Local Guide
Ideal for souvenirs. 6 elegant Japanese sweets loved in Matsue, one of Japan's three major confectionery areas

Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture is one of the "top three confectionery cities in Japan" along with Kyoto and Kanazawa. Matsudaira Harusato, the seventh lord of the Matsue domain in the Edo period (1603-1867), is known as a tea master who called himself "Fumai," a tea ceremony name, and is regarded as the leading figure in spreading the culture of the tea ceremony in Matsue. When you visit Matsue, you should definitely try some of the famous sweets that still live on in the castle town. Here we introduce a selection of famous confections from Matsue's representative long-established confectioneries. We recommend that you take a break from your trip to taste some of these confections and get a taste of Matsue's tea ceremony culture.

The texture of the gyuhi is addictive. A famous confectionary representing Matsue

A gem of fluffy gyuhi kneaded with sugar and sprinkled with green rice flour made from crushed rice cakes.
A gem of fluffy gyuhi kneaded with sugar and sprinkled with green rice flour made from crushed rice cakes.

One of the most famous confections representing Matsue City's chanoyu culture is the chagashi made by a long-established confectionery shop established in 1874. Saiundo's representative confectionery, "Wakakusa," is one of the "three famous confections of Fumaikou," along with "Yamakawa" and "Rape seed village," and is sold at many confectionery shops in the city. Gyuhi is made from high-quality glutinous rice produced in Oku Izumo Town, Shimane Prefecture. The rice is moderately elastic and crisp, and its vivid color is reminiscent of sprouts. The process of dusting the cut Gyuhi with plum powder is done by hand, one by one.

The showcase in the store is lined with a variety of colorful fresh confections, all with a simple design that is not too much concerned about being outlandish, but rather is close to everyday life. The showcase is changed about every two weeks, so you can always enjoy colorful fresh confections that are a little ahead of the season.

Local Guide Comment
Wakakusa is one of the so-called "Fumai-ko's favorite" tea cakes invented by Lord Matsudaira Jirigo (tea name Fumai). It is said that the name "Wakakusa" was taken from a poem written by Jigo, "Cloudy, you shall pick them before it rains, Wakakusa of spring in the mountains of Tsugao.

Product Name / Price】Wakakusa (3 pieces) 756 yen
Shelf life: 15 days including the day of shipment.
Sold at the main store, Izumo store, Ael store on Shinmon-dori, etc.

Saiundo Main Store
  • Address 124 Tenjinmachi, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 8 minutes walk from JR Matsue Station
  • Business hours 9:00-18:00
  • Closed Thursdays
  • TEL 0852-21-2727
  • Parking Free of charge

The taste of the restored sweets is reminiscent of mountains in autumn leaves and rivers in a murmuring stream.

The red and white yuzu are in pairs, and the basic rule is to break the yuzu into pieces and eat them with your hands.
The red and white yuzu are in pairs, and the basic rule is to break the yuzu into pieces and eat them with your hands.

This dried confectionary was restored in the Taisho era by the second generation of a long-established confectionary shop founded in the Meiji era that has many local fans. Yamakawa" is a famous confectionery named after a poem written by Matsudaira Jirigo, "Scattering is floating, scattering is sinking, the shadow of maple leaves is the water of Yamakawa in Takao," and is one of the "three most famous confections in Matsue" as well as one of the "three most famous confections in Japan.

It is said that the name of the confectionery was created from the bumps and dents on the side of the cracked piece, which resemble mountains and rivers, with the red representing the mountains with autumn leaves and the white representing the rivers. The sweetness melts quickly in the mouth and spreads gently, and the sweetness does not linger, making it easy to eat even for those who are not familiar with Japanese confectionaries. It is best enjoyed with matcha (powdered green tea), as it enhances the flavor of the tea.

Local Guide Comment
A local favorite is Michishiba, a dried confectionary made of a layer of gyuhi and white bean paste. It is also served at the tea ceremony at Gesshoji Temple, a temple associated with Lord Matsudaira Jirigo (tea name: Fumai), and goes well with whiskey and other alcoholic beverages.

