Local Guide
5 excellent

Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, where Izumo Taisha Shrine is located, is said to be the "birthplace of Zenzai. In the tenth month of the lunar calendar (kami-arisai), when 8 million gods gather in Izumo from all over the country, a Shinto ritual called kami-arisai has been held since ancient times, and an item called jinzaimochi was served at the festival. The name gradually changed and became "zenzai. This article introduces some of the best zenzai sweets that can be enjoyed in the town in front of Izumo Taisha Shrine. Stop by for a break before or after your visit to the shrine and enjoy these ancient local sweets.

Popular Zenzai with "Daikoku-sama" monaka for good luck

Izumo Zenzai & Engo-musubi Drink Set
Izumo Zenzai & Engo-musubi Drink Set" can be enjoyed for 1,150 yen (good match). Coffee and other beverages are also available.

This impressive zenzai can be enjoyed at a cafe in front of the "Seidamari no Otorii" gate of Izumo Taisha Shrine. The red and white rice cake is made from 100% rice produced in the town of Oku Izumo in Shimane Prefecture. Along with the deep sweetness of the azuki beans, the rich flavor and firm texture of the rice can be enjoyed. Aimori Daifuku Zenzai, a warm zenzai with "Yukimi-dafuku" in it, is also popular.
To accompany your sweet treat, we recommend the sencha green tea, black tea made from Izumo tea leaves, or our specialty "Izumo blend coffee.

A variety of menus to enjoy in a graceful retro space

Store interior with a sense of Taisho (early 20th century) romance
Store interior with a sense of Taisho (early 20th century) romance

The interior of the store, with its retro interior design including lighting and sofas, is a graceful space that evokes a sense of nostalgia. Its convenient location makes it easy to stop by before or after visiting the shrine.
In addition to sweets such as "Mythology Pafue," a specialty using gyuhi and seasonal fruits, and "Kyoku Anmitsu" served with rich green tea honey, the restaurant also offers Izumo soba noodles in crackers and kama-age, and light meals such as "shijimi soup" containing large shijimi clam produced in Lake Shinji, allowing customers to enjoy all the gourmet specialties of Izumo.

Local Guide Comment
Izumo Zenzai Soft," a soft-serve ice cream with Izumo's specialty "Izumo Zenzai" is also available. You can easily take it out next to the entrance of the store, so it is recommended as an accompaniment to a stroll around the town in front of the gate!
Kutsurogi Japanese-style cafe Amaemon
  • Address 839-1 Kinezuki-Minami, Taisha-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane MAP
  • Direction Approx. 4 min. walk from Izumo Taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Railway.
  • Business hours 11:00-17:00 (L.O.16:30)
  • Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays *Other temporary closures may apply.
  • TEL 0853-25-8120
  • Parking None

A cup of Zenzai with red and white dumplings that inherits the taste of the famous store

Izumo Zenzai
Izumo Zenzai" (660 yen) includes zenzai, pickles and tea.

A simple zenzai can be enjoyed just a short walk from the Shinmon-dori Kotsu Hiroba Parking Lot, the main parking lot in Monzenmachi. Izumo Zenzai, which has inherited the taste of a long-established and popular store that once existed in Monzenmachi, is a zenzai made with large red beans and red and white dumplings filled with homemade rice flour.
The rich flavor of azuki beans spreads with sweetness, and the texture of the dumplings melts in your mouth. The salty taste of the pickles enhances the sweetness of the zenzai.

Cold zenzai sweets are also popular in summer

The store is a combination of a cafe where you can taste zenzai sweets and a space for selling snacks.
The store is a combination of a cafe where you can taste zenzai sweets and a space for selling snacks.

In addition to Izumo zenzai, there are three types of hot zenzai: "enmiki zenzai," which is zenzai with baked rice cake, and "goenzai," which is zenzai with boiled rice cake. In addition, refreshing cold zenzai is also recommended during the hot season, such as "cold zenzai" and "ice cream zenzai" with ice cream floating on top of the zenzai.
Retort zenzai for souvenirs are also available at the store, as well as about 120 kinds of snacks such as surume, nuts, and seaweeds. A wide variety of domestically produced, additive-free "chewy snacks" are available.

Local Guide Comment
There is also a menu item called "Nakai Kiichi-san SP," which was named after Kiichi Nakai himself when he visited the store. It is a popular summer-only variant of chilled zenzai with baked rice cake.
Otsumami Kenkyujo Taisha Monzen Lab & Zenzai Gakkai of Japan No. 1 Shop
  • Address836-2 Kinezuki-Minami, Taisha-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from Izumo Taisha-mae Station of Ichibata Line
  • Business hours 11:00-16:00
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 0853-53-6031
  • Parking None

Elegant pound cake with sweet bean paste and butter

Izumo Zenzai Cake (210 yen) and Enmitsu Blend (495 yen)
Izumo Zenzai Cake (210 yen) and Enmitsu Blend (495 yen)

A different kind of coffee can be tasted at a coffee shop about a one-minute walk from Izumo Taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Railway Taisha Line. Izumo Zenzai Cake" is made with Izumo-produced Dainagon azuki beans. The refined sweetness and flavor from the grains of red bean paste and butter can be enjoyed, and its small size makes it a perfect item for a short coffee break.
The coffee recommendation is the original "Enmikushi Blend. With its moderate bitterness and acidity, it is an easy cup to drink even for those who do not like coffee.

