What comes to mind when you think of Kurashiki’s famous sweets?
Some classic favorites are “Murasuzume” and “Fujito Manju.”
But there are plenty of other sweets worth trying, too.
One of them is “Ryokan Temari.”
It is a manju popular in Tamashima, in western Kurashiki City.
The company that makes and sells Ryokan Temari is Kashidokoro Hirai.
In fact, it was founded as a mochi shop in 1912 and has a history of more than 100 years.
In addition to its signature Ryokan Temari, Kashidokoro Hirai makes many unique, delicious sweets rooted in the local community, including Kogeman, An Temari, and Kurashiki Koban.
Let’s explore the appeal and history of Kashidokoro Hirai and the sweets it makes.
The information presented was current when this article was published in April 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Kashidokoro Hirai is a Japanese and Western confectionery shop in Tamashima, founded in 1912
Kashidokoro Hirai is a Japanese and Western confectionery shop with its main shop in the Tamashima area of western Kurashiki City.
It was founded in 1912.
It has a history spanning more than 100 years.
Kashidokoro Hirai originally made and sold mochi.
Later, in the Heisei era, it began focusing on making Japanese sweets as well.
Kashidokoro Hirai’s signature product, Ryokan Temari, is popular as a Tamashima specialty.
Today, it is popular not only in Tamashima but also as one of Kurashiki City’s signature sweets.
Other new products, such as Kogeman and An Temari, have also been introduced.
These are popular products from Kashidokoro Hirai, too.
The shop still makes and sells mochi today.
Kashidokoro Hirai’s mochi can be purchased in the shop and at supermarkets in and outside the city.
About the shops
In addition to its main shop in Tamashima, Kashidokoro Hirai also has a Sasaoki shop in Kurashiki City.
| Address | 1-7, Aza Nishiyosui, Sasaoki, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Parking | Available (9 spaces) |
| Phone | 086-421-2190 |
| Hours | 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Irregular |
There is also a Seno shop in Okayama City.
The products are also sold at some supermarkets and department stores.
For details about each shop and other retailers, see Kashidokoro Hirai’s official website.
They also offer online sales.
Please note, however, that some products are not available online.
Main and popular products
Prices include tax. Information current as of April 2023
Kashidokoro Hirai sells many Japanese and Western sweets, including its signature products Ryokan Temari, Kogeman, and An Temari.
They are available individually, in boxes, and in assorted sets.
Boxes cost extra.
They also offer birthday mochi (issho mochi), a traditional celebration for a child’s first birthday.
The boxed birthday mochi set has been discontinued.
Prices as of April 2023 were as follows:
Birthday mochi set: 4,950 yen
Birthday mochi: 3,228 yen
They also released a collaboration product with Teshimaya, a long-established Tamashima company known for Tate Sauce.
“Tamanoura Soy Sauce Pie” (124 yen each) is a soy sauce-flavored pie made with Teshimaya’s soy sauce, Miro.
It has a light, crisp texture, with the sweet aroma of butter and the refined, sweet, fragrant flavor of soy sauce.
In 2020, to coincide with the renovation of Sun Station Terrace inside Okayama Station, they released four sweets inspired by Okayama.
Of these, Momo Baum won an award in the Setouchi Souvenir Grand Prix.
Let’s take a look at some of the signature and popular products among the many sweets made by Kashidokoro Hirai.
“Ryokan Temari” is a luxurious chestnut-filled manju, perfect as a gift
Hirai Confectionery’s signature sweet, the Tamashima specialty “Ryokan Temari” (270 yen each
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Ryokan Temari is a manju inspired by the story that Ryokan, who trained at Entsu-ji Temple in Tamashima, often played temari (handballs) with children.
In 1994, Ryokan Temari won the “Grand Prize” in the confectionery category at the 2nd Okayama Prefecture Creative Souvenir Contest.
Furthermore, it also won the “Minister’s Award of Honor” at the 22nd National Confectionery Exposition, held the same year.
Ryokan Temari is a Joyo Manju filled with chestnuts.
Joyo Manju are manju made with yam (tsukune-imo) in the dough, and are considered a premium type of manju, sometimes written as “joyo manju.”
Inside the dough is smooth red bean paste, wrapped around a whole candied chestnut.
The chestnuts in Ryokan Temari are cooked using a method called “gokunan” (extra-soft).
They are characterized by their fluffy, tender texture!
The azuki beans are from Hokkaido.
The know-how in making bean paste, developed since the shop’s days as a mochi shop, has been adapted for Japanese sweets.
The dough has a soft, springy texture, with smooth red bean paste and a refined, subtle sweetness.
The chestnuts are fluffy yet moist, and have the distinctive flavor and sweetness of chestnuts.
Ryokan Temari is a manju that lets you enjoy the dough, red bean paste, and chestnut in perfect balance.
“Kogeman” is appealing for its fragrant, textured dough and refined bean-paste sweetness
“Kogeman” (125 yen each) is a type of karinto manju.
