"Deep-fried manju skewers 5-piece set" for 750 yen. It's been about 20 years since I last had Kato-ya's deep-fried manju. I remember being impressed by how delicious it was back then, so I bought it to treat people who have never tried it before. The skewers come in a set of 5 for this price. They serve them freshly fried, so the outside is crispy and the inside is chewy. I love them myself, but when I give them to others, almost everyone says they're delicious. They can also be reheated in a toaster, making them a great souvenir too!"

This is a long-established manju shop located along Minami 6-jo Street in Asahikawa City. After lunch, I felt like having something sweet, so I decided to stop by. While taking a picture of the exterior, the friendly male owner approached me and invited me to take a break inside. I was planning to do so anyway, so I entered the shop (laughs) (The owner seemed to be outside...). Inside the shop, there were various types of manju and dorayaki, as well as an eat-in space where you can enjoy their popular item "Age-man Soft Serve". They also serve tea. I ordered the "Age-man Soft Serve" (500 yen). The manju is freshly fried upon ordering, so I waited for about 5-6 minutes. While waiting in the eat-in area at the back, the owner recommended a table closer to the front, saying it was higher and brighter, making it easier to take photos. It's nice of him to be considerate of food bloggers like that. (I didn't say I would upload it to a food blog though... (laughs)). Age-man Soft Serve... The owner suggested that dipping the fried manju in the soft serve and eating it is the best way to enjoy it. I tried it as recommended. I was initially unsure about combining two sweet items, but they actually complemented each other well! The manju wasn't overly sweet, and when dipped in the soft serve, it tasted really delicious. After dipping the manju in the soft serve, I used a spoon to finish the remaining soft serve. The combination of something fried and something cold makes the soft serve melt quickly, so it's best to take a quick photo and eat it promptly (laughs).

This shop specializes in agemanju, but lately I haven't seen any advertisements for it. They used to sell skewered dango, which was recommended to be reserved by phone. I called around 13:30 and was told, "Are you coming now? I'm just having lunch~ Can you come around 14:00?" The skewered dango was priced at 120 yen each (tax included) with options like tsubuan, koshian, zunda, walnut sesame, and mitarashi. I tried all of them except for koshian, with each skewer having three pieces, and they were quite large! The texture was more sticky than chewy, similar to suama. It might be a matter of personal preference, different from the dango at Kanoya that I reviewed before. I personally liked this one. The flavor was good, but the best part was the character of the father who runs the shop. On my way to the shop, it was raining, but when I entered, he didn't forget to say, "The rain is dripping, isn't it?" and I was impressed. He asked if I lived nearby and where exactly, so I teased him back this time. Then he suggested that I try the ageman soft serve in the shop as well. While the soft serve sounds good, I feel like I'd rather have a drink with this father next time.

During the off-season, I tried the deluxe version of ageman soft at a restaurant for the first time. Normally, you get five pieces, but they offer 10 pieces for 500 yen now. They also provide tea and serve freshly fried ageman.

It was so hot that I was craving some soft serve ice cream. My friend and I decided to visit "Ageman Soft" for the first time. The warm ageman paired with soft serve was delicious! I took a picture after starting to eat, so the ice cream had melted a bit. I will definitely go back for more!

"Fukumanju (steamed buns)" I came to Asahikawa and I'm going around the shops listed in the memo. I actually don't like manju, so why did I write it in the memo? It's a mystery exploration team. When I entered, it turned out to be a manju shop, well of course, the name of the shop is Fukumanju... This is troublesome, but since I entered, I have no choice. They don't sell individual pieces, only packs of 6 for 700 yen. I ended up buying the "fried manju 6-pack." Oh well, there are also daifuku (rice cakes with sweet filling) here, I should have looked carefully. There is also a dining area where a man and woman are eating. They fry the "fried manju" after you order. Today, I wish my sister would come. Even with so many, we won't be able to finish them all. There are surveillance cameras, I wonder what they are monitoring? The quality lady is alone. The fried manju with sesame bean paste is not too sweet, not too greasy even though it's fried, and delicious. It's fragrant and makes you feel happy even before eating. The outside is crispy and the filling inside is elegant. It's completely different from the manju I don't like. I'll pretend this is the type of manju I like. Even though I only ate one (actually half), it disappeared. I won't say "Why did you eat it!" because the punchline would be "I thought you didn't like manju." Well, I probably won't buy it myself, but if it's in front of me, I'll definitely eat it."

2015.11================I have visited this place several times, but this is my first time trying something cold. "Fuku Manju Honpo Katouya". Located at Minami 6-jo, 24-chome, Asahikawa City. Operating hours are from 9:00 to 18:00, closed on Wednesdays. They have parking available. This is the 12th stop on the Asahikawa Sweets Stamp Rally with 47 participating shops. It's right near COCKPIT Asahikawa, so I sometimes stop by to buy "age manju". This time, I was thinking of getting age manju again, but then I found this sign next to the register. I decided to have it in the store and waited in the back area. They gave me some black beans to snack on while I waited. They were delicious. And here it is! Age Manju Soft Serve for 450 yen. It's a half-size of the small age manju with all five flavors on top! This is enjoyable. Scooping the soft serve and dipping it in the age manju. It's a great combination! It really fills you up. My thoughts on the Asahikawa Sweets Stamp Rally can be found here: [link]. Asahikawa Confectionery Industry Association on Facebook: [link]. Asahikawa Sweets Stamp Rally on Facebook: [link]. 2010.2=================This is the "Kushiage Manju" from "Katouya" at Minami 6-jo, 24-chome in Asahikawa City. I had it for lunch on a Monday. It's recommended to eat it right after buying it since they fry it fresh. The outside is crispy, the inside is moist with sweet red bean paste. It's so good! I gave some "Kushiage Manju" to my colleagues at work and they loved it. They all said they would go buy some on the weekend. It's really delicious. The crispy texture is addictive. Freshly fried is the best!

