On a certain holiday, I stopped by a popular rice cracker and Japanese sweets shop in the food section of Sapporo Mitsukoshi department store. The shop was located in the middle of the Japanese sweets section with a spacious area dedicated to it. From the menu that day, I picked out a few items that caught my eye. "Sakura Mochi (270 yen)" was a seasonal choice with beautiful pickled cherry blossom petals on top. Inside the pink, flat mochi was a moist red bean paste, different from the traditional grainy mochi. "Harmony of Spring (162 yen)" was a mix of various rice crackers in one bag, including sugar-coated cherry blossom petal-shaped crackers, seaweed-flavored crackers, and more. It was a fun assortment to enjoy. "Sakura Monaka (162 yen)" featured a delicate pink monaka filled with traditional red bean paste and chewy mochi, a perfect match for green tea. "Taste of Folk Art (702 yen)" was a collection of various rice crackers, each individually wrapped. Among them, "Shrimp Grilled Salt" had a savory shrimp flavor, "Black Bean Rice Cracker" was rich in black bean flavor, and "Kusaka Komaru" had a soy sauce base with a crunchy texture. Other flavors included "Chocolate Cashew Nut," "Chocolate Almond," "Shrimp Wing Robe," "Sesame White Soy Sauce," "Pine Nut Rice Cracker," "Fried Salt," "Cheese Almond," "Cheese Rice Cracker," and "Fried Soy Sauce," each offering a unique taste experience. Overall, it was a delightful culinary adventure. Thank you for the meal.

These days, when it comes to Setsubun, it's all about Ehomaki (lucky direction sushi rolls) rather than throwing beans. We had ours two days ago at home. Today, we are enjoying the lucky beans from Ginza Akebono. Although I can't eat my age in beans, the roasted Hokkaido soybeans have a delicious aroma, and the occasional addition of kinako sugar adds a nice touch. "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" (demons out, luck in) - thank you for the meal!

This time, I had some chestnut manju and spring limited edition manju. I realized I forgot to take a photo after eating, so I'm sorry. I often buy these manju and rice crackers as souvenirs for older people, and they are always happy to receive them. They are irresistible for chestnut lovers.

Green plum for 260 yen with white bean paste and mochi. Delicious but mostly seeds.

I will visit the Ginza Akebono store at Mitsukoshi underground food street. I have used this store several times, but I have only bought "kakimochi" here, which I really like. This store has over 90 locations from Hokkaido to Kyushu, mainly in the Kanto region. There are many varieties of kakimochi lined up in the store (see photo). This time, I also bought "age-shio" (fried salt) and a vivid yellow packaged jelly called "Natsu Yuzu" (Summer Yuzu). I will enjoy them at home. The age-shio is not greasy, with a light saltiness, and as delicious as always. The Natsu Yuzu, when chilled in the refrigerator, has a refreshing yuzu flavor, perfect for hot summer days. The tangy acidity and coolness make it ideal for hot weather. I will definitely visit again.

I came to Sapporo and visited Daimaru Sapporo Mitsukoshi on Odori Avenue for the first time. The name "Akebono" is nice. I was drawn to the limited-time offer of "New Chestnut" and decided to buy it. The "Himekuri Monaka" with small chestnuts costs 129 yen including tax. It looks like a chestnut and tastes like a good mix of candied chestnuts and sweet bean paste. It was a delicious treat! Release date: November 2015. Nankaihawks1's Gourmet Guide. Nankaihawks1's blog: http://hawks1.exblog.jp/

