What are Kashiwaya's thin-skinned buns and the "morning tea ceremony" one of Japan's three major buns? [Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture]

Kashiwaya, with its main store in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture , is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop known both within and outside the prefecture.

Not only are their sweets delicious, but they have also built a solid reputation as a confectionery shop beloved by locals for their willingness to take on various challenges in the hopes of making people happy with their delicious sweets

This time, we will introduce Kashiwaya and the morning tea party initiative that Kashiwaya hosts

We hope you will be attracted to the warm efforts that connect people, which are unique to a locally-based store

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Koriyama City's famous confectionery: the thin-skinned manju from the historic Kashiwaya

Kashiwaya, with its main store in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop founded in 1852 .

In the Japanese calendar, 1852 is the fifth year of the Kaei era. When you consider that Commodore Perry of the United States Navy arrived off the coast of Yokosuka in his black ships in the sixth year of the Kaei era, you can feel the depth of history even more

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Kashiwaya is synonymous with "thin-skinned manju"

Kashiwaya's "Thin-skinned Manju" is considered one of the three great manju in Japan

Long ago, when many travelers traveled along the Oshu Kaido road, present-day Koriyama City was a key transportation hub and had a post station (Koriyama-juku) located there

The deliciousness of the thin-skinned manju became a hot topic among travelers, and it became so popular that some people would make the effort to visit just to eat them

Thin-skinned manju was a way to soothe the tiredness of travelers in the past, and its popularity has not waned even today

Kashiwaya's thin-skinned manju is eaten on a daily basis, as an offering at Buddhist ceremonies, a casual gift, or as a tea snack when guests come over .

As the name suggests, the characteristic of thin-skinned manju is its thin, chewy skin

The thin skin is filled with smooth bean paste that melts in your mouth with such fine texture that it feels substantial and heavy. Its simple appearance belies its special feeling, making it the very embodiment of "everyday luxury."

It goes well with bitter tea, coffee, and milk

In recent years, a new lineup of thin-skinned manju has appeared. Modern-style products, such as bite-sized, compact thin-skinned manju and thin-skinned manju filled with fragrant matcha, are being sold, and a new chapter in the history of thin-skinned manju has begun

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Making sweets that people will enjoy - the spirit of Kashiwaya has remained unchanged since the founding

Kashiwaya has a history of over 170 years since its founding, and while it has changed some things to meet the needs of the times, there are also some things that it has continued to maintain unchanged

One thing that has remained unchanged and has been passed down is our philosophy regarding sweets making

The words of the first head of the family express the desire to maintain the sincerity of wanting to make people happy and the pride in the skills of our craftsmen

Shortly after the establishment of the business, a man dressed as a traveller came to visit Kashiwaya

The traveler was working at a confectionery shop in Joshu (now Gunma Prefecture), and one day a medicine seller from Toyama came and tried the manju, and said that it couldn't be compared to the thin-skinned manju from Koriyama

So I carefully taught him how to make thin-skinned buns, and he came back about a year later

"I still can't do it well."

"From Joshu. What do you use to wrap the bean paste?"

"As instructed, I wrapped it in the skin I made that way..."

"That's why we can't make tasty buns. If we don't wrap them with care, our customers won't be happy."

The confectioner from Joshu was deeply moved by this comment and nodded repeatedly as he left

Source (Kashiwaya official website: The story of the birth of Kashiwaya )

This story about the first head of the family perfectly illustrates Kashiwaya's attitude towards making sweets. Kashiwaya has continued to make delicious sweets with the aim of putting a smile on the face of everyone who eats them

During the time of the previous fourth-generation head of the family, one of the initiatives that was started to allow more people to enjoy manju the "Morning Tea Ceremony .

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Kashiwaya continues to hold "Morning Tea Ceremonies" to allow as many people as possible to enjoy sweets

The "morning tea party" began as a place to socialize and enjoy sweets, tea, and conversation.

It began in 1974 and is held on the first of every month except January. It was suspended for a period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in July 2023

The participation fee is actually "free."

Instead, one of the conditions for participation is being able to greet people cheerfully.

As a result, the second floor of Kashiwaya Main Store, where the event was held, was filled with the cheerful voices of staff and participants saying things like, "Good morning!" and "I'm off!"

The sweets served at the "Morning Tea Ceremony" are freshly made, handmade thin-skinned buns and seasonal sweets

The thin-skinned manju normally sold in stores are produced by machine, but the ones served at the morning tea ceremony are carefully crafted one by one by artisans who have inherited the techniques

The tea served with the sweets is also carefully poured by the staff, truly providing the ultimate in pampering

With delicious sweets and tea to relax your mind, conversation will flow more easily and time will fly by

Apparently there are many repeat customers who look forward to the monthly events

It's great to get the chance to enjoy delicious sweets for free, but the connections you can only make here are also special, so why not make time to visit?

In addition to selling standard items, the store on the first floor also sells sweets that are only available on "Morning Tea Ceremony" days

We also recommend choosing snacks and souvenirs while basking in the afterglow of the "Morning Tea Ceremony."

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summary

This time we introduced Kashiwaya, a long-established confectionery shop in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, and the Morning Tea Party, a place for interaction that Kashiwaya holds on the 1st of every month

It's often said that eating something sweet warms the heart. By participating in a morning tea ceremony, you may be able to reaffirm the charm of delicious sweets, and how eating them with others makes them taste many times better

Why not come and join us, reflecting on the dreams that past heads of the family have pursued, and seeking out special encounters that can only be had here?

I'm sure you'll be able to start the month off on a good note

Kashiwaya Main Store <Information>

• Store name: Kashiwaya Main Store
• Address: 11-8 Nakamachi, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone number: 0242-85-8344
• Business hours: 10:00-19:00
• Official URL: Kashiwaya
• Morning Tea Ceremony: Held on the 1st of every month except January from 6:00 to 8:00

Google Map

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