1
"Kaika" by Fujimura Confectionery

Located in Nakamachi, a bustling tourist district, Fujimura is a long-established Japanese confectionary store with a building in the motif of a white-walled warehouse and a stone-paved approach to the store. The store is always crowded with regular customers because of its good reputation among the locals.

Both Japanese and Western confections are well known, and there are so many to choose from that you will be spoiled for choice. For first-time buyers, we recommend "Kaikagashi". It is a baked sweet made of white bean paste mixed with walnuts, apricots, and sesame seeds produced in Matsumoto, wrapped in soft cookie dough. It won the grand prize in the "souvenir category" of the Matsumoto Sweets Contest 2017.

Opened: 1,590 yen
*Consumption period: 30 days

The store also offers the famous "Sake Manju," a superb combination of the aroma of sake and high-quality koshi-an (sweet bean paste), as well as seasonal limited edition Japanese sweets. The popular "reezunkukkuii" is a Western-style confectionary, a specialty of the second generation head of the store, and is a perfect harmony of rum-scented raisins and light butter cream.
The store also has an eat-in space where customers can eat their confections on the spot, making it a great place to take a break in an area dotted with sightseeing spots.

Sake-manju (10 pieces): 970 yen
Expiration date: 4 days in summer and 5 days in winter

Reezunkukkui (8 pieces): 1,280 yen
Expiration date: 10 days

Fujimura Confectionery

• 2-9-19 Chuo, Matsumoto, Nagano MAP
• 6 min. walk from Matsumoto Station
• 9:00-18:00
• Wednesday
• 0263-32-1421
• Free (1 car)

2
Iidaya Confectionery "Ame Senbei

The Matsumoto region is known for its candy production, and in the Meiji period (1868-1912), the region produced the largest amount of candy in Japan. Every year in January, the "Candy Fair" is held, which includes a candy exposition, sales and other events.
Iidaya Seika's signature product is "Ame Senbei" (candy crackers). It is made by boiling down fine powdered sugar into a thin sheet, and its crispy texture makes it look like a rice cracker. It melts easily in the mouth and has an elegant taste, and is a gem of craftsmanship and spirit. In addition to the "Ame Senbei" made with richly flavored brown sugar from Okinawa, other flavors such as "Salt," "Wasanbon," and "Coffee" are also available.

Ame senbei: 486 yen
Shelf life: 180 days

Iidaya Seika is one of several long-established candy shops in the city, founded in 1796. Since its establishment in 1796, Iidaya Seika has maintained the same taste as in the past, using carefully selected ingredients and the excellent skills of its skilled craftsmen, and has become a favorite among locals and visitors to the city.
Located not far from Matsumoto Castle, Temariya is an easy place to stop by while sightseeing in Matsumoto.

3
Temariya "Temarin

Temariya specializes in baumkuchen made with carefully selected ingredients. The baumkuchen are carefully baked by hand in a specialized oven in the workshop at the back of the store.
Among the products that express Shinshu and Matsumoto's unique flavor, the most frequently ordered item is the "Temarin," a lovely round shape filled with sweet Obuse chestnuts and a smooth chestnut filling. It is a baumkuchen with a cute Japanese taste, inspired by "Matsumoto Temari," a traditional Matsumoto craft.
Temarin: Large 2,500 yen, Mini 1,000 yen
*The best-before date is about 10 days.

The ingredients are made from rice flour and brown rice flour produced in Nagano Prefecture in order to "share the rich blessings of Shinshu". As the name suggests, the shape of "Alps" looks like the mountains of the Japanese Alps. Experienced bakers carefully bake each layer, taking into consideration the temperature and humidity of the day.

Arupusu: Whole: 1,800 yen, Cut: 800 yen
Shelf life: about 3 weeks if unopened

The store is located in the center of Matsumoto, not far from Matsumoto Castle, on Nakamachi-dori, a street lined with black and white storehouse-style houses. The sweet aroma tickles your nose as you approach the shop.

Temariya

• 2-4 Chuo, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture MAP
• 10 min. walk from Matsumoto Station
• 10:00-18:00
• Closed on weekends and holidays
• 0263-39-5858
• None

4
Masamura "Tenshukaku Ishigaki Sable

Masamura," with its main store in the center of Matsumoto, is a long-established and popular confectionary store.
While the shop offers everything from fresh confections to baked goods, the "Tenshukaku Ishigaki Sable" is recommended as a souvenir. The thin sable dough is sandwiched between elegantly sweet white chocolate, and is characterized by its crisp texture and buttery flavor. Finely chopped macadamia nuts are kneaded into the dough to give it a texture reminiscent of the stone walls of Matsumoto Castle.
Tenshukaku Ishigaki Sable: 864 yen for 5 pieces, 157 yen per piece
*Shelf life: 60 days after purchase

Founded in 1966, the company has been a local favorite for 50 years. The main store has a coffee shop space, perfect for taking a break.
The retro wrapping paper that has been used since the establishment of the company is recognizable as "Masamura" and is said to have many fans.

The "Baby Puffs" compete for popularity with the "Tenshukaku Ishigaki Sable" (stone wall sable). There are six varieties, including "choux a la crème" and "Swiss-style cream puff." The light, fresh cream and custard cream are perfectly balanced with the rich cream.