◆◆◆◆◆◆ [Second Post] ◆◆◆◆◆◆ [May 2014] This is my second post, so I will briefly talk about "Warabimochi" and "Momo no Zerii" ■ Warabimochi A soft and smooth Warabimochi. Topped with Okinawan brown sugar and black soybean kinako. The fragrant aroma of kinako and the gentle sweetness of brown sugar enhance the flavor. It is a confection that evokes the feeling of spring. Price: 324 yen (including 8% consumption tax) ■ Momo no Zerii For details, please refer to the previous review Price: 324 yen (including 8% consumption tax) Previous price: 315 yen (including 8% consumption tax) Sapporo experienced a summer day in May for the first time in 47 years. Chilled "Momo no Zerii" and "Warabimochi" taste even better. On hot days, cold tea is the best drink to pair with these treats. It's a pleasant moment. This year, in March, we experienced a cold wave not seen in 80 years, showing that the weather is quite unstable. ◆◆◆◆◆◆ [First Post] ◆◆◆◆◆◆ Enjoying seasonal high-quality sweets. Ginza Akebono is a confectionery shop born in Ginza in 1948. [May 2012] Ginza Akebono is a confectionery shop born in Ginza in 1948. It now has stores in department stores nationwide. The shop is located at the Mitsukoshi Sapporo store, Chuo-ku, Sapporo. For the exact location, please check on Tabelog. Ginza Akebono is particular about its ingredients. They use Miyakogane, a high-quality rice for their rice crackers from Miyagi Prefecture. On this day, I saw seasonal products, "Sorezore no Haru" and "Momo no Zerii". At this point, I can't help but remember Banbara-san from Tottori, who always says, "The first thing that caught my eye (ouch!), it's a promise... (excerpt from original text) laughs I decided to buy them. ■ Sorezore no Haru Seasonal limited edition rice crackers containing cherry blossoms, tefutefu, and plum. The crispy texture is very satisfying, with flavors of seaweed, sesame, and cherry blossom sugar. Each small piece brings the feeling of spring to both the eyes and the mouth. Price: 147 yen I want to buy this product again next year. ■ Momo no Zerii May confectionery A refreshing white peach is inside. A beautiful jelly with plenty of fruit juice. Smooth and good mouthfeel Price: 315 yen A bit expensive, but satisfying taste. "Sorezore no Haru" Each small piece brings joy, with cherry blossoms, plums, and butterflies appearing to perch. I am looking forward to the summer and June products. It is a high-quality confectionery for home use or as a gift. Thank you for the delicious meal.

A traditional Japanese confectionery shop located in the basement of Sapporo Mitsukoshi. Established in 1948, "Ginza Akebono" started as a winter oshiruko seller at the intersection of Ginza 4-chome, shortly after the end of World War II when there were still remnants of the fire. The shop was named "Akebono" aiming for a new dawn in Japan at that time. I tried their sweet potato snack called "Fuku Fuku Imo" and it was delicious. It's a sweet potato paste with Satsuma sweet potatoes and white bean paste mixed together. The sweet potatoes are from Kagoshima prefecture. It's like a mix between traditional Japanese and Western sweets. I also tried their smooth red bean cake with large chestnuts called "Dainagon Kuri Mushiyokan" and it was amazing. The chestnuts were big and the red bean paste was smooth and not too sweet. I will make sure to check the ingredients before buying next time. The shop also sells a series of rice crackers called "Aji no Mingei" which come in four seasonal designs. I will definitely try their rice crackers next time. The paper bags they provide are very cute as well. Japanese confectionery shops often have adorable paper bags, and it's hard to resist asking for one. I have a habit of keeping these bags for a while because they are too cute to throw away.

There aren't many shops in Sapporo that sell salty snacks like kaki mochi. Ginza Akebono has about three stores in Sapporo, and I always use them. I'm not a big fan of eating a lot of sweet things, so this shop is perfect for me. The kaki mochi sold individually is great for everyday snacks, and the boxed products are perfect for when visiting friends or as a small thank you gift. They have a wide variety of snacks like cheese crackers, pine nuts, and natto. In addition to salty snacks, they also offer delicious and unique sweet treats that I highly recommend.

It was a gift, spread all over the table. Not too big, not too small, just right. When I opened it, there were small rice crackers on a plastic plate. I thought it would be good with beer, but there weren't many options that seemed to go well with it. I don't usually eat snacks, but I received something similar recently and regretted not taking it home. This one had a soy sauce flavor, with a hint of sweetness, which didn't seem to go well with beer. Even the seaweed-wrapped snack had a lingering sweetness. It wasn't bad, just not what I expected. The black bean snack was the only one that met my expectations, but overall, it wasn't as delicious as I had hoped.

I'm sorry to bring up a souvenir story, but I never thought this confectionery shop was quite well-known. Last night's drinking session was with cheap white wine, and I bought Cheddar cheese at the supermarket on my way home. When the cheese ran out, I was looking for a snack and my wife handed me the "Irokorokoshi" from Ginza Akebono as a souvenir. The small bag contained many 1-centimeter square rice crackers. I only knew about Asakusa's Raiokoshi rice crackers, so I was skeptical as I took a bite. Unlike Raiokoshi, it wasn't crunchy, but rather small and cube-shaped, making it easy to eat. It had a faint sweetness without being sticky, and it was delicious! It's not as rich and satisfying as cakes or sweet bean paste, but it's a subtle taste that only those who like it will appreciate. It may be quite unsatisfying for young people, but those over 50 will surely understand its deliciousness. I wish I could show you a photo, but I'll ask Subaru555 next time I see them. It would definitely be a well-received souvenir. By the way, it might be a new product...