I decided to try buying "Ohagi" for the first time to match the O-higan at "Shiman Kusamochi" in Mukojima. The nearest stations are Hikifune Station and Higashi-Mukojima Station, but they are a bit far. They also have "Andango" during this season, but they were not selling it at this time. So, I decided to purchase Ohagi. There were two types available, one with smooth red bean paste and the other with chunky red bean paste. I bought both. The size is small. The "Ohagi (smooth red bean paste)" for 175 yen has a shiny smooth red bean paste with a firm sweetness. The sticky rice is chewy with a hint of graininess. The "Ohagi (chunky red bean paste)" for 175 yen also has a firm sweetness, but the skin is firm, giving it a chewy texture with a hint of red bean flavor, which slightly reduces the sweetness. (I may prefer the chunky red bean paste version.) I also bought "Higan Dango," which had to be offered on the same day, and I tried a little bit. It is soft and chewy, purely "mochi." I plan to enjoy the rest the next day (at my own risk), perhaps with some seasoning. I enjoyed trying Ohagi for the first time, and I look forward to going back to buy Kusamochi. There are other famous traditional Japanese sweet shops in this area, such as "Chomeiji Sakura Mochi" and "Kotodan Dango," so it might be worth visiting these shops during a stroll in the downtown area.

I bought annashi and anniri. I ate annashi as it is, then added kinako and honey on top. I'm not very particular about traditional Japanese sweets, so there was nothing that stood out to me. There was plenty of kinako, almost too much! The building was under construction and covered up, but there was a sign saying "open for business." According to Tabelog, they are open until 4:00 PM, but they were still open after 4:00 PM. I didn't confirm their closing time. The staff were friendly.

On my way to have lunch, I decided to make a little detour to try the Shiman Kusamochi that I've been wanting to eat for a while, thanks to the recommendation from Tabelog. This cozy little shop has a nostalgic charm, and the staff kindly informed me about the extra 200 yen for the box and asked if I could finish it today. It seems like many customers come here to buy snacks for everyday use. We ordered one Shiman Kusamochi with red bean paste and one without, as well as a mitarashi dango each. The Shiman Kusamochi was so soft and had an overwhelmingly soft texture that made it impossible to resist. The strong aroma of yomogi was delicious. The mitarashi dango had a crispy and savory-sweet sauce coating, making it also delicious. It was a heartwarming snack. Thank you for the treat.

My wife bought me a souvenir from a traditional Japanese confectionery that has been in business for 150 years. The mitarashi dango cost 155 yen, and it was delicious with a sweet soy sauce glaze on the dumplings. The texture of the dumplings was unexpectedly good, showing the expertise of this long-standing establishment. The kusa mochi, with or without red bean paste, cost 175 yen. The version without red bean paste had kinako powder and white syrup on top, creating a delicious three-layered combination of kusa mochi, kinako, and white bean paste. The flavors were amazing, and I would love to visit the store in person next time. Thank you for the treat.

Visiting the Top 3 Traditional Japanese Sweets Shops on Mukojima Island Part 3 Walk 8 minutes from Dango-san One of the top 3 traditional Japanese sweets shops on Mukojima Island, founded in 1869, is Shinman Kusamochi. Famous for its grass mochi, this shop started as a tea shop for passengers on the ferry. The specialty here is the grass mochi made with fragrant yomogi, available in two types: "annashi" to be eaten with white honey or kinako powder, and "anniri" with coarse red bean paste made from Hokkaido red beans. I'm debating which one to choose since they have a limited shelf life and I can't buy too many alone. I decided to purchase 3 grass mochi with red bean paste (coarse red bean paste) for 525 yen in total. The grass mochi is soft and stretchy with a fragrant yomogi aroma. The red bean paste is not too sweet, making it delicious. These 3 grass mochi became my dinner. It was a delicious treat. I think the best course is to eat in at Chomeiji Sakura Mochi and Dango-san, and then buy Shinman Kusamochi's Japanese sweets as souvenirs. It may feel a bit overindulgent, but it's okay to walk back to Oshiage or Asakusa.

Visited before 2 PM on Sunday. There were 5 groups of customers ahead of me. They only allow up to 2 groups to enter at a time. I bought sweet bean-filled grass mochi and grilled dumplings. There were a lot of customers buying in large quantities, so I felt a bit embarrassed with my small order. If you don't get the sweet bean filling, they will give you white miso and kinako if you buy 2 or more. The grass mochi had a rich aroma of mugwort. The sweet bean filling was smooth and not too heavy, with a refined taste. I understood why the sweet bean-less option is popular, given the strong mugwort flavor. Next time, I will try the sweet bean-less option. Each customer is assigned a specific staff member, who assists with ordering, payment, and packaging. Despite the efficient process, the service was attentive.

