Local Guide
Take home some delicious food! 5 recommended gourmet souvenirs from around the Unzen area of Nagasaki Prefecture

Surrounded by water and greenery, the Unzen area of Nagasaki Prefecture is rich in history. In this area blessed with a natural environment, you can find a colorful selection of souvenirs that make use of the local climate and ingredients. We have carefully selected gourmet souvenirs that will allow you to take home the charm of this rich Unzen. All of these products are loved by locals, and are appealing in both taste and packaging.

A representative souvenir from Unzen hot spring, made using traditional hand-baked methods

From the left, the "Unzen Yu Senpei" that is always on sale, and the "Jun Ichiban Hand-baked Unzen Yu Senpei" that is hand-baked one by one. The package design is also attractive.
From the left, the "Unzen Yu Senpei" that is always on sale, and the "Jun Ichiban Hand-baked Unzen Yu Senpei" that is hand-baked one by one. The package design is also attractive.

This is a long-established store selling "Yusenpei", a specialty of Unzen hot spring. Yusenpei is a light and crispy rice cracker made by baking wheat flour, sugar, eggs, and hot spring water. It is said that production began as a sweet to present to Matsudaira Tadakazu, the former lord of Shimabara, who was known for his love of hot spring.
In addition to the "Unzen Yusenpei" that is always on sale, where four pieces of yusenpei are baked on a single hot plate, "Totomiya Honpo" also sells "Unzen Yusenpei, Hand-baked in One Piece," where batter is poured into a 3kg mold and each piece is carefully baked. Hand-baked demonstrations are also held on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, and you can enjoy freshly baked pieces (100 yen each). The chewy ears that stick out of the mold, which are usually cut off, can only be enjoyed when the pieces are freshly baked.
There are also many other Yusenpei-based products available, such as chocolate bars, granola, and gaufrettes. Looking for souvenirs is also a fun experience.

[Product name and price] 14 pieces of Unzen Yu Senpei for 650 yen, 10 pieces of pure handmade Unzen Yu Senpei for 1,000 yen
[Best before date] Approximately 3 months from the date of manufacture
[Stores] Tonomiya Honpo, souvenir shops in Unzen city, etc.

Comments Local Guide
In addition to the yusenpei, we also recommend "Jagatama," a Japanese-style sweet potato treat made with delicious potatoes from Unzen City and white bean paste.
Tonomiya Honpo
  • 住所317 Unzen, Obama-cho, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 2 minutes walk from Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen
  • 営業時間8:30〜19:00
  • 定休日Thursday
  • TEL0957-73-2155
  • 駐車場None

A representative Nagasaki confectionery with a refreshing aroma accented with Shimabara ginger

This 50th anniversary commemorative tin contains 10 Cruz pieces. Its cute appearance has made it popular since its release in 2015 and it has become a staple product.
This 50th anniversary commemorative tin contains 10 Cruz pieces. Its cute appearance has made it popular since its release in 2015 and it has become a staple product.

Since its creation in 1964, Cruz has long been a beloved Nagasaki specialty. It is made of thin, crispy dough sandwiched between white chocolate with a hint of Shimabara ginger. When it was first released, chocolate sweets were considered sophisticated and very rare.
The striking bright yellow can is a reproduction commemorating the 50th anniversary of the product's release. It reproduces the packaging design used when the product was first released, and features an eye-catching illustration of a lovely sister drawn by Shintaro Suzuki, one of the most famous artists of the Showa era.
"Cruz" means cross in Portuguese. The emblem called the flower cross designed on the dough is a symbol of hidden Christians, and is based on the pattern on the tsuba (guard) of Amakusa Shiro's sword. This is a product that allows you to feel the history of Nagasaki through sweets.

[Product name and price] Reprint Cruz can (10 Cruz pieces) 1,188 yen
[Best before date] Approximately 4 months from the date of manufacture
[Stores] All Bonpati stores (5 stores in Nagasaki prefecture including Obama store), Nagasaki Airport, hotel shops in Unzen city, etc.

Comments Local Guide
Bon Patie, a direct store of Obama Shokuryo, the company that manufactures and sells Cruz, sells a variety of flavors of Cruz, including the classic white chocolate, as well as coffee, matcha, and strawberry.
Bonpati Obama store
  • 住所14-15 Kitahonmachi, Obama-cho, Unzen-shi, Nagasaki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 20 minutes by car from Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen
  • 営業時間8:00～18:00
  • 定休日New Year's Day
  • TEL0957-74-5556
  • 駐車場free

A specialty rice cracker made from a whole thinly baked octopus

Crispy "Tako Senbei" (octopus crackers) made by thinly baking and stretching the octopus from head to legs. Each cracker is about 15cm in diameter.
Crispy "Tako Senbei" (octopus crackers) made by thinly baking and stretching the octopus from head to legs. Each cracker is about 15cm in diameter.

