"Are there any good places in the Bikan Historical Area?"
"I'm going to Kurashiki, but which shops should I definitely visit?"
When I receive such inquiries, the first shop I recommend is "Oishii Mono Boutique Heisuiken".
The store is filled with carefully selected delicious items from all over the country, making it a true sanctuary for food lovers!
Let's search for special treasures with a feeling of a little indulgence.
With many kind and excellent staff members around, you can feel at ease even if you get lost among the products.
I would like to introduce "Oishii Mono Boutique Heisuiken" (へいすいけん), a select shop perfect for those seeking truly delicious food and good items.
"Oishii Mono Boutique Heisuiken" renovated from a Taisho-era warehouse
In the rain, the green of the ivy leaves looks even more beautiful at "Oishii Mono Boutique Heisuiken".
This small shop is located in a quiet residential area, slightly away from the center of the Bikan Historical Area, but customers come from all over the country seeking delicious items.
It is said that buyers from famous department stores and select shops also visit incognito.
The exterior of the shop is also charming, and you can see people taking photos.
Heisuiken was originally a warehouse of Morita Sake Brewery, which has been around since the Taisho era, and it was established in April 1990 after renovation.
The first floor is a boutique, and the second floor houses the gallery "Baruchian Kurashiki".
Next to Heisuiken is "Morita Sake Brewery".
Morita Sake Brewery was founded in 1909 by Morita Shoji, the grandfather of Heisuiken's president, Morita Akihiro.
It is a representative sake brewery of Kurashiki that has also appeared on NHK's "Buratamori" (broadcasted on June 3, 2017).
The logo of Heisuiken features a cute kingfisher design.
The name "Heisuiken" is said to be derived from the name of a tea room that has been passed down in the Morita family since the Edo period.
Now, let's go inside the shop.
It's always an exciting moment to see what delicious items we will encounter.
The store is filled with delicious items everywhere! Inside Heisuiken
Inside Heisuiken, products are lined up all around. I always find myself captivated by this sight!
Heisuiken is a select shop featuring about 1,500 types of food discovered by President Morita Akihiro as he traveled across the country.
When it first opened, it started with about 150 types, but according to the staff, the number continues to grow even now.
A variety of products are lined up so much that they spill over near the entrance.
Snacks, seasonings, side dishes, canned and bottled goods, jams, oils, delicacies…
Although I can only introduce a small part of the lineup at Heisuiken, it never gets boring no matter how many times I visit.
Central store, chilled refrigerator
In the center of the store is a refrigerated space filled with chilled products.
It's impressive how even the dead space is filled with juices, leaving almost no gaps!
There are a variety of meat products, such as delicious-looking prosciutto and liver pâté.
Perfect for a little luxury! You can't help but want to reach for them.
Chilled products such as dry curry, hotteok, and lasagna.
There is also "Yoshida Farm Cheese," which is called "phantom." It is said to sell out as soon as it arrives.
Shelves of seasonings and dressings
This space features bottles of dressings, hot pot bases, and seasonings.
Here you can find essential products for hot pots, such as "Kurashiki Kosen" brand "Ishihara Nobuyoshi's Shio Ponzu", which is a seasoning manufacturer located in Kurashiki City.
Kurashiki Kosen originally focused on producing ramune soda, but they have developed various seasonings such as ponzu, hot pot bases, barbecue sauces, and dressings.
Heisuiken offers a variety of convenient takikomi rice bases.
Our family's favorite is the "Wild Vegetable Takikomi Rice Base" in the front.
With a gentle saltiness, it allows you to enjoy plenty of wild vegetables, making it very useful.
There is a rich selection of snacks for drinking, ranging from dried goods to bottled delicacies.
Jams, canned goods, sake, olive oil
A corner filled with jams, marmalades, honey, and maple syrup.
The beautifully colored jams are so delightful to look at.
Canned goods in this variety and quantity! Oil sardines, smoked oysters, shishamo with eggs, and rafute...
Just with the canned goods, you could feel like you're traveling all over Japan.
Of course, you can also purchase sake from Morita Sake Brewery, the parent company of Heisuiden.
The long-selling series "Manen Yuki", which has been made using traditional methods since the founding of Morita Sake Brewery, is also popular for celebrations and gifts.