5
Tominari Gorou Shoten "Teshio ni korou no kinu" (Gorou's Kinu)

Tominari Goro Shoten, located not far from Asama hot spring in the backwaters of Matsumoto, won a gold medal at the first "Japan's Best Tofu Competition" held in 2015. Since then, the company has won awards at numerous other product fairs.

The tofu is handmade by skilled craftsmen using "Nakasenari," a rare variety of Nagano Prefecture soybeans known for their high sugar content. Tofu made with subterranean water drawn from a well 37 meters underground is creamy and rich, with a fine, smooth, sweet taste. In addition to the Gold Award-winning "Teshio ni Kakeru Goro no Kinu," other popular award-winning products such as "Teshio ni Kakeru Goro no Momen" and "Goro no Zaru (zaru)" are also available.

Teshio ni kotsuro no kinu: 194 yen
Expiration date: 6 days after purchase

Teshio-keshioed Corporal's cotton: 194 yen
Expires 6 days after purchase

Goro's colander (ZARU): 540 yen
Expires 4 days after purchase

Two years ago, they began selling prepared foods and sweets made from tofu and soy milk at their stylish store.
Tofu Menchis," which sell 400 units a day, are freshly fried on the spot, highlighting the flavor of tofu and vegetables. GORONUTS," doughnuts made from tofu and soy milk, are light and chunky, and are popular for their delicious taste even when cold. We also recommend the healthy "Soy Milk Soft" made with more than 30% soy milk as an ingredient.

GORO TOMINARI

• 90-3 Hara, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture MAP
• 18 minutes drive from Matsumoto Station
• 9:00-18:00
• Sunday
• 0263-87-8584
• Free of charge

6
Gokashiji Kaiundo "Shinjito" (Japanese confectionery)

The confectionery business was founded in 1884. With its main store in the center of the city, it is one of Matsumoto's most prominent confectionery stores, manufacturing and selling not only Japanese confectionery but also Western-style confectionery. It is also a casual place to stop by with its soft-serve ice cream robot, which is the only one of its kind in the world.
Pursuing a unique flavor unique to Shinshu, the shop offers more than 200 varieties of Japanese and Western confections made with carefully selected ingredients, such as specially selected azuki beans and fruits grown in the prefecture, and under thorough safety control, every year.

Shinjito" is known as one of the representative sweets of Shinshu. It is made with onigurumi walnuts and honey, which have excellent taste and flavor, and is characterized by its rich sweetness. It is also called "Japanese nougat.
In the early Showa period (early 20th century), it was named "Shinjito" by the Urasenke school of tea ceremony, and has a prestigious status as a confectionery for the tea ceremony.

Shinjito (6 pieces): 842 yen
Shelf life: 25 days

Along with "Shamisugar," "Kaiunrosho" is another popular confectionery. It is a unique steamed confectionary combining sweet bean paste and sweetened red bean paste with nikki, and was created more than 50 years ago to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the company's founding. It is a lucky item that resembles the trunk of an old pine tree and is sprinkled with pine nuts. It is recommended for those looking for a souvenir for celebrations and other occasions.

Kaiun senomatsu (old pine tree): 1,101 yen
Shelf life: 20 days

7
Mizuki pickles studio "Nozawana pickles

Mizuki Pickles Studio Higashimachi Honten is located not far from Matsumoto Castle.
It has received numerous awards, including the "Shinshu Specialty 15" and the "Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award," and is one of the leading pickles stores in Shinshu and is popular not only in the city but also nationwide.

The most popular pickles are "Nozawana", a staple of Shinshu pickles. Nozawana is made using domestically produced ingredients grown with reduced use of agricultural chemicals and compost, well water pumped from mountainous areas, and low-temperature water (0°C) and low-salt water circulated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for pickling. The seasoning liquid permeates from the stem to the leaves, maximizing the moderate crunchiness and flavor.

Nozawana: 324-540 yen (tax included)
*Best-by date: 15 days in refrigeration

Yamasen pickles, made with crispy-textured aokibu daikon radish, is one of the signature products, bearing the trade name "Yamasen" from the time of the sake brewery. In addition, there is a wide selection of pickles unique to Shinshu, such as "Handmade Kobo Wasabi Zuke," made from finely chopped wasabi produced in Hotaka, Azumino, since the establishment of the company and pickled in sakekasu (sake lees).

Yamasen pickles: 432 yen (tax included)
Shelf life: 30 days in refrigeration

Handmade Kobo Wasabi pickles: 540 yen (tax included)
Best before: 30 days in refrigeration

Along with pickles, "Shinshu Mura-oyaki" is also popular. With a chewy texture without fukurashi flour, this thin-skinned oaki with a variety of ingredients is popular among people of all ages.

Shinshu Mura Oyaki: 196 yen (tax included)
Shelf life: 180 days from frozen

Mizuki Pickles Workshop Higashimachi Honten

• 4-12-16 Ote, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture MAP
• 15 min. walk from Matsumoto Station
• 9:00-17:30
• Thursday and Sunday
• 0263-33-2310
• Free of charge