Now known as "TOMIZ," this specialty store has branches nationwide and offers a wide range of ingredients for cooking, confectionery, and baking. The original store was established in 1919 in Machida. Today, I came to buy this year's new Tanba black beans for Osechi dishes. Due to the impact of heavy rain in western Japan, the quality of this year's Tanba black beans is not very good, but I still bought "extra-large" black beans (200g for 1,050 yen) and Hokkaido red beans (200g for 360 yen). I cooked both beans for a day, and they turned out soft and delicious, typical of new beans. Inside the store, there is a wide variety of beans in different sizes and origins. Wheat flour, sugar, spices, herbs, nuts, dried fruits, baking kits, and baking utensils are all displayed beautifully. Whether you want to make something from scratch, enjoy easy homemade treats with your kids, or simply add a personal touch to store-bought items, you will find what you need in this food wonderland.

Fuzawa Shoten @ Machida Fuzawa Shoten's main store! Everything is excitingly available! Tsubu Jam Coffee ★ I tried baking it in bread, but it was disappointing as it didn't taste like coffee, just sweet. Bread-making brown rice 100g Basil cocoa bread mix Mango, strawberry, melon, papaya, kiwi, pineapple Green raisins 100g Sultana 100g Dried cranberries 100g Mixed grains with green vegetables Currants 120g Baked skin Sakura Mochi Japanese sweets set Kashiwa Mochi ★ I heated and kneaded the white rice flour... managed to make something, but it's completely different and funny. Easy to make kashiwa mochi with kashiwa leaves. Dried apricots from Turkey 150g ★ The grains are large! I ended up buying quite a lot haha.

Shopping in Machida with my mother and husband♫♫ We found a shop while strolling around that sells a variety of dried goods and Chinese ingredients, including my favorite dried anchovies♡♡ One item that caught my eye was a mixed rice seasoning!! It contains green chili peppers, mountain vegetables, dried baby sardines, and sakura shrimp♫ They are not commonly found in supermarkets♫ After buying a lot, I made it at home the next day (*´꒳`*) The mixed rice was delicious! I would like to buy it again when I visit Machida.

A shop with a wide variety of confectionery ingredients such as nuts. Nuts are cheaper here than at other stores. I usually buy walnuts, cashews, and this time I bought cashews. I use them to make butter chicken curry paste, or just eat them as a snack. Buying 1kg may be cheaper with shipping included for online shopping, but if you buy 500g, it's a better deal here, as they can't be stored for a long time. I also bought spices to put in yogurt or smoothies. They also have delicious and affordable original products like dried fruits and nut creams.

Fumizawa Shoten was the first impression of what they were dealing with. People were coming in and out constantly, so I was curious. I entered and looked around the store from corner to corner to figure out what kind of store it was. They mainly sell tools for making cakes, as well as ingredients like flour. The store had a sweet smell because of this. I thought I wouldn't find anything useful since I can't make cakes, but then I found a corner with dried fruits for decoration. They were selling a variety of fruits, so I couldn't leave empty-handed! I found some dried apricots that I can eat and also some cranberries, so I bought these two items and took them home. I took individual photos before trying them, and they tasted just like they were fresh, even though they were dried. The apricots had a slight sourness and weren't too sweet. On the other hand, the cranberries, although dried, were sweeter than when eaten fresh and tasted better. It was a delicious experience. Thank you for the meal.

When I went to Takashimaya, I found a huge line for something♪☆⌒（＊＾∇゜）v I have to go check it out, right? (*^▽^*) There are quite a variety of things. I discovered strawberry jam sandwiches, which my sister often brings as souvenirs from Tokyo♪(σ≧▽≦)σ They are delicious (///ω///)♪! There are many other options too. A wide selection of dried fruits – figs, blueberries, raspberries, mangoes... you can taste them all!! They use good ingredients, but they are so sweet ( ；∀；) Since dried fruits have concentrated flavors, they are very intense!! They seem good for your health♪ I'm not a fan of anything too strong, so I find overly sweet things a bit much ( ；∀；) They also have a variety of nuts – delicious (*^▽^*) Of course, there are also items like dried squid sticks and dried cuttlefish (soft and hard). For some reason, there are also sweets available – surprisingly (゜∇^d)!! After tasting... the dried squid was too salty, so I gave up (/ー￣;) I didn't taste the jam sandwiches or bell-shaped castella, but they look delicious (〃^ー^〃) So, I bought them♪ The dried squid sticks had a good texture and the right amount of salt♪ They were delicious, so I bought them♪ I tried the bell-shaped castella at home, but it wasn't as moist as I expected, which was disappointing (/ー￣;) The jam sandwiches are small, but the jam is so rich that the size is just right♪ Even with just one or two pieces, you can be fully satisfied!! My mother loves them (*^▽^*) They are sold in 50g or 100g portions! They also have cookbooks using ingredients from the dried goods store♪ It's fun to buy a little bit at a time! They could be a stylish gift for someone too～(゜∇^d)!!

