The rows were amazing so I decided to buy them in a row. It's a thin plate of airy rice with a fluffy texture, sandwiching red bean paste with a low water content. It's individually wrapped, easy to use, and perfect for casual tea parties. It's like a salty sweet genre. The outside has a savory taste, while the inside is sweet. At around 200 yen per piece, it may seem a bit pricey. I tried both the coffee flavor and the regular flavor, but the difference wasn't very clear.

This shop at Isetan Shinjuku always has a line, maybe because they have a coffee-flavored item exclusive to the Shinjuku store? I was able to buy it when there was a short line. I was curious about the combination of rice crackers and sweet bean paste, but it didn't really appeal to me. It didn't meet my expectations and I didn't like it very much.

Today, I took a day off and decided to stroll around the basement floor of Isetan Shinjuku store. I found a long line getting ready, and at the front of the line was Tomimido, so I decided to visit. It was my first time visiting, and I purchased the popular items from the line: 3 bags of "Anko Tenmai" in plain flavor and 3 bags of coffee flavor set (1,286 yen). The crispy rice crackers had a nice saltiness that paired well with the sweet red bean paste. The red bean paste was not dry and tasted delicious. The saltiness and texture were good, making you want to have another one. The coffee flavor was a limited edition item at Isetan Shinjuku store. The coffee aroma was not overpowering, and the mild bitterness of the coffee after the sweetness of the red bean paste was delicious. This would make a great souvenir to give someone. It was delicious!

I received a gift from an acquaintance. This time, the person who always gives me stylish sweets gave me something that was like "anko + senbei = ?" Oh, it reminded me of the "anko arare" or "age anko arare" that I bought at Ryogoku Kokugido in the past, with illustrations of sumo wrestlers. I remember the taste was not bad. So, this time, without expecting much, I tried it, and surprisingly, it was quite delicious! The sweetness of the anko and the crispy senbei sandwiching it had a nice crunchy texture, with a strong saltiness that complemented the sweetness well. It was delicious! I couldn't stop eating it. The loop of sweet and salty was dangerous. I intended to have just a little, but it was so good that I decided to have another piece slowly with some green tea. Yes, it was still delicious. I'm convinced that it would taste even better with tea. I'll bring some when I meet someone next time. It's really exciting to discover new delicious things and want to share that joy with others. Today, I'll limit myself to just two pieces. Oh, but when I checked the online shop of "Fujimidou," I found out that you can only buy 6 bags or 10 bags per person. Now I want to get it even more. I'll savor it carefully.

The expectations were too high and honestly it was disappointing. The texture and balance were off, the red bean paste was mushy, and the Isetan exclusive coffee flavor was a surprisingly mismatched combination. It may vary depending on personal preference, but this is just my personal opinion.

Fuji Midou opened in Isetan Shinjuku in February 2022. Fuji Midou is a senbei (rice cracker) shop founded in 1950 in Katsushika Ward, Aoto. Among traditional Japanese sweets, they offer trendy and innovative products such as stylish senbei and unique creations. It's wonderful to see historic Japanese sweet shops like this creating trends with the help of young owners. Other notable shops include Senbei Brothers in Funabori and Tanakaya Zenbei Sohonke in Gifu. Fuji Midou uses pesticide-reduced rice in all their senbei, and they also offer a variety of products like the lightly textured White Hoobari with a hint of soy sauce flavor and the Chocolavita with organic chocolate. However, the current hot item is the "Anko Tenmai (Red Bean Paste and Coffee)" for 216 yen. It features Fuji Midou's Tenmai senbei sandwiched with red bean paste made from Hokkaido red beans. This sweet treat ranks third in popularity on the Nippon Drill by Hayashi Osamu, leading to a surge in inquiries. Since the opening of Isetan Shinjuku, there have been long lines forming. They are usually sold out by around 2 pm. The senbei has a firm texture with a lingering red bean flavor inside. The combination of sweetness and a hint of saltiness is delightful. The addition of coffee adds a fragrant touch, balancing the bitterness nicely. This would make a great gift that anyone would appreciate. Thank you for the treat. Isetan Shinjuku Department Store Basement Japanese Sweets Ranking: 5th place: Enkoten's "Enkoten Tsukimochi" 4th place: Fukusaya's "Fukusaya Cube" 3rd place: Fuji Midou's "Anko Tenmai" 2nd place: Kamakura Beniya's "Kurumikko" 1st place: Suzukake's "Suzunomasunaka"

