1Daifukudo "Suddenly Dumplings"

Happiness you can buy for 100 yen. Local Kumamoto sweets made by a long-established store

This Japanese and Western sweets shop is located in an alley off Namikizaka, which runs north from the end of Kamitori Arcade. This long-established store has been in business since before the war, and its showcase is lined with simple, gently sweet Japanese and Western sweets that are all handmade with care.
The most popular item is the local Kumamoto sweet, "Ikinari Dango." Daifukudo's proud Ikinari Dango is large and heavy when you pick it up. The chewy thin skin is filled with smooth bean paste and moist, fluffy sweet potato. What's more, the price remains the same at 100 yen for this volume. It may sell out by mid-day, so it's best to visit in the morning.
By the way, the name "Ikinari Dango" ("suddenly") means that they can be made immediately to entertain guests who suddenly show up (there are various theories about this). Made with simple ingredients, they are filled with a gentle sweetness and the hospitality of the Kumamoto people.

[Product name and price] Ikinari Dango 100 yen each
[Best before date] Only on the day

Daifukudo

• 1-36 Kamibayashicho, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
• 8 minutes walk from the tram stop "Torimachi-suji"
• 9:30〜18:30
• Sunday
• 096-359-0781
• None

2Original Mori Karashi Renkon Main store "Karashi Renkon"

The refreshing spiciness will have you hooked. A 400-year-old Kumamoto specialty

Kumamoto's specialty, mustard lotus root, is said to have originated about 400 years ago when Mori Heigoro, the founder of "Mori Mustard Lotus Root," presented it to the frail lord of Kumamoto, Hosokawa Tadatoshi, as a nutritious food.
Even now, in its 18th generation, the taste has been handed down and each one is handmade using carefully selected high-quality lotus root from Kyushu and Yamaguchi. It has a crisp texture and a refreshing spiciness from the mustard. You can enjoy it as is, or you can add soy sauce or mayonnaise to change the flavor. Furthermore, heating it in the microwave for a few seconds will increase the spiciness, making it a great choice for those who like spicy food. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 13 days, making it a safe souvenir.

[Product name and price] Mustard lotus root (small) 700 yen per piece
[Best before date] 13 days when refrigerated
[Stores] Original Morikarashi Lotus Root Main Store, Morikarashi Lotus Root Josaien Sakura no Koji

Original Morikarashirenkon Main Store

• https://www.karashirenkon.co.jp
• 2-12-32 Shinmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
• 1 minute walk from the tram stop "Shinmachi"
• 8:00〜17:00
• Irregular holidays
• 096-351-0001
• free

3Fuga Gotsu Main Branch "Fuga Roll"

A seaweed snack with a crispy, crunchy, and delicious texture that will become addictive

It is a simple seaweed snack made by wrapping carefully selected beans and nuts in roasted seaweed harvested young in the Ariake Sea. The moment you put it in your mouth, the rich flavor of the seaweed spreads throughout your mouth, and the crispy, crunchy texture is delicious. There are nine types available, including soy sauce soy, wasabi soy salt cashew nuts, soy sauce pistachio, and cheese arare. There is also an assortment type with a variety of flavors, so it is popular as a souvenir for large groups such as companies.
The taste is exceptional, as the company has its roots in Tsuho Nori, a specialist seaweed manufacturer founded in 1961. It is perfect as a snack with tea or for children. It is loved by a wide range of generations because it is in stick form and easy to eat.

[Product name and price] Fugamaki small bag (10 pieces, 8 pieces, 6 pieces *varies depending on the type) various types from 843 yen, Fugamaki 12 pieces mixed pack 1,080 yen, etc.
[Best before date] 10 to 11 months from date of manufacture
[Stores] Gotsu main store, Tsuruya Department Store, Kumamoto Airport, directly managed stores (Joyama store, Mashiki store, Musashigaoka store, Nagamine store), etc.