Established in 1869, this shop is famous for its grass products. Without furigana, I couldn't tell what the name of the shop was (laughs). You can choose between with or without sweet bean paste, and I couldn't decide which one to get, so I played it safe and chose with sweet bean paste. I also tried the grilled dango that caught my eye! The grass mochi, made with fresh yomogi, has a nice aroma and goes perfectly with the generous amount of smooth sweet bean paste inside. It feels like they have turned a simple grass mochi into an elegant taste. The slightly burnt flavor of the mochi, combined with the strong soy sauce taste of the sweet and savory mitarashi sauce, made the soft and chewy grilled dango incredibly delicious. And the prices are reasonable, making it easy for everyday use.

I used it for takeout. I visited around 4 pm on a weekday and was able to purchase it as they still had some left. Depending on the season, they may sell out by lunchtime. I bought a pack of 4 grass mochi. One with red bean paste and the other with kinako (roasted soybean flour) and honey. I tried them right away, and the one with red bean paste had a refined taste and the aroma of the grass mochi was very good and delicious! The one with kinako and honey also had a good balance with the aroma of the grass mochi, and I enjoyed it. I would like to go buy more.

This is a grass mochi shop located on the embankment of the Sumida River. I was a bit worried because there was construction going on in the area, but they were open for business as usual. I bought grass daifuku, grass mochi with red bean paste, and two grass mochi without red bean paste. The grass mochi without red bean paste is served with white miso and white honey, which gives it a unique and delicious taste. It almost feels like enjoying street food in India.

The last stop on my tour of 100 famous shops was a traditional Japanese confectionery shop specializing in grass mochi. They offered a variety of options including sakura mochi, manju, and grass mochi. Unfortunately, they did not have a parking lot, so it was takeout only. I decided to enjoy the grass mochi back at my hotel since I had reached my limit with anko (sweet red bean paste). The shop was busy with a constant flow of customers, and they also sold dango and dorayaki. It had been a while since I had eaten grass mochi. You could choose between "with anko" or "without anko," and I opted for one without anko for ¥175. It was served with just kinako (soybean flour), but if you ordered two, it came with white miso as well. I could have just enjoyed the kinako alone, but ended up getting two. And with that, my sweet treat tour came to an end. Back at the hotel, I had plans for the evening, but decided to enjoy the grass mochi as a light snack. I initially planned to have just one, but found that they were light enough to easily eat two. The kinako coating reminded me of shingen mochi, but despite its grassy appearance, the flavor was not overwhelmingly grassy.

Around 12 o'clock on Saturday, I saw that the exterior of this shop near Shirahige Shrine was under construction. I was worried that it might be closed even though I had walked quite a distance, but luckily it was open! There was only one customer ahead of me. I quickly ordered the grilled dango for 155 yen and the anmitsu grass mochi for 175 yen to take out. I ate them in the nearby park, and the dango was generously coated with sauce! It was incredibly sweet and delicious, and the grass mochi had a flavorful, traditional taste. This place is really great! Thank you for the meal. I will definitely go back again!

I went to Shima Island and visited Shiman Kusamochi. I purchased a popular box of Shiman Kusamochi, which contains two types of mochi: with red bean paste and without red bean paste. They are served with kinako (roasted soybean flour) and kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup). The mochi is chewy and has a nice mugwort aroma. The combination of the sweetness of the red bean paste and the fragrance of kinako enhances the mugwort flavor. The mochi without red bean paste is also delicious when paired with kinako and kuromitsu to bring out its sweetness. Overall, it was a very delicious kusamochi.

Revisit: Definitely want to revisit while taking a walk. Assortment and atmosphere: Visited in the afternoon and was able to purchase without any problems. There were 2-3 groups in line, but if you wait a bit, you can easily buy. They explained the packaging changes depending on the quantity very politely. Taste: There are options with and without sweet bean paste. I love sweet bean paste, but the one without it is overwhelmingly recommended! Next time, I will buy all without sweet bean paste because it was so delicious. However, as is common with traditional Japanese sweets, they only last for the day... but it was really delicious!