This shop offers a variety of traditional Japanese sweets such as dorayaki and manju. However, my favorite here is "ageman," which is a deep-fried manju with a thin coating. They come in sets of 5 skewered pieces for 735 yen. Each piece is generously filled, making it quite satisfying. The shop fries them upon order, ensuring they are served hot and crispy. The set includes different flavors like black sugar, mugwort, sesame paste, and pumpkin. You can also buy individual pieces if you can't wait for the whole set. They also offer seasonal treats like ohagi during the Higan period. The quality of the sweet bean paste filling is exceptional, especially considering the affordable price. It's a great place to enjoy traditional Japanese sweets with a modern twist.

As a lover of spicy food, I don't usually eat sweets. However, my business partner K, who is also a fan of spicy flavors, has a sweet tooth. While on a business trip to Asahikawa, we visited a place called "Fuku Manju" for lunch. We ordered a set of 5 skewered buns for 750 yen each. I ordered one set, while K ordered two sets. After a short wait, we received our skewered buns and headed back to the car. K chose a mugwort-flavored bun, while I went for the miso-flavored one. The crispy coating had a savory miso aroma, the dough was soft and fluffy, and the filling had a rich sweetness. The remaining flavors were cherry blossom, sesame, and pumpkin. I decided to bring some back to our female office staff as souvenirs. Lately, I've been developing a taste for sweets, as evidenced by my enjoyment of this treat at Fuku Manju.

I regularly crave Japanese sweets, especially those with sesame paste. That's why I often go to this shop to buy their fried manju. They fry it after you order, so you can eat it in the shop or take it home. The freshly fried manju is hot, crispy, and delicious! While I'm a fan of sesame paste, I also end up buying pumpkin and miso (which has chunky red bean paste inside). They are all so tasty! And the owner of the shop is a friendly and cute old man who loves to chat. He recommended trying the soft serve ice cream topped with red bean paste, so I'll definitely try it next time I visit! ＼(^o^)／

After enjoying delicious gelato and pudding ice cream at Risotteria.GAKU, I headed to Katoya to try their "deep-fried manju" and "skewered deep-fried manju". Katoya is a long-established shop that was founded in 1836 as a Kyoto confectionery shop in Somokawa-cho, Fukushima Prefecture. Now they operate in Asahikawa. Their black bean dorayaki was so popular that it became the top-selling product at the 2010 Hokkaido Central Expressway Sapporo SA. I would love to try that, but this time I came to try either the "deep-fried manju" or "skewered deep-fried manju" that they have been developing and selling since 2007. You can choose from several types of manju at the shop, and they will fry it for you. The skewered deep-fried manju comes with three small manju skewered together, but you can only choose the same type. I ordered the skewered deep-fried manju with "miso" flavor for 160 yen, which is not commonly seen. I sat on the tatami bench at the back of the shop and waited for the manju to be ready. It arrived quickly, wrapped in a crispy fried coating. The combination of the crispy fried coating and the perfectly sweet red bean paste inside, along with the aroma of the fried coating, was delicious and perfect with the cold barley tea served as a side. The coating was light and easy to eat. Overall, it was a tasty snack. Although I didn't really taste the "miso" flavor (lol). If it wasn't for my food hopping, I would love to try all the black bean dorayaki and various traditional Japanese sweets they offer. After this, I headed back to Asahikawa Station for dinner.

Located along Minami Rokujo Street in the eastern part of Asahikawa City, this traditional Japanese confectionery shop specializes in steamed buns, with a variety of flavors such as sesame, miso, mugwort, pumpkin, and cherry blossom. The cherry blossom bun is infused with salted cherry blossom leaves, giving it a delightful fragrance that pairs well with the sweet red bean paste. The pumpkin bun has a strong pumpkin flavor that complements the smooth red bean paste. The mugwort bun, while lacking the strong mugwort flavor of other varieties, is still quite enjoyable. The sesame bun has a slightly less sweet taste, which may appeal to those who prefer a more subtle sweetness. The miso bun, however, could use a stronger miso flavor. A new addition to the menu is the "skewered fried buns," which are three bite-sized buns skewered and fried to order, ensuring a fresh and crispy texture. The "black bean dorayaki," filled with simmered black beans instead of red bean paste, may not be to everyone's taste, but could be a hit with black bean enthusiasts.

Although it is located away from the center of Asahikawa, this small shop is situated along a busy road with many cars passing by. Despite its size, it is a popular spot among locals, as evidenced by the cars always parked outside. I had passed by this shop many times before, but this was my first time making a purchase. I got freshly made black bean dorayaki and a limited set of two manju. The overall taste was more refined than it looked, with a subtle sweetness. Even though it was just after lunch, I couldn't help but think, "Maybe I should have another one..."

I wonder what I was celebrating...? Who did I receive it from...? Haha, for some reason, I always end up choosing the pink one... (*^艸^) I think the white one is tastier though... Haha. [Red and white steamed buns] ♬ The inside is smooth red bean paste...♪* The thin skin is fluffy and moist. This is the type of treat you have to eat quickly! I wonder how many years it's been... It's delicious when you eat it occasionally (๑´ڡ`๑) I wonder if it brings good luck...? Oh! It was the steamed buns from that "Ageman Soft" shop... Oh, they also do red and white ones! Thank you for the meal~ ( *ˊᵕˋ)