A perennial favorite at the souvenir shop in Obama Marina, "Whole Fish Crackers" are thinly rolled rice crackers made from various seafood. Of the four varieties available - octopus, sea bream, small sardines, and squid - the most popular is the "Tako Crackers." Seasoned dried octopus is pressed on the shop's hot plate. These 100% octopus crackers, without any flour or other binding agents, fill your mouth with delicious flavor in one bite. They are about 1mm thin, and the secret to their deliciousness is their light and crispy texture. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays only, they also sell freshly made octopus crackers at the same price as the bagged ones. They are moist and soft when freshly made, and become crispy as time passes. They are so delicious that people of all ages and genders will want to eat more and more.

[Product name and price] Octopus crackers (4 pieces) 864 yen
[Best before date] Approximately 90 days from date of manufacture
[Store] Yamaguchi Kaisan

Comments Local Guide
Not only do they offer freshly baked octopus crackers, but they also sell a wide variety of local seafood. With such a wide selection, we can confidently recommend this place as the place to go for local souvenirs!
Yamaguchi Seafood
  • 住所Marina 20-2, Obamacho, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 20 minutes by car from Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen
  • 営業時間9:00〜18:00
  • 定休日None
  • TEL0957-75-0607
  • 駐車場free

Local chocolate that brings out the charm of Shimabara ingredients

The 10 varieties of Shimabara Terrine can be purchased individually, allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavors.
The 10 varieties of Shimabara Terrine can be purchased individually, allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavors.

"Kuon Chocolate" has production and sales bases all over the country. Their signature product is "QUON Terrine," which is a marriage of carefully selected cacao from around the world and local ingredients from all over Japan. The Shimabara store offers a unique flavor, "Shimabara Terrine," which combines castella from the local "Buntando" with Shimabara tea, such as mulberry tea and black tea. There are 10 types in total, including "Shimabara Castella & Very Berry," "Shimabara Mulberry Tea Castella & Vietnam 56%," and "Shimabara Castella & Matcha." The castella rusks add a nice crunchy texture. The combination of tea and chocolate also brings out the flavors of each other, creating a rich aroma. You can choose your favorite flavors and fill them up with stylish packaging such as boxes and cans, which make for a great gift.

[Product name and price] Shimabara terrine 1 piece 270 yen *Palette type box 110 yen
[Best before date] Approximately 60 days from date of manufacture
[Store] Kuon Chocolate Shimabara store

Comments Local Guide
Not only do they sell chocolate, they also have a cafe menu with drinks and ice cream. The rich chocolat chaud, which is like raw chocolate, is a must-have for chocolate lovers.
Kuon Chocolate Shimabara store
  • 住所740-1 Miyanomachi, Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 36 minutes by car from Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen
  • 営業時間10:00～18:00
  • 定休日Wednesdays *Open every day from November to March
  • TEL0957-73-9925
  • 駐車場free

The more you eat, the more addictive it becomes. A bean snack that has been loved by locals for many years.

The "Lucky Cherry Beans" and other standard products include the "Nori Beans" and "Uni Beans". The packaging designs are retro and cute.
The "Lucky Cherry Beans" and other standard products include the "Nori Beans" and "Uni Beans". The packaging designs are retro and cute.

Founded in 1914 (Taisho 3), the company manufactures and sells a variety of bean snacks made with fava beans, including its signature product, "Lucky Cherry Beans." "Lucky Cherry Beans" are made by soaking fava beans in Shimabara spring water, frying them in oil until crispy, and then coating them with Shimabara-grown golden ginger, sugar, and starch syrup. The crunchy texture and refreshing ginger flavor are addictive, and the snack is a favorite taste of nostalgic memories for locals.
Other flavors include "Nori Mame" (seaweed beans) covered with plenty of green laver, and "Uni Mame" (sea urchin beans) made with raw sea urchin, which are perfect as snacks to go with alcohol. There is also the seasonal "Sakura Saku Lucky Cherry Beans," and there are a variety of bean snacks to suit a variety of occasions, such as teatime accompaniments, snacks for children, and snacks.

[Product name and price] Lucky cherry beans, sea urchin beans, and seaweed beans, 378 yen each
[Best before date] Approximately 120 days from date of manufacture
[Stores] Fujita Cherry Mame Sohonten, Yara Yara SAPIN, Tonomiya Honpo, hotel shops in Unzen city, etc.

Comments Local Guide
Shimabara City is filled with spring water from the foot of Mt. Unzen, and the Shimabara Flood Control Group has been selected as one of the "100 Famous Waters" by the Ministry of the Environment. The bean snacks made with this pure water also seem to convey the richness of the Shimabara land.
Fujita Cherry Beans Main Store
  • 住所2-1708-1 Shinminato, Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスAbout 26 minutes by car from Hoshino Resorts KAI Unzen
  • 営業時間8:00〜17:00
  • 定休日Saturday and Sunday
  • TEL0120-62-3217
  • 駐車場free

MAP

Nearby Hoshino Resorts Property
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