SHIMADA

Picture Perfect Seasonal Wagashi
[updated May 2020]

Shimada is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop in Koenji, opened in 1922. The shop has been making sweets suitable for each season with delicious wagashi that resemble plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, maple leaves, and so on. Because their sweets are beautiful and high quality they are especially appreciated for tea ceremony. Shimada’s sweets are not only good in quality but also reasonable in prices, so they receive a lot of orders from schools and shrines in the area.

One of the best choices is kuri monaka, a chestnut sweet wafer (200 yen) which contains chestnut and coarse sweet red bean anko paste. Oribe manju (130 yen) is also recommended, with the outer part of the manju made of yam, and sweet red bean paste inside. Its soft and fluffy texture resembling mochi is quite popular.

As for special gifts, if you have a one-year-old child, you should buy tanjo mochi or birthday mochi (1.8 kilograms and 3,300 yen). It is believed that if you have your one-year-old child carry tanjo mochi on his or her back that he or she will be well-off throughout their life. (*Please note children under 3 years old should not eat mochi as they can choke very easily.)

If you are looking for the perfect wagashi for your photo memories or as a gift, then plan a visit to Shimada in Koenji.

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