I stopped by "Tomizawa Shoten" in Machida, Machida Hara. When I was wandering around Machida, I was drawn to this place without any intention of attracting customers. They sell ingredients such as dried goods, beans, and flour. Probably, professional confectioners and bakers also come here to purchase. Personally, I am just curious about what they are selling, but I always end up buying something whenever I visit (lol). This time, I mainly bought "furikake" for lunch boxes - sesame salt, shiso nori, shiso chili furikake. I was curious and bought "Anno-imo Grasse" for 570 yen. I thought it would be hard and sweet, but it was not as sweet as I expected, with just the right amount of sweetness and softness, very delicious! Then, I bought "Stone-milled Whole Grain Flour (Haruyoko Love 1kg)" for 630 yen, which my partner uses for making scones. All of them are a bit pricey, but they are all good quality products. They even double the paper bag for the heavy flour, showing their consideration, making it a shop where you can purchase with peace of mind.

[Revisited on March 18, 2012] Tomizawa Shoten Machida Main Store Every time I visit Machida, a town that I gradually dislike more and more, the only place I used to frequent even when I lived in Tokyo was the main store of "Tomizawa Shoten." When traveling from Koganei/Fuchu to Yokohama, I would either take the route that crosses the Tama Hills and goes through Tsurugawa-dori before entering the urban area of Machida, or I would briefly exit onto the Kanjo-sen and take the Route 3 Kanagawa Expressway towards Yokohama, never directly stepping foot into the city center of Machida. However, I would always make the effort to visit "Tomizawa Shoten," struggling to find a parking spot along the stagnant road. Nowadays, if you live in Tokyo and want to buy rare ingredients or tools, it may be more convenient to visit the "Kappabashi" shop. But if you live in Kanagawa, you will inevitably find yourself searching for ingredients and tools at "Tomizawa Shoten." Normally, I would go shopping at the "Tomizawa Shoten" located in Yokohama Sogo. This time, I came to buy a chiffon cake mold and flour as per my child's request. Chiffon cake requires few ingredients, has a low failure rate, and is easy to customize, making it perfect for beginners in cake making. I bought disposable chiffon cake molds, cake flour, baking powder, and other items, including those already at home. For myself, I bought "Kakinotane" snacks. While Kamei's "Kakinotane" is usually sold in 100g or 260g bags, the "Kakinotane" bag packed by Tomizawa Shoten is 500g, a size suitable for professionals. I bought the regular ones, but there were also spicy variations available. The downside of these "Kakinotane" snacks is that they contain more peanuts than my preference, causing the peanuts to gather at the top of the bag when shaken. [July 17, 2011] Tomizawa Shoten Machida Main Store Established in 1919, almost 90 years ago, this shop gives off the impression of a small warehouse from the outside. It has a wonderfully rustic feel. The customers are professional Japanese confectionery, Western confectionery, and bread makers. They sell ingredients for making bread and sweets, flour and utensils, Japanese, Western, Italian, Chinese food ingredients, as well as some snacks. They have a wide variety of ingredients and tools, with everything you need for bread and sweets making, such as chocolate ingredients, bean paste, pie crusts, neatly arranged on shelves. They have expanded to many department stores in the Kanto region, and recently ventured into Kansai, Shenzhen, and Shanghai in China. I heard that the shop originally dealt with beans and dried goods. This area of Machida is now bustling with young people, but in the past, it was known as the dried goods street with many shops selling dried goods. I'm sure there are many interesting things to discover about Machida's history. I usually shop at Sogo Yokohama, but today I had business in Machida, so I decided to visit the main store after a long time. Normally, I come to Tomizawa Shoten to buy sesame paste, Italian cooking ingredients, and beans. I also come to get materials for my children's cultural festival performances. Compared to the confectionery ingredients sold at department stores or supermarkets, the ingredients here are completely different, with larger quantities and much cheaper prices. What I want to buy is the "Monthly Weighing Sale." I don't know what they are selling, but when I don't have a specific item in mind, I go to the entrance and next to the cash register where promotional items are sold. This time, they had various beans like pistachios and almonds. Upon further browsing, I found peanut kinako cream and black sesame paste being sold next to the cash register, so I promptly purchased them. Both are pastes meant to be spread on toast in the morning.

