Iwaizumi, a treasure trove of hidden gourmet foods, from the cute and delicious "Tanuki-san" at "Shita Ameya" to Italian food and local sake [Iwaizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture]

Have you heard of "Tanuki Cake," which was once all the rage?

This cake was made during the Showa era when fresh cream was expensive, and features a raccoon dog's body made from sponge cake and cheap butter cream, with a face painted on a chocolate coating

Nowadays, fewer and fewer stores are making this cake, making it something of an endangered species, but at a long-established confectionery shop in Iwaizumi Town, it still lives there under the name "Tanuki-san" and is proving very popular

We will visit Iwaizumi Town, home to Ryusen Cave, famous as one of Japan's three largest limestone caves, and introduce this popular cute cake and other recommended gourmet foods in Iwaizumi Town

Please note that the prices of cakes and other items in this article are as of January 27, 2026

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"Shitaameya" is a long-established confectionery shop working hard in a depopulated town

The founding of Shitaameya, a confectionery shop in Iwaizumi Town, which flourished as a post town in the Sanriku region of Iwate, dates back to 1832 (Tenpo 3) at the end of the Edo period

Originally, the shop sold candy made from locally grown barley malt, but at the request of regular customers, it began making Japanese sweets, snacks, Western sweets, bread, and more

All of Shitaameya's Japanese sweets, Western sweets, snacks and breads are handmade using traditional methods, and the flavors convey local culture to the future

Many products are loved as Iwaizumi soul food, including traditional Sanriku snacks such as "karinto," and UFO bread and cheese bread sold at local high schools

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Tanuki-san (400 yen), a mythical tanuki cake that once "inhabited" the entire country

Although "Tanuki Cake" is not seen much these days, it was originally developed and made popular by Western-style confectionery shops all over Japan mainly in the 1960s and 1970s (around 1965 to 1984) as an adorable cake made with long-lasting butter cream. At a time when fresh cream was expensive, artisans in each region handmade the cakes in the familiar shape of a "tanuki" and they continued to be beloved

There has been talk that it is an endangered species, but it is said that there are currently 300 to 400 "Tanuki Cakes" living in Japan

For detailed information on Tanuki Cakes across the country, please click the link below

・A tour of places where you can find Tanuki cake

Google Map – National Tanuki Cake Habitat Map

The most attractive thing about this "Tanuki Cake" is that its appearance is completely different depending on the store where it is found

The shop I visited, Shitaameya, apparently offers two flavors: chocolate and caramel, but on the day I visited, the only one they had on sale was Tanuki-san, which uses chocolate-flavored buttercream

The nuts in the sponge cake used for the body have a crunchy and delicious texture, and the butter cream has a nostalgic taste

They also sell Tanuki-san merchandise such as stationery and hand towels, which can be purchased along with the cakes at the official online shop

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Adorable cakes are produced one after another at "Shitaameya"

In addition to Tanuki-san, Shitaameya makes many other adorable cakes modeled after various animals

As the reputation of "Tanuki-san" spread, he began receiving many requests to make animal cakes

The shop was decorated with replicas (food toys) of animal cakes, including monkeys, which had been commissioned by Morioka Zoo "ZOOMO."

Also, around the New Year period, "zodiac cakes" shaped like animals of the Chinese zodiac are sold and are proving very popular

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The zodiac cake for 2026 (Reiwa 8) is "Uma Cake" (430 yen)

This adorable horse cake is filled with delicious, fragrant caramel-flavored buttercream, but unfortunately it will be discontinued at the end of January

Next year, they will be making a zodiac cake for the year of the sheep, so be sure to visit Iwaizumi between the end of this year and the beginning of next year to get one

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Four-colored "Oni Cake" (430 yen) is a great alternative to beans on Setsubun

We took home the red and blue demons from the delicious demon cake, which is made with white chocolate and colored in four colors: red, blue, yellow, and green

At the time of this interview, Setsubun was still a while away, but we decided to celebrate early in our household and enjoyed this delicious demon cake to drive away the demons

On Setsubun, it is customary to eat the same number of beans as your age, but if this Oni cake becomes more popular, eating it may become a new Setsubun custom

