Shimaya Seika Sakaedo — a Japanese and Western confectionery shop carrying on the flavors and craftsmanship of a long-established local favorite in Mizushima. It also creates products that make use of new technologies.

Wagashi such as monaka (sweet bean paste sandwiched between crisp wafers) are a classic choice for a gift to take along.

If you’re going to choose a gift, you’ll want to pick a shop or product that’s loved by the local community.

The perfect shop for that is Shimaya Seika Sakaedo (Shimaya Seika Sakaedo), located in Mizushima, Kurashiki City.

Mizushima was once home to a Japanese and Western confectionery shop founded in 1950 that had been loved by the local community for many years.

Sakaedo was established to carry on the flavors and techniques of that long-established shop and pass them on to future generations.

What’s more, the company that runs Sakaedo has 3D printing technology, which it puts to use in creating products. This has led to the launch of new and unique items.

Let’s explore what makes Sakaedo special: it preserves history and tradition while also creating products using new technology.

Sakaedo carries on the flavors of Mizushima’s long-established Japanese and Western confectionery shop

Sakaedo is a Japanese and Western confectionery shop in Sakae-cho, Mizushima, Kurashiki City.

It is run by Setouchi Engineering Co., Ltd. and is next door to the company.

Sakaedo itself opened in 2018.
However, it has a predecessor confectionery shop.

It was a shop called Yayoido in Yayoi-cho, Mizushima, the same area where Sakaedo is located.

Yayoido was a long-established shop founded in 1950, but it closed in 2017.
Its long 67-year history came to an end.

Setouchi Engineering opened Sakaedo to preserve and pass on the traditional sweets and flavors that had been loved in Mizushima.

Setouchi Engineering’s main business is not Japanese and Western confectionery, but the design, development, production, and maintenance of machinery, plant equipment, civil engineering and construction, information systems, and more.

It also operates facilities such as Fab Lab Kurashiki Mizushima β.

Sakaedo’s main products

Sakaedo sells everything from wagashi to Western-style sweets.

Its lineup includes the following:

• Monaka
• Castella
• Roll cakes
• Seasonal daifuku (strawberry, Shine Muscat grape, chestnut, and more)
• Fresh confections
• Mochi

There are many products, including sweets passed down from the Yayoido days, new creations made since Sakaedo opened, and items made in collaboration with other companies.

There are also sets containing an assortment of products.

Some products can also be ordered online through Sakaedo’s official website.

Here are some of Sakaedo’s signature products.

A wide variety of monaka

Sakaedo offers a wide variety of monaka.

The bean paste filling is basically the same in all of them.

Here are some of the features of Sakaedo’s monaka.

What makes Sakaedo’s monaka special, part 1: black chunky bean paste made with Hokkaido Dainagon azuki beans and white chunky bean paste made with white azuki beans

Sakaedo’s monaka come with the same filling in two varieties: black chunky bean paste and white chunky bean paste.

The black chunky bean paste is made using the flavor and techniques passed down from the Yayoido days.

The main ingredient is Dainagon azuki beans from Hokkaido!

When you eat the black chunky bean paste, you can feel the firm, crunchy texture of the azuki beans.
The beans really stand out.

The beans add a pleasant contrast to the soft, moist texture of the paste.

It’s moderately sweet and pairs perfectly with the fragrant monaka wafer.

The white chunky bean paste, on the other hand, is made with white azuki beans.

White bean paste is generally made with white kidney beans, but Sakaedo is particular about using white azuki beans.

White azuki beans are rare, with a lower production volume than white kidney beans.
Because the paste is made entirely from white azuki beans, you can enjoy their natural flavor!<

Like the black chunky bean paste, the white chunky bean paste has a distinct texture from the white azuki beans, adding a pleasant contrast.

The white chunky bean paste is also less sweet and more refined than the black variety.
It goes well with the fragrant monaka wafer.

What makes Sakaedo’s monaka special, part 2: monaka wafers made using 3D printing technology

Setouchi Engineering, which runs Sakaedo, has expertise in 3D printing.

It applies this technology to making monaka.

At Sakaedo, 3D printing is used to make molds for monaka wafers!
The molds are then used to commission a specialist monaka wafer maker to produce them.

This makes it possible to produce original monaka in a variety of shapes.

Sakaedo has collaborated with other companies to produce and sell rocket-shaped and car-shaped monaka.

Although they are not sold to the general public, Sakaedo also makes commemorative monaka and other items in collaboration with companies, kindergartens, elementary and junior high schools, and others.

By the way, Sakaedo’s monaka wafers are made from 100% glutinous rice.
As a result, they don’t stick to your teeth and are crisp and easy to eat.