I was taken to this place by my wife and I really liked it. There is a wide variety of ingredients displayed, just looking at them is enjoyable. Especially, there are plenty of dried goods, seasonings, and snacks that look good. And the prices are cheap and full of deals. This time, I was shopping at the request of my wife. First, I bought frozen koji to make salt koji. They didn't have dried goods, but the staff recommended the frozen ones as they are only available at this time of year. Next, I bought salted cherry leaves for steamed fish dishes like sea bream. I will use them together with homemade salted cherry blossoms. Lastly, I bought pine nuts. They are quite expensive, so I had been out of stock for a while, but I bought them because they had natsume and goji berries in stock. Since the store has a wide range of products, there is a high possibility of discovering ingredients that cannot be found elsewhere. It is one of the best shops in Machida.

Fuzawa Shoten in Machida is a treasure trove of ingredients where you can find just about anything you need. They have around 50 different types of beans, including rare white and black panda beans. They also offer about 50 types of flour. Their selection of Chinese and ethnic sauces and pastes is extensive, with items like Tom Yum paste and Pad Thai paste available. You can find ingredients for any type of cuisine here, and just imagining or browsing through the store is exciting. I once found tamarind for curry here that I had been searching for. They also sell raw nuts that you can roast yourself, which enhances their flavor. In addition to ingredients, they also offer cooking utensils that are not easy to find elsewhere. They have a variety of cute molds for making traditional Japanese sweets. While they have almost everything you could need in terms of ingredients, they may be lacking a bit in French cuisine items. Unfortunately, I couldn't find tonka beans here for my dessert making. For those who love cooking or baking, Fuzawa Shoten is an essential old-fashioned store in Machida.

Last time, with the guidance of Professor Oggeti209, I was able to make Pesto Genovese and transform mysterious space food into a fragrant dish (lol). I learned the importance of not adding heat to ingredients that value their aroma. This time, I will be making a simple pizza using Italian flour. The recipe is from Ririmari-san, whom I learned from during my homestay in New Zealand. I will be using Caputo's Saccolosso flour purchased from Tomizawa Shoten, which is an Italian flour. I always thought that I needed to go to Italy to taste Italian flour, but I learned that it was not the case. I will be making pizza with it! I was told that authentic pizza is baked at 450 degrees in just 1 minute. The secret to its chewy texture and delicious crust is the high temperature and short baking time. I only have a domestic oven that goes up to 250 degrees, so I will continue to make it at home. I kept the toppings simple with shredded cheese and arugula. The pizza turned out more like focaccia. It was crispy, had a nice aroma when chewed, and was delicious. Finally, I was able to experience it. Italian flour is really aromatic and delicious. I want to taste it without any toppings. I might try baking bread with this flour in my home bakery. But before that, let's think for a moment. Why is this flour so delicious? Is there a secret to it? Tomizawa Shoten's website provided detailed information. I jumped into it thinking it was pure Italian flour, but Caputo sometimes blends Northern European wheat as needed. Wheat from Northern Europe is delicious! I want to try wheat from Southern Europe as well. Europe is the birthplace of bread, and wheat, a crop suitable for the climate, is delicious. The crispness is said to come from coarsely grinding the wheat. That's why the texture is crispy when chewed. It would probably make delicious cookies too. It is likely blended to achieve the appropriate stickiness. If it is too sticky, the bread becomes chewy and hard to chew. The good flavor comes from grinding the wheat slowly over time. In the past, humans and donkeys used to grind wheat with millstones, but it became mechanized after the Industrial Revolution. Caputo seems to have adopted the efficiency of mechanized milling while trying to achieve the deliciousness of stone-ground wheat. As a result, it may be slightly more expensive due to the time it takes to produce. But was it really that expensive? Let's list the prices. (Including tax) - Hokkaido Memuro-cho Spring Come 1kg 518 yen (strong flour for bread sold at vegetable direct sales outlets) - Nisshin Seifun Camellia 1kg 518 yen (common strong flour for bread found in any supermarket, produced in the US and Canada) - Italy Caputo Saccolosso 1kg 604 yen (strong flour for pizza) - Joshu Flour Hoshino Bussan Co., Ltd. 100% from Gunma Prefecture 1.2kg