Product Name / Price】 Yamakawa (1 piece) 1,058 yen
Shelf life: 10 days from the date of manufacture in the unopened package.
Sold at Teramachi Main Store, Kyobashi Store, Chaminade Matsue (Matsue famous sweets), etc.

Fuyudo Teramachi Main Store
  • Address 151 Teramachi, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 8 minutes walk from JR Matsue Station
  • Business hours 9:00-18:00 *Subject to seasonal change
  • Closed Wednesdays and New Year's Day
  • TEL 0852-21-3241
  • Parking Free of charge

Matsue's famous confectionery with a deep flavor representing a field of spring greens

It represents a butterfly flying over a field of spring greens.
It represents a butterfly flying over a field of spring greens.

The Teramachi area near JR Matsue Station is lined with many historic Japanese confectionery shops. San-eido," with its impressive old-fashioned storefront with a tiled roof, is located in one of these areas, and since its establishment in the early Showa period, it has been passing on Matsue's traditional wagashi to the present day. Its representative work is "Rape Seed Village," one of the "Three Famous Sweets of Lord Fumai.

It is a Japanese confectionary made of yellow rakugan (fallen wild goose) colored with gardenia and filled with white roasted rice, which falls apart in the mouth as soon as it is eaten, spreading a gentle sweetness and flavor. In addition to the individual sweets, we also recommend the "Matsue Three Famous Sweets" set, which is packaged together with "Wakakusa" and "Yamakawa. San-eido produces a wide variety of wagashi that are not bound by formality or tradition, but are carefully made by hand in the traditional way.

Local Guide Comment
Another representative product of the store is "Hinode-mae," a traditional confectionary using peeled red bean paste. Hinode-mae" is a tea ceremony confectionary at the Adachi Museum of Art, which is known for one of the best gardens in Japan, and was named after the ceramic artist Kawai Kanjiro.

Product name/price: Rape Seed Village (1 piece) 918 yen.
Best before date of expiration: 15 days from the date of manufacture, if unopened.
Sold at Teramachi main store, Ichibata store, Chamineme Matsue (Kyodo Meika), etc.

San-eido Teramachi Main Store
  • Address 47 Teramachi, Matsue City, Shimane MAP
  • Direction Approximately 8 minutes walk from JR Matsue Station
  • Business hours 9:00-18:00
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL 0852-31-0122
  • Parking Free of charge

Uchigashi made with wasanbon sugar that crumbles easily

It is said that it was also called
It is said that it was also called "ometsukashi" because it was forbidden to sell it to other places while it was ordered by the lord for tea ceremonies.

The company was founded in the Edo period (1751-1764). The first generation is said to have served the Matsue Clan as its purveyor, and with a history of about 270 years, it is a representative confectionary of one of Matsue's most venerable confectionary shops. Himekosode," which has been handed down from generation to generation since the Edo period, is a small Uchigashi made with a light and elegant peeled red bean paste and wasanbon sugar, a unique manufacturing method.

It is so soft that it crumbles in your mouth, spreading a gentle sweetness. The main store is located near the Kyo-ten shopping street, a popular sightseeing area lined with a variety of restaurants. The store has a space where you can enjoy Japanese sweets and have a smoke, so it is recommended to stop by for a break while strolling along the shopping street.

Local Guide Comment
The "Jidenshu Dorayaki," which uses "Jidenshu," a cooking sake that has been passed down in Matsue since ancient times, in the sponge cake batter, is a long-time favorite of the store. The dorayaki is moist and soft, with a subtle aroma of sake.

Product Name / Price】Himekosode (6 pieces) 1,426 yen
Shelf life: 15 days from the date of manufacture, if unopened.
Sold at the main store, Rakuyama branch, Chaminade Matsue (Matsue famous confectionery), etc.

