A delicious course perfect for sweet lovers! Kakunodate Japanese Sweets Course

Gateau Yamada, a popular cake shop in Kakunodate, is located on the street in front of the station. The recommended Japanese sweets here are the soft cherry blossom-colored baked goods! The new texture of the Kakunodate Sakura Cookies, a combination of a monaka and a cookie, is a light cookie with a subtle cherry blossom flavor that brings back memories! Related information: Gateau Yamada Address: 92-5 Nakasugasawa, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0368

Sakaiya, a fruit and vegetable store located on the station street, has a retro-style fruit parlor at the back of the store. We recommend the "Fruit Shop Taiyaki," which is a mysterious combination of Akita apples and custard cream (*´艸｀) For a limited time, they will also be selling peach and Saimyoji chestnut taiyaki! At the parlor, which is popular among students, you can enjoy parfaits made with plenty of seasonal fruits! Related information Sakaiya Address: 92-81 Nakasugasawa, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0368

Naruto mochi, a local rice cake confectionery from Kakunodate, has long been made for celebrations and special occasions. Kumagaya Naruto Mochiten continues to preserve the same flavor to this day, selling it at their storefront or at the Wondermol Takayanagi supermarket in Kakunodate. Naruto mochi is made with coarsely crushed glutinous rice wrapped in a subtly sweet bean paste, and its appeal lies in its texture and gentle flavor.

Ando Brewery, a long-established miso and soy sauce brewery with a brick warehouse in the outskirts of Kakunodate, is known for its "amazake" (sweet sake) made only from rice koji. The chilled amazake has no distinctive odor or grains of rice, making it a refreshing drink recommended for those who don't like amazake! It's also non-alcoholic, making it popular with children. You can also take a free tour of the storehouse and library, built in the mid-Meiji period, so you can take your time choosing souvenirs. Related Information: Ando Brewery Main Store Address: 27 Shimoshinmachi, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0315

A recommended product in Kakunodate from Sanadura, a famous Akita confectionery, is Fukuju! Sanadura is a grape confectionery made from wild grape juice in the form of agar and jelly. You can enjoy its sweet and sour refreshing taste. Made from Akita's natural wild grapes, Sanadura is rich in polyphenols, so it makes a great souvenir or snack. Related information: Sanadura Honpo Fukuju Address: 44 Iwase-cho, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0316

Hatta Confectionery, founded in 1887, sells the long-awaited "Hanami Dango" for the residents of Kakunodate as the cherry blossom season approaches! The Hanami Dango, which are made for a limited time, have a gentle taste that is not too sweet, contrasting with the vibrant colors... The seasonal "Iris Dango," "Momiji Dango," and "Sweet Potato" are also popular. The classic soy sauce yubeshi "Obako Mochi" made with walnuts makes a great souvenir! Related information: Hatta Confectionery Address: 3 Shimonakacho, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0317

Located near the entrance to Samurai Residence Street, this popular shop is known for its modern Japanese accessories. There is a cafe inside the store, so why not try a sundae (seasonal only) made with boiled Saimyoji chestnuts in their skins? The handmade chestnuts are a beautiful pink color ♡ This is a limited-time Japanese sweet that can only be found for a short period of time! *Usually around October to November each year. Related information: Little One Address: 17 Yokomachi, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0323

This pudding shop opened in Kakunodate in the spring of 2020. Its retro atmosphere makes it extremely popular with young people, and its puddings have a smooth, creamy texture. There can be long lines on holidays and during the cherry blossom festival, so be sure to come early! Related information: Akita Purin-tei: A Taste of Nostalgia in Michinoku Address: 16 Yokomachi, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture

"When it comes to bean paste, Goto Fukushindo is the place to go!!" This Japanese confectionery shop has been in business for over 140 years and is beloved by locals. Their popular product, the "Kumquat Manju," is a cute manju filled with whole candied kumquats in bean paste, and the refreshing sweetness of the kumquat makes it a favorite among those who like spicy food. Among them, the "Gofuku Yokan" is a best-selling product loved by the locals! Please try Gofuku's bean paste at least once. Related information Goto Fukushindo, established over 140 years ago Address: 12-2 Higashi Katsurakucho, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0300

They carefully polish, de-stone, and select their own home-grown buckwheat seeds, then grind them into flour using a stone mill. This is a famous restaurant where you can enjoy freshly ground, freshly made, and freshly boiled soba noodles. After eating the soba noodles, we highly recommend trying the soba soft serve. The soba soft serve, made with roasted buckwheat flour, has an irresistible fragrant flavor (*´﹃`) Related information Kakunodate Soba Sobakiri Chosuke Address: 28-5 Kobitomachi, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0324

This is a sweets and restaurant located on the samurai residence street. It was originally a milk shop, so its soft serve ice cream is very popular! In addition to the standard vanilla, sesame, and matcha flavors, they also have seasonal flavors such as cherry blossom, so it's fun to try different flavors each time you visit. Also, the view of the samurai residence street from the second floor is amazing! Related information: Samurai Residence Tea House Address: 14-1 Omotemachi Shimocho, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0331