This is a specialty shop for rice crackers located in the depachika of Isetan in Shinjuku. I had been curious about the "anko tenmai" rice crackers, which have red bean paste sandwiched between them, so I decided to buy them. The rice crackers are palm-sized and have a fairly thick layer of red bean paste in between. The rice crackers are quite salty, while the red bean paste is quite sweet. It's a unique combination of salty and sweet flavors that is quite addictive. They also have coffee-flavored anko tenmai available as well.

I bought some Anko Tenbei. It's like a rice cracker with sweet red bean paste. It's delicious with a slightly sweet and salty flavor. The texture is crispy and thin, unlike a dorayaki.

This is Isetan in Shinjuku. It's big and spacious. People from Kansai might get lost here (lol). It was my first time seeing it, and I bought a snack called Anko Tenmai. It's a rice cracker with red bean paste. The crackers are thin and shaped like flowers, with red bean paste inside. It was delicious.

There are local senbei (rice cracker) manufacturers in the area. I'm not sure if they are nationally known, but there is Kameda Seika, the maker of "Happy Turn" and "Kaki no Tane." Iwatsuka Seika doesn't seem to have major products, but their affiliate company "Hana" has a killer brand called "Usuage." While I personally don't react much to Mikoyoshi Seika, their "Cheese Almond" is surprisingly delicious. "Bakauke" from Kurizama Seika is a brand that I feel became popular later on, but they are a familiar presence. Naniwaya, the originator of "Kaki no Tane," is a company I used to think was from Osaka, but they are actually from Nagaoka, Niigata. There's also Bourbon, but the ones that taste good are "Kabukiage," "Usuage," and the senbei from this shop. I stumbled upon this shop at Isetan and discovered that they had opened a booth. It's a small booth, but I can feel the number of shops expanding gradually. I support these manufacturers. I even went to the main store in Aoto. It's very small. But I happened to find them at a booth. Encounters are important. I decided to make a purchase. It was my first time trying anko senbei (rice cracker with sweet red bean paste). It seems to be a popular item that is currently sold out everywhere. This shop had completely sold out. But it turns out that it's included in a set with the Isetan Shinjuku original anko coffee senbei. I bought it. I sent it to my home. I tried the classic "Hoobari" flavor. It was a few years ago... no, four years ago... Was it "Hoobari" that I sampled? The sensation of the taste being on a different level with just one bite, was that feeling real? This shop is starting to show new evolutions.

A mild sweetness of the red bean paste, combined with salty rice crackers, creates a fantastic combination.

At Shinjuku Isetan, the popular shops with long queues are not just Suzukake and noix de beurre, but now it's this. According to information from a certain TV program, these are the best-selling items. It's true that whenever I go, I only see sold out signs. In July, there was a reservation counter for card members, so it must be very popular. That's why there's a limit on the number of purchases: 50 pieces for plain and 20 pieces for coffee. The count is based on the total of assorted and individual sales. The coffee flavor is exclusive to Isetan. Probably the reason for the long lines is this, but at Tobu Ikebukuro, they sell with a limit of 30 pieces every week on weekends, so it seems to be quite popular. The online shop at Isetan also sells them. I easily bought a set of 10 plain and 5 coffee pieces for 3,136 yen. The fried salted senbei with sweet bean paste is quite salty. The senbei has an exceptional crispiness. The sweet bean paste is unique, with a sandy texture and a mild sweetness. The coffee version has coffee-flavored bean paste, but it's not very strong. The combination of coffee and salt might be challenging. Overall, it's an interesting snack, but I personally found it a bit confusing. It's not just a regular senbei, but as a combination of fried item and paste, the ones from Komagome Nakazato with sesame oil are much tastier. However, my family surprisingly liked it, especially for its uniqueness and presentation. It could be a fun gift or souvenir. It's a bit pricey at around 200 yen per piece, but it's well-packaged and could make an interesting gift. It seems to be a new Tokyo souvenir, even having a sales area at Gransta.