Although it's far from the station, this shop is definitely worth the visit! I think their grass mochi is the best. It has a chewy texture and the red bean paste inside is incredibly delicious. The paste is not too sweet and has a perfect consistency, making it easy to eat 3 to 5 pieces in one go.

700 meters from the hotel, there is a place called "Genmondan". They only offer takeout. I bought one anko (red bean paste) and one without anko for 350 yen each. I took them back to the hotel to eat, and they were my favorite. It was so hot outside. The access to the place was also not very convenient. I walked there and then managed to catch a taxi to Asakusa for 1100 yen. I also wanted to try Kameju's dorayaki, but when I got there, there was already a huge line of over 30 people at 10:30 am, so I gave up.

I visited the shop around 1 pm on August 15, right in the middle of the Bon holiday. It is located along the street towards the Sumida River from the Hikifune Station. The exterior of the shop is a modern building with a traditional Japanese atmosphere at the entrance. It is a take-out only shop where you can order and have your items wrapped to go. They offer two types of mochi: with sweet red bean paste and without (with kinako and white syrup). Both are priced at 175 yen each. The specialty is the grass mochi, which is chewy and delicious. The mochi has a rich flavor and the sweet red bean paste is not too overpowering. The version without red bean paste has kinako and white syrup filled in the mochi hole, creating an incredibly delicious combination. I also tried the grilled dango for 155 yen, which turned out to be amazingly delicious. It has a perfect balance of sweetness and savory flavor, and the aroma of the grilled dango is fantastic. It might just be the best mitarashi dango I've ever had. Overall, the shop offers delicious mochi and dango that are sure to make you want to come back for more.

During my first visit, I purchased both anko-filled and anko-free grass mochi, but this time I only bought the anko-free grass mochi because it was so delicious with the kinako and white honey that came with it. The grass mochi here has a strong mugwort flavor and a slight bitterness that is very tasty. The chewy texture is also irresistible. I could eat as many anko-free grass mochi as I wanted. Whenever I am nearby, I always want to stop by this favorite Japanese sweets shop.

From August 2023, I've been thinking that grass mochi would be better without red bean paste. It would lose the grassy flavor. The grass mochi here has a rich aroma of mugwort, and the mochi itself is soft and delicious. It comes with white syrup, but it didn't interfere with the mugwort aroma, which was nice. I should have bought some mitarashi dango too... even though the access from home is really bad, I want to go back again.

Exiting the Higashijima Interchange, you'll find this shop right away. During this season, you can't miss out on their Mizuyokan. I visited around 1 pm and they still had some left, so I bought 2 pieces. I also got 2 pieces of their signature Kusamochi as per the shop's sign. Excitedly, I brought them home and placed them on a plate for a commemorative photo. Now, let's talk about the Mizuyokan. Why is it so delicious? There's very little agar in it, so even when I try to pick it up with a fork, it won't hold. If I force it, the yokan crumbles. The sweetness of the red bean paste stands out beautifully. This is the taste of Mizuyokan. It's pure bliss. And now, the Kusamochi. This shop is famous for its Kusamochi without red bean paste. When you buy a few pieces without red bean paste, they come with kinako (soybean flour) and white honey. (I'll talk about that next time.) I tried the one with red bean paste, and the fragrance of the grass is amazing. The chewy texture is irresistible. I won't be able to enjoy Kusamochi from other shops anymore. Truly delicious. The traditional Japanese sweets in Higashijima are incredible. There are several renowned shops in the area. I will definitely come back to this shop again. Thank you for the delicious treat!

I finally visited this grass mochi shop after thinking for a few months that I must go when I saw it on SNS. It was a 12-13 minute walk from Hikifune Station, through a residential area and along a main street where the shop with a sign stood. There were 3 groups waiting around lunchtime on the weekend, with a few more people behind me. I hesitated but managed to purchase without a reservation! The anko-filled mochi is priced at 175 yen each. When you take a bite, it is soft and chewy, with a gentle sweetness in the anko filling. And the nice scent of yomogi... it's really delicious!! The mochi itself is not very sweet, but the yomogi fragrance and chewiness can be enjoyed as is and is very tasty. However, it's even more delicious when topped with kinako and white honey! This is a must. The kinako has a sweetness, but when generously sprinkled with white honey, it's surprisingly not too sweet. They explained that they use their original blend with strong texture top grade flour. I'm curious about their dorayaki and mitarashi dango too. I definitely want to come back for more.