And the "Olive Oil" imported from Italy is also a must-have.
The Northern Italian variety is used mainly for salads and raw dishes, while the Southern Italian variety is for sautéing and cooking, allowing for different uses.
Our family also purchased the Northern Italian extra virgin olive oil after the interview.
It is so delicious that it makes you want to jump, and since then it has become an essential part of our dining table.
Let's Look for Heisuiden Original Products
Heisuiden not only gathers products from all over the country but also develops many original products.
This is "Setouchi Oysters in Oil" for 1,134 yen (tax included).
Oysters from Mushiake and Yorishima in Setouchi, and Hiroshima's first oysters are marinated in XO sauce and grilled in garlic oil.
The jar is packed with plump oysters. It's a must-try for oyster lovers.
This is "Sake Treasure Akahira" for 1,944 yen (tax included).
The roe of spring-caught goby is marinated in a paste made from Morita Sake Brewery's Daiginjo sake lees and aged, making it a rare delicacy.
You can slice it as is or lightly grill it for ochazuke (rice with tea). It's a luxurious snack that pairs well with sake.
When it comes to delicious snacks, how about pairing them with some sake?
The staff's recommendation, "Manen Yuki Honjozo Mijime Sake Arabashiri" for 1,582 yen (tax included), is a special sake that is only collected between 5 AM and 6 AM.
It has a wine-like aroma and rich flavor, and many customers come to the store specifically for the Arabashiri.
Right at the entrance, you can find "Sake Shop Bonbon" with 2 pieces for 389 yen, 3 pieces for 702 yen, and 5 pieces for 1,080 yen (all tax included).
Did they cover the "Bocchan" bonbon with chocolate bonbon?
Inside the chocolate, there is plenty of pure rice sake with the alcohol cooked off.
It's a long-selling product that often sells out during Valentine's season.
Still, it's amazing that they make not only sake snacks and delicacies but also chocolates.
Products Personally Recommended by the Author
Even though it's an interview, I am a big fan of Heisuiden! Here are some personally recommended products from what I purchased.
This is Heisuiden's special "Balsamic Meat Sauce" for 486 yen (tax included).
This sauce was created with the concept of "wanting a delicious meat sauce at all costs."
The acidity of balsamic and the fresh sweetness of tomatoes are the best! It comes in a generous 210 grams.
This is "Bakke Miso" from Miyoshi Foods in Akita Prefecture for 616 yen (tax included).
Bakke means "fuki no to" in Akita dialect, which is fuki no to miso.
The intense aroma of fuki no to and the simple, nostalgic flavor make it irresistible with rice.
"Viva Garlic," made by a women's group in Hiroshima Prefecture, is garlic from Aomori Prefecture simmered in olive oil for two hours.
It's delicious when mixed with sautéed meat or fish, or steamed vegetables!
With Viva Garlic, the variety of daily meals expands significantly, and it has become quite useful.
"Summer Orange Slices" from Yamaguchi Prefecture's Yuzuya Honten. I made an impulse buy drawn in by its appearance.
The white, soft part between the peel and the flesh of the summer orange is sliced and soaked in syrup.
The moist texture and the syrup retaining the aroma of summer oranges are exquisite. I eat it on yogurt.
Gallery "Baruchian Kurashiki" Featuring the Morita Family Collection
Due to measures against the novel coronavirus, it is currently closed as of January 2023.
I also visited the gallery "Baruchian Kurashiki" on the second floor of Heisuiden.
I went up the stairs at the entrance and proceeded to the gallery.
It has been transformed into a gallery and café utilizing beams from the Taisho era.
This was my first time visiting the second floor, and I was surprised to find such a wonderful space.
A collection of beautiful Japanese dolls. All the displayed items are treasured collections passed down in the Morita family.
It seems that the exhibits change with the seasons, including woodblock prints and hanging scrolls.
While enjoying coffee at the café, I had a conversation with the president of Heisuiden, Morita Shoichiro.
Data for Delicious Things Boutique Heisuiken
| Name | Delicious Things Boutique Heisuiken |
|---|---|
| Address | 8-8 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-427-1147 |
| Parking | None |
| Business Hours | 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Regular Holiday | Monday |
| Payment Methods |
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| Homepage | Kurashiki Heisuiken |