This cafe is located on the first floor of the "Haikarakan" building on the grounds of the Aoyagi family home in Kakunodate Historical Village. It's the perfect place for tea time between tours of the Aoyagi family home. One thing we highly recommend is the "Sanazura Ice Cream." Made with wild grape juice, the acidity of the grapes blends perfectly with the sweetness of the ice cream for a perfect combination! We also recommend the limited-time "Aoyagi Zenzai" and "Kakunodate Coffee Jelly"! Related Information Kakunodate Historical Village Aoyagi Family Home Address: 3 Omotemachi Shimocho, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0331

"Morokoshi" is a traditional sweet made by stamping azuki bean flour. It is classified as a type of Japanese sweet, and its roots are said to be in China. In the Tenpo era of the Edo period, a textbook called "Eboshi Oya," which was used in temple schools, also introduced morokoshi, which is written as "karatotsuchi" (Chinese and earth), as one of the products of Kakunodate. "Todoan" has stores in front of the station and near the Sakuranamiki parking lot. Tastings are available, so please come and enjoy this local Akita sweet!! Related information Todoan (Morokoshian) Address: 402-3 Kamisugasawa, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, 014-0369

Sakuragi is a famous restaurant that serves handmade soba noodles using local buckwheat flour and seasonal ingredients. The recommended Japanese sweet here is the "Soba Shiratama" - the chewy shiratama with the flavor of soba creates an indescribable moment of bliss... Be sure to order it as a side dish after enjoying the handmade soba noodles. Also available for a limited time only are "Sobagaki Shiruko" and "Shibukawani and Yokan" made with Saimyoji chestnuts. Related information: Handmade Soba Sakuragi Address: 20-6 Kawaramachi, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0333

Opposite the municipal cherry blossom-lined parking lot, there is a shop where you are greeted by a Daihatsu Midget three-wheeled vehicle from the 1950s. Why not take a break from walking around town and enjoy some matcha tapioca ice cream in this nostalgic shop? In this retro space, you can choose from soft serve ice cream and a wide variety of tapioca drinks. Related information: Kakunodate Aoi Shoten Address: 122-7 Kitano, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0359

"Kurayoshi" is a Japanese confectionery shop that uses only carefully selected ingredients and is particular about the sweets it produces, handmade by artisans. They offer a variety of sweets, including "Nama Anmorokoshi," a modern take on Akita's traditional sweet "Morokoshi," and sweets such as puddings with the skins simmered in the chestnut jelly, chestnut kanoko, and mizu yokan, all of which make great souvenirs or gifts! You can also enjoy matcha and anmitsu at the cafe! (^^)! Related information: Kurayoshi Sweets Cafe Address: 38-25 Kobitomachi, Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0324

Petit Fraise, a restaurant and cake shop located right next to Yokomachi Bridge over the Hinokinai River in Kakunodate Town, is filled with sweets made with Saimyouji chestnuts! Popular treats include pie pastries filled with whole large chestnuts, daifuku, Mont Blanc, and candy koji chestnut rolls! There are many different types of chestnut sweets to choose from, so they're also recommended as souvenirs~(*^^)v Related information: Western confectionery and omelet rice Petit Fraise Address: 2 Oofuro, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0371

"Okashi no Kurata Kakunodate Store" is located in the Kitaura Main Building of Ando Brewery. The only Japanese sweet you can taste here is, without a doubt, the "soy sauce soft serve ice cream"!! The soft serve ice cream is made using Ando Brewery's soy sauce, and the flavor of the soy sauce and the sweet and salty taste are addictive, making it a popular item that you won't want to miss when you come here! In addition to collaboration products with Ando Brewery, the store also has the classic long-selling "Obakona, Hidekona", "Sakura Baumkuchen" and "Hikiyama Dango" - how about that too~ (*^^)v Related information: Okashi no Kurata Kakunodate Store (inside the Kitaura Main Building of Ando Brewery) Address: 42-1 Unzen Yamazaki, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0341

Located along National Route 105, Lucy Company, a handmade cake and freshly baked bread shop, stocks seasonal sweets and breads. The "Salted Butter Anpan" is a Japanese sweet (but it's actually bread) with an irresistible sweet and salty taste! A wide variety of products, including "Kakunodate Miso Bread" made with Ando Brewery's miso, and "Ice Bread" made with Ogura Matcha Cream and Ogura Cream, will tickle the hearts of sweet lovers! (^^)! Related information: Lucy Company, a handmade cake shop Address: 139-1 Ueno, Kakunodate-cho, Senboku-shi, Akita Prefecture, 014-0374

"Mochiri Manju" is a type of bun characterized by its chewy texture. They offer a wide variety of flavors, including the classic brown manju, white bean paste, cherry blossom bean paste, pumpkin, and sesame! You can purchase them at nearby supermarkets or at New Days at Kakunodate Station.