In the early 2010s, karinto manju became popular nationwide.
At that time, Hirai Confectionery also began making and selling karinto manju.
Hirai Confectionery’s karinto manju was apparently well received as being very delicious.
After making such a delicious manju, they wanted to create a product people would continue to enjoy even after the trend had passed. The name “Kogeman” was born from that idea.
While thinking of a name rooted in the local area, the previous owner ate a karinto manju and reportedly said in the Okayama dialect, “I thought a manju that looks kogena (like this) wouldn’t be tasty, but it’s surprisingly delicious.”
That gave them the idea to name it “Kogeman,” after the Okayama dialect.
“Koge-na ume-manju, ippen tabete mira-re” (“This manju is so delicious—try it once”) was shortened to “Kogeman.”
The name also plays on “koge-brown manju.”
As its name “Kogeman” suggests, the surface of the dough is dark brown and glossy.
Brown sugar is kneaded into the dough, with smooth red bean paste inside.
It is then fried until crisp in rice oil.
They are particular about the ingredients, too!
The azuki beans are from Hokkaido, the brown sugar from Okinawa Prefecture, and the flour from Okayama Prefecture.
The surface is firm and crisp when you bite into it.
The dough inside is fluffy.
The red bean paste is very fine and smooth.
It has a refined, subtle sweetness and a clean finish.
It has a slightly sticky texture, much like sweet potato.
It has the sweetness and flavor characteristic of sweet potato, but is not overly sweet and is easy to eat.
The sweet potatoes used are domestically grown.
It is delicious at room temperature, but Hirai Confectionery recommends heating it in a toaster oven for 2–3 minutes.
When I tried it, the dough was crisp like it had just been fried, while the inside was fluffy and warm—a different kind of deliciousness from eating it at room temperature.
It is also recommended to freeze it and eat it when partially thawed!
Partially thawed, it had a distinctive flavor like an ice cream treat.
“Antemari” combines a chewy castella-like dough with four kinds of filling
“Antemari” (111 yen each) is a manju with a new twist.
The dough is about the size of the top of a 350-milliliter can and about 2 centimeters thick.
Antemari was inspired by “nama momiji manju” and adapted into something unique to Tamashima.
Since Tamashima is associated with Ryokan’s temari balls, it seems the manju was made in the shape of a temari ball.
Antemari also uses carefully selected ingredients.
The wheat is from Okayama Prefecture, the eggs from Bisei Town, and the azuki beans from Hokkaido!
Antemari has a distinctive dough.
Although it is castella dough, it has a chewy elasticity like a dumpling.
It has a very unusual flavor.
It is generously filled with bean paste.
There are four kinds of filling in all.
- Smooth red bean paste
- Sweet potato paste
- Blueberry paste
- Matcha paste
The smooth red bean paste is fine-textured, moist, and silky.
It has a refined, subtle sweetness that is not too sweet.
It has a slightly sticky texture.
It tastes and smells sweet like a roasted sweet potato, but is not overly sweet and leaves a clean finish.
Using blueberries seems unusual, but when they looked for Okayama-grown fruit that would go well in Antemari, they settled on blueberries from Okayama Prefecture.
The pale purple paste has the texture of smooth red bean paste, yet a refreshing sweet-and-sour taste like eating blueberries, making it fruity.
It has a very unusual flavor.
The deep green matcha paste has the same moist texture as the smooth red bean paste.
The refined sweetness is complemented by the flavor and gentle bitterness of matcha.
“Kurashiki Koban” is a waffle with their signature dough and plenty of cream
Hirai Confectionery also makes Western-style sweets.
Among the Western-style sweets, one we recommend is “Kurashiki Koban” (181 yen each).
Kurashiki Koban is a waffle.
Kurashiki is known for its Bikan Historical Area.
Because many wealthy merchants once lived in the area, the sweets are modeled after koban coins.
Kurashiki Koban is proud of its light, fluffy batter!
Kurashiki Koban comes with five kinds of cream:
- Custard
- Strawberry
- Matcha
- Chocolate
- Coffee
Kurashiki Koban was created to appeal to young children and be enjoyed by people of all generations.
Kashidokoro Hirai has continued making mochi and sweets since 1912 and is deeply rooted in the local community.
We spoke with Hirai Tsuyoshi, president of Kashidokoro Hirai Co., Ltd.
Kashidokoro Hirai (main store) details
| Name | Kashidokoro Hirai (main store) |
|---|---|
| Address | 6697-5 Otoshima, Tamashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-522-3077 |
| Parking | Available About 8 spaces |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. |
| Closed | Open daily Closed only on New Year’s Day |
| Payment methods |
※PiTaPa, a transit e-money card, is not accepted |
| Website | “Kashidokoro Hirai,” a long-established Japanese confectionery shop in Okayama and Kurashiki—gifts |
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Ryokan Temari is an elegant, premium product.
It is recommended as a gift!