Taiyaki Honpo — A taiyaki shop where a former baker makes delicious, light and fluffy taiyaki.

Do you prefer taiyaki with a crisp crust, or the soft, chewy kind that’s completely white?

Taiyaki Honpo is proud of its “fluffy taiyaki,” made with a golden, waffle-like batter.

The batter is made with plenty of eggs and packed with a generous variety of fillings.

Take a stroll through the Bikan Historical Area with one of these “Kurashiki taiyaki” in hand—a treat you can’t find anywhere else.

A shop run by a former professional baker

Taiyaki Honpo owner Michiyuki Ono greeted us with a smile.

He opened Taiyaki Honpo 12 years ago after retiring from a major bread manufacturer. He is 77 years old (as of March 2019).

“I started the shop so I wouldn’t get out of shape,” he says. Almost all of his customers are locals.

There were eight taiyaki shops during the “taiyaki boom” around 2009, but now Taiyaki Honpo is the only one left.

There is a space inside where you can take a break, but most customers get their orders to go.

On display in the shop is “Fly! Taiyaki-kun,” painted by Tsuyoshi Wakabayashi, an artist who lives nearby.

There is also a photo of Hawaii, a place full of memories from his days as a baker.

He traveled there 18 times as an instructor and master baker, with his longest stay lasting an incredible 400 days!

As we looked at the photos, he told us all kinds of stories.

Four kinds of taiyaki, including the signature mochi-filled variety and seasonal flavors

Taiyaki Honpo offers the following four kinds of taiyaki (as of March 2019).

The best-seller is the “mochi-filled taiyaki,” priced at 110 yen (tax included).

This taiyaki, described as a Kurashiki specialty, is filled with chunky red bean paste and gyuhi (soft rice cake).

The seasonal “sakura-an” is available in March and April for 130 yen (tax included). The seasonal flavors are as follows.

There’s something to enjoy in every season. They also serve shaved ice in summer.

Craftsmanship you could watch forever! Freshly baked taiyaki have a sweet aroma

We got to watch the taiyaki being made. Just looking at the griddle is exciting!

He carefully checks the temperature. We were told that 130°C is ideal for taiyaki.

Quickly and precisely, he formed a row of batter and red bean paste in no time.

He gently places the gyuhi (soft rice cake) on top.

The batter puffs up. What a lovely aroma!

The batter contains plenty of eggs, sugar syrup, condensed milk, and honey, so a sweet aroma spreads through the air, just like pancakes cooking.

He pours the batter into one side of the mold…

He flips it over, and the taiyaki is ready! That color looks so delicious it’s mesmerizing.

“People ask me if I use food coloring because they’re so yellow,” says Ono.

He says they get that beautiful yellow color from all the eggs. I’ve never seen taiyaki this gorgeous!

Delicious taiyaki made with a soft, fluffy waffle batter!

Let’s dig into these cute, palm-sized taiyaki!

First up is the “Taiyaki with Mochi,” ¥110 (tax included).

Can you see the gyuhi inside stretching? This gyuhi has a soft, gooey texture and is delicious!

It also pairs perfectly with the specially made chunky red bean paste, created just for taiyaki.

Next is the classic “Cream Taiyaki,” also ¥110 (tax included).

The generous filling is custard cream, the kind used in cream puffs and other Western-style sweets.

The cream has an elegant sweetness and a nostalgic egg flavor, making it hard to stop eating.

This one is a more unusual variety: “Apple Apple,” ¥130 (tax included). It’s filled with finely chopped stewed apples and custard cream.

Apparently, they add their own special touch to the stewed apples they source from a manufacturer.

With the aroma of cinnamon and the crisp texture of the apples, this taiyaki is a delight, much like an apple pie.

Last is the seasonal “Sakura Bean Paste,” ¥130 (tax included). The cherry-blossom-pink filling is lovely!

It has a festive aroma, as if you were eating sakura mochi, and the salty flavor of the leaves is superb.

And every taiyaki has an irresistible, soft and fluffy texture.

Before opening his shop, Mr. Ono traveled around the country sampling taiyaki.

“They’re delicious when freshly cooked, but once they cool down, they get tough.”

There are many elderly people near the shop, so he wanted to make soft taiyaki that would still taste good when cooled. That led him to make taiyaki with waffle batter.

These taiyaki taste great even when cooled, but you can also easily enjoy them freshly warmed.

Heat a taiyaki in the microwave for 30 seconds, then toast it for 2 minutes. That’s all there is to it.

For frozen taiyaki, just heat it in the microwave for 1 minute! They keep in the freezer for a month.

Apparently, some regular customers even send them by courier to their grandchildren who live far away.

Kurashiki’s taiyaki: gentle, waffle-style treats

Actually, before visiting the shop, I was a fan of crispy taiyaki.

I’d always thought, “Taiyaki should be eaten while it’s hot!”

Taiyaki Honpo’s taiyaki filled me with warmth, with their soft, nostalgic aroma and gentle flavor that settles comfortably in your stomach.

I was amazed to discover that taiyaki can taste delicious even when cooled!

Mr. Ono’s fluffy taiyaki are infused with his solid skills and experience as a baker, as well as his kindness toward his customers.

I’ve become a complete convert to “fluffy, waffle-style taiyaki!”
I look forward to visiting again to enjoy the seasonal fillings.

The shop’s owner, Mr. Ono, and his wife have wonderful smiles. I hope they’ll continue bringing us delicious taiyaki for many years to come.

Taiyaki Honpo details

Name	Taiyaki Honpo
Address	3-22-25 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Contact	086-422-1721
Parking	None
Hours	9:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Closed	Sunday
Payment methods	Cash
Reservations	Accepted
Seating	2 sofa seats

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