I often eat wheat without knowing much about it, so I decided to explore the mystery of wheat. Last time, I had wheat flour ramen at a restaurant called "Komugi no Ki". This time, I wanted to eat wheat flour udon, but the restaurant was located far away and I needed to drive there. So, I decided to make it myself instead. I bought the ingredients, including wheat flour for udon from Gunma Prefecture, at a store called Tomizawa. I found out that they sell rare wheat flour from Honshu. I also needed water, salt, a cotton swab, and starch for dusting. I looked up the recipe online and found out that making udon involves a complex process with 20 steps and requires drying the noodles until they become translucent. It seemed too difficult for a beginner like me, so I decided to follow a detailed guide by Mr. Renmi. I started by cleaning my room, which I had been neglecting, and then began making the udon dough in the morning. After having lunch and a nap, I finally finished making the udon noodles by 5 pm. I rolled out the dough with a cotton swab and cut it with a knife, but it took longer than I expected. When I cooked the noodles for about 12 minutes, they turned out a bit overcooked because I didn't cut them evenly. The texture lacked chewiness and elasticity, probably because I didn't knead the dough enough. However, the wheat flour from Gunma had a nice aroma and flavor, which made the udon noodles taste better than expected. Despite the slight mishaps, I enjoyed the homemade udon and thought that it would be delicious if made properly with the Gunma wheat flour. I look forward to trying authentic Gunma wheat flour udon in the future, but for now, I'll make do with my homemade version.

Since the self-restraint request in April until the end of May, I have been greatly assisted by the online shopping site of Tomizawa Shoten. With continued stay-at-home orders, wheat flour disappeared from the shelves of the local supermarket. Butter, cream cheese, and other items are also in short supply. Many people are hoping to spend their time at home making sweets and bread, to eat as meals or snacks. This has led to shortages. Tomizawa Shoten's online shopping site has been a great help during this time. Initially, it was easy to shop, but as more people started using it, there were limits on the number of users per day (which have since been lifted). Despite the shipping costs, it was still more convenient than going to the supermarket, so I have used it several times in the past two months. The variety of available ingredients is unparalleled, including domestically produced wheat flour (weak, medium, strong), dry yeast, and gelatin powder. My daughter and I have been baking cookies, pizza, butter rolls, round bread, Basque cheesecake, milk pudding, and butter cake, among other things. We have been enjoying homemade bread and sweets that are free of additives. During Golden Week, I sent some cool-delivered treats to my husband who couldn't come home. When he returns next month, I plan to have fresh-baked goods waiting for him at the table. I give high marks for the ease of reservation and the likelihood of reusing this service. There are several physical stores in the prefecture, so I would like to visit them once the COVID-19 situation improves. I imagine the online shopping department is very busy due to the increase in users. I thank the staff for their hard work and hope they take care of their health. Much gratitude and appreciation. *The total amount spent this time includes multiple purchases.

I usually use barley tea, but the tea shop I always bought from suddenly closed. I thought I could easily find it at another shop, but I couldn't find it anywhere. I had to try different options. I found this barley tea at Isetan department store. The barley tea is light and refreshing, without any strong flavors. However, I was used to blends with various ingredients, so I found it a bit lacking. Finding a tea that suits my taste is surprisingly difficult. I found the same tea online, but considering the shipping costs, it's a bit of a dilemma.