1
Sakaeya "Aged Yuba Manju" (fried bean curd bun)

The crispy skin and moist bean paste are addictive!

Yuba (yuba), a typical Nikko specialty, is a popular souvenir.
While Kyoto's "yuba" is also famous, Nikko's "yuba" has flourished because it is offered to two shrines and one temple (Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Nikko Rinnoji Temple, and Nikko Futaarasan Shrine).

In fact, it is written differently in Kyoto as "yuba" and in Nikko as "yunami. The difference is the way the film that appears on the surface of the soymilk is pulled up after it is boiled down. Yuba in Kyoto is made by pulling up the membrane in a single layer, while yuba in Nikko is made by folding it in two and pulling it up in two layers.

In Nikko, yuba can be tasted at many restaurants, but the "deep-fried yuba manju" at "Sakaeya" is one of the most popular and has been introduced in the media. It is deep-fried in a thin batter, and the crispy texture of the batter, the sweetness of the manju, and the salt used as a finishing touch are exquisite.

Product name and price: Aged yuba manju (fried yuba bun), 250 yen per bun.
Consumption period: 3 days

2
Ishidaya Honten "Nikko Jingoro Sempei

Long seller is the salted butter-flavored rice cracker

Nikko Jingoro Sembe," popular since its establishment in 1907, is said to have been named after the master craftsman "Saji Jingoro," who carved a "sleeping cat" on the shrine pavilion of Nikko Toshogu Shrine. The store offers a wide variety of rice crackers, but the best recommendation is the traditional salted butter flavor.
The light texture and slightly small size of the rice crackers make them popular with everyone from children to the elderly.

The Ishidaya main store is crowded in the afternoon with customers on their way home from sightseeing in Nikko, so if you visit in the morning, you can enjoy shopping at your leisure.

Product name and price: Nikko Jingoro Sempei (18 pieces): 648 yen
Shelf life: 120 days

3
Kibira no Yokan Honpo "Mizu-yokan" (mizu-yokan)

Nikko's specialty "mizu-yokan" (water jelly), which has been loved by the locals

As you can see from the many yokan shops lining the street on the way from Tobu Nikko Station to Toshogu Shrine, yokan is a standard souvenir of Nikko.
Among them, "Onihei no Yokan Honpo" is one of the most popular yokan shops, so popular that the name "Onihei" comes to mind when talking about mizu-yokan in the local area.
The store was founded in the early Showa period (1926-1989) as a specialty store for kneaded yokan, and later began selling mizu-yokan, which is now its signature product.

Onihei's mizu-yokan is characterized by its refreshing aftertaste, and its freshness combined with its elegant sweetness makes it a delicacy that keeps people's hands busy. Many people come from far away to buy this carefully made mizu-yokan.

In the past, mizu-yokan was only produced and sold during the winter because temperature control was important to maintain the quality of the product. However, with the development of refrigeration technology, mizu-yokan has been produced and sold all year round since about 30 years ago, and now you can enjoy the best mizu-yokan any time of the year.

Product Name & Price】Mizu-yokan (70g x 5 pcs.) 900 yen
Shelf life] 5 days

4
Meiji no Yakata "Cheese cake Nirvana

Excellent cheesecake from a famous store representing Nikko

Meiji no Yakata, a famous western restaurant in Nikko, has a cheesecake called "Nirvana," which has been a favorite for 40 years.
The dough is slowly baked with an abundance of premium Danish cream cheese, and the surface is coated with sour cream to create a rich cheesecake with a moist texture.
The dough is made without flour, using only cream cheese, eggs, and sugar, and is deeply rich with a reduced sweetness. The fresh lemon adds a soft sourness to the dough, and the sour cream is a perfect combination.
The ingredients and production process are carefully selected to create this luxurious product, making it ideal not only as a souvenir, but also as a gift. The café is also located in the same building, so you can enjoy a relaxing tea time.

Product name and price: Cheesecake Nirvana, small (15 cm in diameter): 2,268 yen, large (21 cm in diameter): 3,780 yen (both in a decorative box)
Best before date] 7 days

In addition to cheesecake, "Traditional Yogurt" is also popular.
It is made from 100% raw milk. The original yogurt, with its creamy and mild taste, is a traditional dessert of "Meiji no Yakata".
Product Name・Price】Meijinokan Traditional Yogurt (400ml) 648 yen
Best before date] 7 days

5
Kashiwazaki Shoten "Sansho comparison set

Refreshing aroma and flavor whet your appetite

With a history of more than 70 years since its establishment, Kashiwazaki Shoten is a connoisseur of sansho (Japanese pepper) and a stickler for old-fashioned craftsmanship. Its specialty is "Ki no Mei Sansho," which is made by picking the tender leaves that have just sprouted and seasoning them with soy sauce and other seasonings. It is a traditional food that has taken root in Nikko households, so much so that locals say it is "the taste of my grandmother's and mother's cooking," and is a perfect accompaniment to freshly cooked rice or as an ingredient in rice balls.
Hana sansho, made from flowers that are only harvested in small quantities during a very short season, is also popular among gourmets. Its delicate flavor goes well with white fish sashimi and boiled tofu. The refreshing flavor of "jitsu sansho" can be added to simmered dishes to enhance the flavor of ordinary dishes. We recommend the "Leaf, Fruit, and Flower" set, which allows you to enjoy a comparison of the rich flavors of sansho.

Product name and price: Sansho comparison set, 3 bottles, 5,832 yen
Shelf life: Approximately one year if unopened.