Casual upstairs seating overlooking the street

Casual space with counter seats by the window
Casual space with counter seats by the window

The cafe space is located at the top of the stairs at the back of the store. It is a space where you can spend a relaxing time while enjoying the view of Shinmon-dori, and since it is close to the station, it is recommended for a short break before or after visiting the shrine.
As a specialty coffee shop, we purchase high-quality green coffee beans from all over the world and carefully roast them in-house every morning. The beans are ground and dripped after ordering, so you can always enjoy the taste and aroma of fresh specialty coffee. During the summer season, "coffee soft serve ice cream" and "lemon squash" are also available. Be sure to stop by for a stroll.

Local Guide Comment
In addition to Izumo Zenzai Cake, the baked goods lineup also includes Walnut Brownie and Fruit Cake. All of them are made to suit all types of coffee, including shallow-roasted and deep-roasted.
Taisha Coffee
  • Address 780-9 Kinezuki-Minami-Kinmonzen, Taisha-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane MAP
  • Direction 1 minute walk from Izumo-taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Line
  • Business hours 10:00-17:00, Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 9:00-17:30
  • Closed Thursdays
  • TEL 0853-53-0510
  • Parking None

With a nice extra. Zenzai from a long-established confectionery shop representing Izumo

Izumo Zenzai (hot) (600 yen), which comes with a pouch containing 5 yen (for good luck) and a fortune.
Izumo Zenzai (hot) (600 yen), which comes with a pouch containing 5 yen (for good luck) and a fortune.

A cup of zenzai specialty store located in front of the "Seidamari no Torii" gate of Izumo Taisha Shrine. Izumo zenzai is made with Izumo rice flour and Dainagon azuki beans, and features a clear broth with large unmashed beans and red and white white balls. It has a moderate sweetness that is easy to eat and the rich flavor of azuki beans.
Other limited-time offerings include the mellow-flavored "Matcha Zenzai" (green tea zenzai), the cocoa-flavored "Koi Ai Zenzai," the "Hatsuharu Zenzai" (New Year's Zenzai), and the "Chilled Zenzai" (summer zenzai). Pouch-packaged products that last longer are also available, making them a good choice for souvenirs or for home use.

Kizuna Yui," where you can write your wishes on strips of paper, is also popular.

Don't forget to write your wish on a strip of paper and tie it to a red string hanging on the wall. You can have it dedicated at the
Don't forget to write your wish on a strip of paper and tie it to a red string hanging on the wall. You can have it dedicated at the "Great Festival of Marriage" at Izumo Taisha Shrine.

The store is owned by Sakaneya, which has been in business for 150 years. Sakaneya is a long-established confectionery shop that can be said to have led Izumo's Japanese confectionery culture. The store has a spacious Japanese-style room with tatami mats, making it an easy place to take a break before or after visiting the shrine.
The store also offers a new specialty called "Zenzai Mochi," which is popular as an accompaniment to eating and walking around, and is unique to the store. It is a specialty of the shop that was invented in order to make zenzai more easily accessible to customers. It is known as a specialty of Izumo Taisha Shrine, and is available for purchase at the cash register as a souvenir.

Local Guide Comment
The store is located in a corner of "Goen Yokocho," a one-story, row-house-style wooden commercial Property. The Property is full of attractions, including a soba noodle restaurant where you can taste Izumo soba and a store selling Izumo mythology-related gravestones. There is also a rest area and restrooms in the basement.
Izumo Taisha Seidamae Goen Yokocho Izumo Zenzai Mochi
  • Address 840-1 Kitsuki-Minami, Taisha-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane MAP
  • Direction 5 minutes walk from Izumo-taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Line.
  • Business hours Winter 9:00-17:00, Summer 9:00-18:00
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL 0853-53-5026
  • Parking None

Rice-flour rolls with azuki beans and fresh cream

Zenzai Roll Sweets Set (850 yen). The texture of the combination of gyuhi, sponge, and whipped cream is addictive!
Zenzai Roll Sweets Set (850 yen). The texture of the combination of gyuhi, sponge, and whipped cream is addictive!

The zenzai-like roll cake can be enjoyed at the Japanese-style café located right in front of the Shinmon-dori Traffic Square Parking Lot. The menu is inspired by the historical fact that Izumo is the birthplace of Zenzai, and is a specialty that is synonymous with the store. The roll cake is sandwiched between azuki beans and gyuhi, and is characterized by the smooth texture of the rice flour sponge and the light sweetness of the fresh cream with Hokkaido azuki bean paste.
Izumo Zenzai" with fragrant grilled rice cake and "Izumo Zenzai with Shiratama and Chestnuts", available only in autumn and winter, are also popular.

Relaxing time spent in a classy retro space

There are counter seats and table seats. There is also table seating at the back of the store with a view of a small garden, so be sure to stop by if available!
There are counter seats and table seats. There is also table seating at the back of the store with a view of a small garden, so be sure to stop by if available!

Many people use this store to take a break after visiting the shrine. The building was once a ryokan (Japanese-style inn), and the space, with its original beams, has a retro atmosphere reminiscent of the Meiji and Taisho eras.
In addition to the "Zenzai Roll," there is a full lineup of cakes, including "Baked Cheesecake" and "Pistachio Mille Crepe. For drinks, we recommend the "charcoal coffee" roasted with binchotan charcoal, which has a unique savory aroma that you should definitely try with the cakes.

Local Guide Comment
The "Sweets Set" includes a choice of drinks. In addition to the "Enishi" coffee blend, we recommend the "Cafe au Lait," which combines the bitterness of coffee with the sweetness of milk.
Shinmon-dori Cafe Pomme Beel
  • Address 835-5 Kitsuki-Minamikamonmonzen, Taisha-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane MAP
  • Direction 1 minute walk from Izumo-taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Line
  • Business hours 10:30-18:00 (L.O.17:30)
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 0853-53-6330
  • Parking None
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.