Ichirikido Honten
  • Address 53 Suetsugi-honmachi, Matsue City, Shimane MAP
  • Direction 15 minutes walk from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station on the Ichibata Line.
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Matsue Station and get off at Ohashi Kitazume bus stop. 1 minute walk from the bus stop.
  • Business hours 10:00-18:00 (10:00-17:00 on Sundays)
  • Closed Thursdays
  • TEL 0852-28-5300
  • Parking Please use the Kyoten shopping street Parking (fee required).

A traditional confectionary with a crispy texture that goes well with both Japanese tea and coffee.

You can enjoy it even if it is chilled in a refrigerator.
You can enjoy it even if it is chilled in a refrigerator.

A representative product of the confectionery established over 200 years ago, which offers a wide variety of products, from Matsue's traditional confections to highly creative Japanese confections. Usuzukogura," made by filling a mold with azuki beans and pouring in a mixture of agar and sugar, is a masterpiece made by soaking Dainagon azuki beans from Hokkaido in a secret honey for three days, cooking them, and then drying them slowly in a kiln for 14 hours.

The heat over a long period of time gives the azuki a unique crispy texture. The azuki beans inside are hand-selected by hand to ensure that the size of the grains are uniform. The quality of the Dainagon azuki beans is maximized. The light yet deep sweetness goes well with Japanese tea and coffee. It is also recommended as a Matsue souvenir.

Local Guide Comment
Other popular seasonal confections include "Beni Moyuru," made with sweet potato red bean paste wrapped in a moist crust, and "Kaki Sansui," a moderately ripe persimmon filled with white bean paste and chopped chestnuts.

Product Name / Price] Usu Ogura (6 pieces) 1,037 yen
Shelf life] 14 days from the date of manufacture in the unopened package.
Sold at Tenjinmachi main store, Izumo Enmochi Airport store, Chaminade Matsue (Matsue famous confectionery), etc.

Keigetsudo Tenjinmachi Honten
  • Address 97 Tenjinmachi, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 10 minutes walk from JR Matsue Station
  • Business hours 9:00-18:00
  • Closed Holidays: Open year-round (mostly Wednesdays)
  • TEL 0852-21-2622
  • Parking Free of charge

Chewy sweets with a fresh aroma of yuzu (Japanese citron)

Its small size makes it easy to eat, and it is perfect as a snack for children as well as for tea ceremonies.
Its small size makes it easy to eat, and it is perfect as a snack for children as well as for tea ceremonies.

This is the signature product of a confectionery located within walking distance of Matsue Shinjiko Hot Spring Station, which is also convenient to Izumo Taisha Shrine. Yuzu Mochiko" is a traditional confectionery that has been handed down since the Edo period (1603-1868). The yuzu mochi is made with grated Shimane Prefecture yuzu and kneaded into gyuhi (a type of rice cake). The gyuhi, made from Japanese glutinous rice, is moderately elastic and has a soft texture and a rich yuzu aroma that is very addictive.

Fukudaya sells a wide variety of confections, including not only the typical Matsue sweets, but also dorayaki with "fortune omikuji," which are prayed for at Izumo Taisha Shrine, seasonal sweet potatoes, mizuyokan, and a wide assortment of other confections that make ideal souvenirs.

Local Guide Comment
Matsue Castle, a national treasure, is about an 18-minute walk away. Izumo Taisha Shrine can also be reached by train from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station, so stop by on your way to or from sightseeing.

Product Name / Price: Yuzu Mochiko (6 pieces) 648 yen
Best before date of expiration: 15 days from the date of manufacture, if unopened.
Sold at Nakahara store, Matsue Ichibata Department Store, Chaminade Matsue (Matsue famous sweets), etc.

Yuzu Mochiko Honpo Fukudaya Nakahara Store
  • Address 159 Nakahara-cho, Matsue City, Shimane MAP
  • Direction Approx. 3 min. walk from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station on the Ichibata Line
  • Business hours 9:00-18:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0852-27-4888
  • Parking 2 cars (free of charge)

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.