Fuga Gotsu Main Branch

• https://www.fugamaki.com
• 4-1-1 Gotsu, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
• Approximately 10 minutes by car from JR Minami-Kumamoto Station
• 9:30～18:30
• New year holiday season
• 096-379-4211
• free

4SWISS Kamitori Branch "Liqueur Maron"

A cake wrapped in green foil that is fondly remembered by Kumamoto residents

This long-established store opened in 1962 as the first Western-style confectionery store in Kumamoto City, and currently has eight stores in the Kumamoto City suburbs. The store's long-selling and most popular item is the "Liqueur Maron." A sponge cake soaked in liqueur is sandwiched with a generous amount of butter cream mixed with Kumamoto-grown chestnuts in their shells. The moment you take a bite, the mellow aroma of liqueur fills your nose, and then you're enveloped in the rich flavor of the Japanese chestnut cream. The recipe hasn't changed at all since the store first opened, and for Kumamoto residents, the cake, including the package wrapped in green silver paper, is a nostalgic one. Why not buy this locally loved item, which you'll want to eat every time you return home, as a souvenir for someone special?

[Product name and price] Liqueur Maron 1 piece 399 yen *Price subject to change
[Best before date] 4 days when refrigerated
[Stores] SWISS Kamitori store, SWISS Shimodori store, etc.

SWISS Kamitori store

• https://www.s-swiss.com
• 1-15 Kamitorimachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
• About 2 minutes walk from the tram stop "Torimachi-suji"
• 10:00-20:00, Friday and Saturday - 21:00
  Cafe: 11:30-18:30 (last orders 18:00), Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: 11:00-
• New year holiday season
• 096-355-7141
• None

5Kumamoto Winery "Kikuka Chardonnay Barrel Aged"

Kumamoto wine is attracting attention not only from within Japan but also from around the world.

Founded in 1999 as the first winery in Kumamoto Prefecture. With the desire to create a wine that can be enjoyed around the world, Kikuka Wine, which uses grapes grown under contract in Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture, has won prestigious awards in numerous competitions and is attracting attention from around the world.
"Kikuka Chardonnay Barrel Aged" is a wine that has been fermented at low temperature and then aged in French oak barrels for about a year. It has an elegant taste with a rich fruitiness and the gorgeous aroma of the barrel. It is dry and goes well with horse meat dishes, bringing out the flavors of each other. It is recommended to drink it in a large glass at a slightly higher temperature, not too chilled. If you are a wine lover, this is a must-have souvenir.

[Product name and price] Kikuka Chardonnay barrel aged (750ml, white, dry) 4,972 yen
[Best before date] None
[Stores] Kumamoto Winery, Kikuka Winery

Kumamoto Winery

• https://www.kumamoto-winery.jp
• Kumamoto City, Kita Ward, Izumimachi, Mitsuzuka 168-17 MAP
• Approximately 20 minutes walk from JR Nishizato Station
• Take the bus from Kumamoto Sakuramachi Bus Terminal, get off at "Arajin Iriguchi/Foodpal Kumamoto-mae" and walk for about 6 minutes
• 10:00〜17:00
• Wednesdays, New Year's holidays
• 096-275-2277
• free

6Fukudaya Kumamoto Wagurian “Kurisenri”

A new type of baked Mont Blanc made with Japanese chestnuts from Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto is a major chestnut producing region, boasting the largest production volume in Western Japan. The chestnut sweet specialty store "Fukudaya Kumamoto Wakuri-an"'s Kurisenri is a moist baked Mont Blanc made only with high-quality chestnuts from Kumamoto Prefecture. With one bite, the gentle flavor of the fragrant chestnut paste fills your mouth. It is a new type of sweet that is both Japanese and Western, and goes well with both coffee and green tea. It was ranked first in the nation in the "9th Nippon Nationwide Local Snack Ranking" in 2018, and also won the grand prize. Each piece is individually wrapped, making it a perfect souvenir for friends or the office.

[Product name and price] Kumamoto Japanese chestnut confectionery Kurisenri (5 pieces) 729 yen, (8 pieces) 1,166 yen
[Best before date] 35 days from date of manufacture
[Stores] Tsuruya Department Store, JR Kumamoto Station Higo Yokamon Market, Kumamoto Airport, etc.