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Our recommended snack is "Karintou," a type of snack unique to the Sanriku region of Iwate

Karinto, found in the coastal region of Iwate Prefecture, is a unique potato chip-shaped confection with a distinctive spiral pattern

Shitaameya's karinto is a popular snack that has even been used as a snack in Japan Airlines' (JAL) first-class in-flight meals

Shitaameya ＜Information＞

• Store name: Shitaameya
• Address: 25 Iwaizumi Shimojuku, Iwaizumi-cho, Shimohei-gun, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 0194-22-2226
• Business hours: 9:00-18:00
• Closed: Irregular holidays (please check the official website)
• URL: Shitaameya official website

Google Map

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A little detour to Iwaizumi Italian food! Trattoria ACQUA MONTE

Trattoria ACQUA MONTE, which we happened to come across and stopped by while sightseeing in Ryusen Cave, is also famous as "Iwaizumi Italian" and is a famous Italian restaurant known for its authentic pasta and pizza, with many customers coming from far and wide to visit

Reviews on gourmet sites have been posted expressing surprise at the deliciousness of the food

The shop's top recommendation: Blue crab tomato cream (1,500 yen)

The most recommended dish is the blue crab tomato cream, which creates an exquisite harmony of the flavor of blue crab, the acidity of tomatoes, and the richness of fresh cream

The dish contains the meat of a whole crab, so you can fully enjoy its aroma and flavor

Tomato sauce pomodoro (980 yen)

If you want to taste the tomato sauce that is considered the foundation of Italian cuisine, we recommend Pomodoro, which contains shredded pancetta and is topped with plenty of Parmesan cheese

Enjoy the tomato sauce, made with high-quality olive oil and the aroma of garlic, mixed with al dente pasta

This time I tried the pasta, but the pizza is also known for being authentic and delicious, and you can order two types of pizza as a "half and half" option

Trattoria ACQUAMONTE <Information>

• Store name: Trattoria ACQUAMONTE
• Address: 50 Sanbonmatsu, Iwaizumi, Iwaizumi-cho, Shimohei-gun, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 0194-32-3733
• Business hours: 11:00-14:00 (last order, reservations not accepted), 17:30-19:00 (last order)
• Closed: Mondays (Sunday and Thursday nights)
• URL: Trattoria ACQUAMONTE Official Instagram

Google Map

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Iwaizumi's famous sake, "Ryusen Yaezakura" from Senkin Brewery

Diagonally across from Shitaameya on the Ureira Street shopping street is Izumikin Sake Brewery, founded in 1854 and known for its Ryusen Yaezakura

I spotted a cedar ball hanging out front and was drawn in to stop by

The souvenir from this sake brewery, which continues the traditions of the Nanbu Toji, is "freshly squeezed Junmai Nama Sake" brewed with water from the underground lake of Ryusendo Cave

This unpasteurized sake has a high alcohol content of 17% and is refreshing to drink, with a fresh aroma and a rich, well-balanced sweetness and umami flavor

Apparently it is possible to tour the factory, so next time I would like to take my time and look around

Izumikin Sake Brewery <Information>

• Facility name: Izumikin Sake Brewery Co., Ltd
• Address: 30 Iwaizumi Ota, Iwaizumi-cho, Shimohei-gun, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 0194-22-3211
• Business hours: 8:00-17:00
• Closed: Sundays
• URL: Izumikin Sake Brewery (Ryusen Yaezakura) Official Website

Google Map

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summary

Iwaizumi Town is the largest town on Honshu in terms of area, but its population peaked at 27,000 in 1960 and has now fallen to 7,428 (as of January 1, 2026)

However, the area is rich in nature and is close to Ryusen Cave, one of Japan's three largest limestone caves, as well as many tourist attractions such as the Rakuten Eagles baseball stadium and a campsite where you can stay overnight on the Blue Train

In addition to the gourmet foods introduced here, the roadside station is also a treasure trove of A- and B-grade gourmet foods, such as Italian gelato, matsutake mushrooms, and coal mine hormone hotpot

Iwaizumi Town may be a small town, but it's packed with fun things to do, so why not visit it?

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