashi-Yamato Station. I bought a rare product called salt dorayaki. I couldn't clearly tell the difference in taste from regular dorayaki, but I think the texture and aftertaste are light.

After finishing lunch, I searched for a cafe to go to, but couldn't find anything appealing. My wife suggested, "Let's take a break outside instead." It was a great idea. We bought some snacks from a nearby place and drove to Sayama Park. We sat on a bench with a view of Tama Lake and had a tea time. The salted dorayaki was a bit small for its price, with a hint of saltiness from the cherry blossom petals. The coffee-flavored dorayaki from Cafe Au Lait was quite innovative, with a blackened lip part. Both were small but tasty. We relaxed while watching ants diligently carrying food crumbs, some ants were just lazing around on the crumbs. Later, we decided to visit Toyoshimaya Sake Brewery.

I purchased a creation called "An Purin," a Japanese confectionery, and my whole family couldn't help but be amazed by how delicious it was. It's a fusion of Japanese and Western flavors, combining cream and sweet red bean paste. The taste was completely different from what I had imagined, in a good way. It was a surprise. Despite using seemingly ordinary ingredients like Japanese sugar, cream, agar, sweet red bean paste, and sugar syrup, the texture was fluffy and creamy, with a smooth and firm sweetness. It felt light yet rich at the same time, showcasing the skill of a professional. Even if it were served at a high-end shop in Ginza, I'm sure it would be a hit. It's delicious.

The shop is located in a residential area far from the station, so I didn't have the opportunity to visit until recently when I had some business nearby. The shop is much larger inside than it looks from the outside, with a wide variety of offerings including manju, monaka, wagashi, jelly, dorayaki, and mochi sweets... It's hard to decide what to choose. I was pleasantly surprised to find such a selection in a local Japanese sweets shop, similar to the famous shops associated with the late comedian Ken Shimura and Akagi (Kumegawa branch). When I visited right after opening, the sweet smell of freshly baked dorayaki filled the air... Could it be that you can buy them fresh from the oven? Unfortunately, they weren't ready yet. Instead, I purchased Jizo Monaka, Blueberry Manju, and Tama Lake Pie. The Jizo Monaka is a square-shaped mochi filled monaka. The red bean paste filling has a noticeable texture of whole beans and a pleasantly light sweetness that doesn't linger on the palate. The mochi inside is firm and satisfying to bite into, making it delicious. When it comes to mochi-filled monaka, Kurazukuri Honpo in Kawagoe (Tokorozawa) is famous in this area, but this monaka is just as good. The Tama Lake Pie is a one-bite pie filled with pumpkin paste, and surprisingly has a buttery richness in the pie crust. The filling, a combination of white bean paste and pumpkin, has a rich flavor that belies its simple packaging and name. The Blueberry Manju was devoured by my husband and children, so I didn't get to taste it, but they said it was delicious. It's clear that the shop uses good quality ingredients and takes great care in making their products. Although it's a shop rooted in the local community and loved by residents, the taste is on par with well-known shops found in department stores, making it a great option for gifts. I would love to come back for a rematch with the freshly baked dorayaki. I will definitely visit again.

In the movie "An," which was entirely filmed in Higashimurayama, there was a scene where the owner of a dorayaki shop, Sentaro, was attempting to make "salt dorayaki." It was not clear in the movie whether he succeeded in making it or not. However, a shop called Shimizuya has actually created a product inspired by the "salt dorayaki" from the movie, called "Higashimurayama Shio Dorayaki." The shop is located about 600m straight ahead from the west exit of Higashimurayama Station, about a 7-minute walk from the station. The shop has a very impressive appearance. It seems like Higashimurayama has quite a long history. There is a poster of the movie "An" on the shop's window, along with a sign for "Higashimurayama Shio Dorayaki." Inside the shop, there is a wide variety of Japanese sweets, with the "Sentai Jizo Senbei" standing out. The "Sentai Jizo Senbei" is a confectionery inspired by the Jizo Hall of the national treasure Shofukuji Temple, recognized as a famous local brand in Higashimurayama. Next to it, somewhat modestly displayed, is the "Higashimurayama Shio Dorayaki." The packaging is quite cute. After obtaining permission from the shop staff to take a photo, I purchased two pieces to take home. The "Higashimurayama Shio Dorayaki" contains salt-pickled cherry blossom in the dorayaki skin. The reason for this can be understood by watching the movie "An," but essentially, it is a new texture dorayaki with a hint of salt added to the sweetness. I took a bite right away. The skin is thick and moist. There is also honey inside, making it quite elaborate. The red bean paste is chunky and has a strong sweetness. The salt-pickled cherry blossom adds a significant salty flavor, but when eaten with the sweet red bean paste, it becomes a great accent and tastes delicious. Even if you're not a big fan of sweet treats, you can easily finish a whole piece while enjoying the balance of the cherry blossom saltiness. This is great, isn't it? I hope they promote this new local specialty of Higashimurayama and sell it more and more. However, one concerning detail is... is it a limited-time offer? When I asked the staff, they mentioned that it is planned to be continuously sold as a new product. That's a relief. I would definitely like to purchase it again as a new souvenir from Higashimurayama. Thank you for the meal.

Located about 500 meters west of Higashi-Murayama Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line, this shop is part of the Noguchi-cho shopping street. It is a long-standing traditional Japanese sweets shop beloved by locals. The movie "An" was filmed in Higashi-Murayama and was one of the late Kirin Kiki's final works. It is a masterpiece that depicts the lives of elderly residents who were isolated in a sanatorium as leprosy patients, facing estrangement from family and society. The National Sanatorium Tama Zenshoen in Higashi-Murayama, established in 1909, continues to provide care for former leprosy patients who were once isolated during the leprosy prevention campaign. A friend brought me a souvenir from their visit to Tama Zenshoen as part of a leprosy awareness campaign, which was the "Higashi-Murayama Salt Dorayaki" inspired by the movie "An" from Shimizu-ya. This dorayaki features a refined sweet red bean paste with a hint of salt sandwiched between softly baked dough. The dough is made with a blend of locally grown wheat from Higashi-Murayama. The surface of the dorayaki is adorned with salt-pickled cherry blossoms for an added touch. The flavor is even more profound when enjoyed after watching the movie.