Fukudaya Kumamoto Wakuri-an Tsuruya Branch

• https://www.okashi-fukudaya.com/
• Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, Chuo Ward, Tetori Honmachi 6-1 Tsuruya Department Store, Main Building, 1st basement floor, Japanese sweets section MAP
• About 1 minute walk from the Torimachi streetcar stop
• 10:00-19:00, Friday and Saturday - 19:30
• Irregular (1-2 days off per month), New Year's holidays
• 096-356-2111（代表）
• Paid
• Please check the Tsuruya Department Store website in advance for closing days.

7Kumamon Square "Kumamon Goods"

Limited edition live-action Kumamon goods available only at Kumamon's holy land

Kumamon is the PR character for Kumamoto Prefecture, as well as the sales manager and happiness manager for the prefecture. Kumamon Square is Kumamon's base of operations and is known as a holy place for Kumamon fans.
It's also a treasure trove of limited edition Kumamon goods, and all of the live-action (using photos of Kumamon) goods are limited edition items that can only be purchased here. Because they are live-action, Kumamon's realistic cuteness is expressed as it is, making them irresistible designs for fans. There is also a wide variety of items, and new products are irregularly stocked from time to time for each season, such as Christmas and Halloween. There are also many items with designs that are unique to Kumamoto, and even if you're not a Kumamon fan, you'll want to get them as mementos of your trip.

Kumamon Square

• https://www.kumamon-sq.jp
• Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Chuo Ward, Tetori Honmachi 8-2, Tetori Kumamoto Building, 1st floorMAP
• 2 minutes walk from Suidocho tram stop
• 10:00 - 19:00 *Subject to change
• New year holiday season
• free
• 096-327-9066
• None

8OMO5 Kumamoto by Hoshino Resorts "itiiti (Ichiichi)" tatami accessories

Upcycling Kumamoto-grown rush grass scraps through the power of design

These delicate accessories look like they've been woven with beads. They're made from Kumamoto's famous rush grass. They're from "itiiti," a brand that uses the leftover rush grass from making tatami mats and other items. OMO5 Kumamoto by Hoshino Resorts Kumamoto shares this concept and sells them at its shop in OMO Base (Travelers' Fun Lounge) on the 3rd floor.
After chopping the rush grass into small pieces, the sponge-like cut surfaces are threaded one by one with a needle and arranged into various shapes to make earrings or pierced earrings. They are light and comfortable to wear, with just the right amount of presence, making them a great accent piece for any outfit.

OMO5 Kumamoto by Hoshino Resorts "itiiti"

• https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/omo5kumamoto
• 5-1 Tetori Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture MAP
• 1 minute walk from the tram stop "Torimachi-suji"
• 7:00~22:30
• Same as hotel closing days
• None (affiliated Parking available)
• https://www.itiitiitiiti.com/

9Hada Biwa "Hada Horse Oil Sakura"

A horse oil cream that moisturizes the skin and has a soothing cherry blossom scent

This skincare brand has a reputation for its high quality, and it uses an integrated system from raw horse oil to product manufacturing. Among the many products, "Hadaumayu Sakura" is popular for being easy to use even for first-time users. It is a moisturizing cream of horse oil and beeswax, with a subtle cherry blossom scent. When applied to the skin, it melts smoothly and smoothly with body heat, and is extremely compatible with the skin. There are two types, moist and refreshing, which differ in the feel of the product. Both can be used on the whole body, but the moist type can be used on very dry skin when applied thinly to skin that has been conditioned with lotion after washing the face, and will keep the skin moisturized. The refreshing type is light to use and is also recommended as a hand cream.

[Product name and price] Hada-bayu Sakura (moisturizing type, refreshing type) 25g each, 1,100 yen
[Stores] Sakuranobaba Josaien Shunsaikan, JR Kumamoto Station Higo Yokamon Market, etc.

Hadamiwa Co., Ltd.

• https://kimiwa.jp/
• 4193 Takagi, Mifune-cho, Kamimashiki-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture (Kumamoto Head Office and Factory) MAP
• 096-282-2357