Kashiwazaki Shoten

• 797-1 Shimobachiishi-cho, Nikko-shi, Tochigi MAP
• A 15-minute walk from Tobu Nikko Station on the Tobu Railway Line
• 9:00-17:00
• No holidays
• 0288-54-0086
• Free of charge

6
Ochiai Shoten "Shisomaki Togarashi

Cold-resistant food that warmed the bodies of Nikko's ascetic practitioners

Shiso maki togarashi" has been produced for about 300 years as a cold-resistant food in Shugendo (mountain asceticism), and Ochiai Shoten, established in 1868, continues to make it using the same production method by purchasing shiso and green pepper from contract farmers in the prefecture.
The shiso leaves and green chilies are pickled in salt for one to two years, and when the shiso softens and the green chilies turn tortoiseshell color and become mildly pungent, the green chilies are used as the core and rolled up with the shiso. The beautiful shape of the rolls, which are finished with a pointed tip, is the work of skilled artisans. It can be chopped into small pieces and served on rice, as an ingredient in ochazuke (rice with green chili powder) or natto (fermented soybeans), or added to fried rice or pasta. It is also delicious added to fried rice and pasta. Its tangy and spicy flavor adds an accent to the seasoning.

Product name and price: Shisomaki Togarashi (8 pieces), 700 yen.
Shelf life: Approximately three months if unopened.

Ochiai Shoten

• 938 Shimohachiishi-cho, Nikko-shi, Tochigi MAP
• A 15-minute walk from Tobu Nikko Station on the Tobu Railway Line
• 10:00-16:00
• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
• 0288-54-2813

7
"Nikko no kekkozuke" (Nikko pickles)

Famous pickles accented with wine and honey

Nikko's "Kekko-zuke" is made by removing the salt from the raw material once it has been pickled in salt, and then marinating it in a unique sauce made of tamari soy sauce, white wine, and clover honey, which are the two main characteristics of this product. Wine has been used in tamarizuke since the company was founded in 1961, when wine was still not readily available. This was made possible by the fact that Kekko-zuke Honpo also operated a liquor store from that time.

Nikko's natural spring water, "Nikko no kekko-sui," is used to remove the salt.
There are many varieties, including cucumber, ginger, radish, and burdock root, with rakkyo being the most popular. The sweetly flavored rakkyo has a great aroma and is a highly recommended item.

Also available are fried rolled yunami and sashimi yunami, as well as Nikko's natural spring water "Nikko no kekkouzui" (Nikko natural spring water).
The restaurant also sells freshly ground homemade buckwheat noodles, made from high-quality buckwheat seeds produced in Nikko and Kanuma and kept refrigerated as soon as they are harvested.
There are three stores in Nikko, and the Imaichi Interchange and Moritomo Bypass stores have a handmade buckwheat noodle Dining Area attached to the "Kekkozuke" direct-sale shop, so you can not only choose from a selection of souvenirs, but also taste delicious buckwheat noodles. You can also buy it at many other souvenir shops in Nikko.

Product name and price: Nikko no kekkozuke (160g), 648 yen.
Shelf life: 150 days

8
Uesawa Umetaro Shoten "Nikko Miso Tamarizuke".

Miso tamari pickles, a technique that has been used by a long-established shop for 400 years

Tamarizuke is a pickles made by marinating vegetables in a seasoning solution made mainly from miso tamari or soy sauce. In the Tochigi region, there was a custom of preserving vegetables by pickling them in miso to survive the cold winters. Tamarizuke" is a pickle that inherited and developed from this custom.

Nikko Miso Tamarizuke is a pickle created by Uesawa Umetaro Shoten. The store, which has been in business for about 400 years, began handling grain, miso, and soy sauce at the same time as the construction of Toshogu Shrine. With the advent of peaceful times after the end of the war, Umeitaro Uesawa, the previous head of the shop, set his sights on creating a local specialty by utilizing his miso and soy sauce making skills. This led him to the discovery of "miso tamari.

Tamari" is the amber-colored liquid that seeps out little by little as miso matures. Nikko Miso Tamarizuke" was created through a process of trial and error using "tamari," which is characterized by its fragrant aroma and rich flavor. In order to preserve the texture and aroma of the ingredients, everything is made using the "unheated" method, and Guest/customers come from far and wide to taste it.

Among the many products, rakkyo is by far the most popular.
Only selected ingredients, mainly from Tochigi Prefecture, are pickled in "tamari," which gives them their delicious flavor, sweetness, and crispy, fresh taste.

Nikko Miso Tamarizuke goes well with dishes because of its aroma, texture, and rich flavor. Various cooking methods are introduced on the website for your reference.

Product name and price】Rakkyo pickled radish (150g) 680 yen
Shelf life] One month in refrigeration

We also recommend the "Seven Kinds of Kizami-Awase (Danran). You can enjoy a different taste by mixing it with omusubi (rice balls), ochazuke (rice with green tea), or salad dressing.

9
Noshu Ginjo Miso "Koji Zammai

The finest rice miso covered with luxurious sweetness and elegant aroma

Noshu Ginjo Miso," made at the brewery founded in 1902, is a master craftsman's miso. Starting with the making of koji, everything from the miso preparation to the release from the brewery is done by hand, and the miso does not lose its flavor when simmered, allowing you to make delicious miso soup without the need to make soup stock.
Among them, "Koji Zammai" is a top-quality rice miso with luxurious sweetness and elegant aroma, made with twice as much koji as ordinary miso.

Product name and price: Kouji Zammai, 850 yen (tax not included)
Shelf life] About 6 months in refrigeration

In addition, the store always sells about five kinds of miso in 100-gram quantities.
If you are unsure of what to buy, ask a Staff/staff member for advice, and they will recommend the miso that best suits your needs. I look forward to buying different kinds of miso.