“Mizushima Nada Genpei Monaka” is a signature sweet dating back to the Yayoido days

“Mizushima Nada Genpei Monaka” is one of Sakaedo’s signature sweets.

It has been around since the founding of Yayoi-do in 1950.

Mizushima Nada Genpei Monaka is a sweet inspired by the “Genpei Battle of Mizushima,” which took place in 1183, at the end of the Heian period, in the area stretching from present-day Mizushima to Tamashima in Kurashiki City.

Inside the fragrant, crisp monaka wafers shaped like a pair of shells is a generous filling of Sakaedo’s prized black chunky bean paste.

Mizushima Nada Genpei Monaka is available only with black chunky bean paste.

“Kurashiki Wisteria Flower Monaka” is inspired by Kurashiki City’s flower, the wisteria

“Kurashiki Wisteria Flower Monaka” is a diamond-shaped monaka featuring the wisteria, Kurashiki City’s flower.

It is inspired by “Achi Wisteria,” Japan’s oldest wisteria, at Achi Shrine in central Kurashiki.

Wisteria Flower Monaka was created after Sakaedo was established.

In fact, a 3D printer was also used to make the mold for the monaka wafers for this product.

Wisteria Flower Monaka is available only with white chunky bean paste.

The thin monaka wafers are generously filled with Sakaedo’s carefully selected white azuki bean paste.

“Mizurin Monaka” is a collaboration with the Mizushima Rinkai Railway

“Mizurin Monaka” (¥1,000 per box) was the product attracting the most attention at the time of our visit in November 2020.

Mizurin (short for Mizurin) is the nickname for the Mizushima Rinkai Railway, which connects central Kurashiki with Mizushima.

This collaboration product was created to mark the Mizushima Rinkai Railway’s 50th anniversary of starting operations in 2020.

The monaka wafers are round and whitish.

Printed on them are five types of Mizushima Rinkai Railway trains and the railway’s logo.

Mizurin Monaka comes in a box of six, with three filled with black chunky bean paste and three with white chunky bean paste.

Mizurin Monaka must be irresistible to railway enthusiasts.

I was especially interested in it because I once worked with the Mizushima Rinkai Railway.

“Sakaedo Castella” and “Matcha Castella” carry on the traditional Nagasaki method

“Sakaedo Castella” has been made since the Yayoi-do days and has been popular with customers for many years.

It follows the traditional method for Nagasaki castella and has a nostalgic flavor.

Its distinctive features include fresh eggs from Bisei Town and a custom-blended flour batter sweetened with lotus honey.

It is very fluffy and soft, with a wonderfully moist texture.
Its refined sweetness is not too rich, making it easy to enjoy.

Matcha Castella is castella made with plenty of matcha kneaded into the batter.

The use of carefully selected matcha gives it a vivid color and a rich matcha flavor.

Another highlight is the use of rare lotus honey in the batter.

When you eat Matcha Castella, the firm, slightly bitter matcha flavor comes through amid its gentle sweetness.

“Italian Roll” is a roll cake with three layers of flavor

“Italian Roll” (¥160 each) is Sakaedo’s original roll cake.

It has choux pastry on the outside and castella sponge on the inside, with homemade buttercream in the center, all rolled into a spiral.

It was popular during the Yayoi-do days, and after Sakaedo opened, it was brought back in response to many customer requests.

When I tried it, the outer choux pastry had a springy, chewy texture and a fragrant flavor.
The castella sponge was light and fluffy.

The buttercream inside was smooth and rich in sweetness.
Overall, it tasted light, with a restrained sweetness.

It had a nostalgic flavor, and I thought it was delicious enough to make me want to eat it again.

Also, if you would like a whole Italian roll (1,800 yen), be sure to reserve it by phone at least two days in advance.

Italian rolls are also available for purchase in-store only.

Shimaya Seika Sakaedo carries on the flavors of Japanese and Western confections from the former long-established Yayoi-do.

We interviewed Hiroyuki Koide, of the Administration and Management Division at Setouchi Engineering Co., Ltd., which operates Sakaedo.

Shimaya Seika Sakaedo Information

Name	Shimaya Seika Sakaedo
Address	8-2 Mizushima Nishisakae-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Contact	086-448-0001
Parking	Available ・2–3 cars can park in the Setouchi Engineering parking lot next door to the west ・A one-hour free parking ticket is available when parking at the Kurashiki City Mizushima Higashisakae-cho Parking Lot
Business hours	9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Closed	Sunday
Payment methods	Cash Credit cards Transit IC cards such as Suica, iD, QUICPay, PayPay, LINE Pay, d Payment, au PAY
Website	Shimaya Seika Sakaedo

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