[HOURS 8:30 ~ 17:30/19:30 ~ 21:30]

Japanese Site

About Us

Greetings from the Owner

It is always our greatest pleasure to hear our customers say "I can't get enough of this place!".
We first began business as a ryokan in the Edo period, later on becoming an emporium and manufacturer of confectioneries and souvenirs after the Meiji period and have provided to the then Emperor as well as the current Emperor Akihiro. We are grateful for the continued patronage by the many visitors to Kinosaki.
Since the beginning with the founder and over the years we have continued the traditional and motto, "Only the best for our customers". Even in the years to come we promise to continue our love for our customers and earn their love in return.
We would like to thank you for your continued support.

A look into our store

At our store, located in the heart of the hot spring town of Kinosaki Onsen, you can find beautifully hand crafted mugiwara zaiku (Japanese straw craft) in addition to our wide selection of wagashi (traditional Japanese confections) all manufactured and sold right here. We also have local sake, specialty crafts, and marine products.
Can't make it into our store? Shop our on-line store accessible from our Japanese site for our specialty goods. (Note, the on-line store is only in Japanese and can only ship within Japan.)

The making of our wagashi

In our shop, the making of high quality confections starts with carefully selected ingredients like Tanba produced Dainagon Adzuki(large-grained adzuki bean) and Sanuki produced Wasanbon (Japanese refined sugar) which is the country's highest rated sugar. Wagashi with "beautiful presentation and exquisite flavor that will make you smile" is the result of our commitment carried on since our founding.
We encourage you to take a moment to appreciate the quality of the various products and your gift over a cup of tea, as wagashi is traditionally served at Japanese tea ceremonies and compliments green tea quite well.
Customers can also place advanced orders for seasonal wagashi, as well as make requests for special colors, designs, etc.

Product Lineup

Wagashi - unique Japanese confections

Wagashi are traditional Japanese sweets through which the beauty of nature and the seasons is conveyed in a delicious and artistic way.

  • A few wagashi terms

    Gyuhi - A type of soft Japanese confectionery made with rice flour, somewhat similar to Turkish delight.

    Yuzu - A citrus fruit of East Asia

    Wasanbon - Refined fine-grained Japanese sugar made with thin sugarcane in Shikoku.

    Adzuki - A small red bean grown in East Asia and often sweetened before eating.

    Yokan - A thick jellied dessert made of red bean paste, agar and sugar.

    Tsubuan - Coarse sweet red bean paste.

    Koshian - Fine-grained sweet bean paste.

    Manjyu - A steamed yeast bun usually made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat with a filling of adzuki.

    Monaka - A wafer cake usually filled with bean jam but modern monaka are also filled with ice cream or other fillings.

    Mochi - A sticky rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into a paste and molded into shape.

  • Aya Tachibana

    綾たちばな

    Gyuhi is wrapped around the Yuzu flavored center Saomono and finished with Wasanbon (refined Japanese sugar).
    This elegantly designed confectionery which is reminiscent of the Imperial Court's White robes, has received exceptional praise from historical literary figures and is an exemplification of Kinosaki sweets.

  • Yu no Shizuku

    湯のしずく

    The shops finest sweet, reminiscent of hot spring droplets (yu no shizuku) that have fallen in a bath of tranquility. An image conceived by the founder over the course of years, "Yu no Shizuku" is created by enveloping the finest koshian in gyuhi, then is dusted with fine Japanese sugar (wasanbon). It is well known as the perfect complimentary wagashi to green tea. So well known and popular that it has been presented in various publications.

  • Kinosaki Specialty Dokosui

    城崎名物 独鈷水

    This sweet gets its name from "Dokosui" a pure spring located in the mountain behind Gokuraku Zen Temple which is associated with the historical Buddhist figure Takuan Soho. The simplicity of this baked tsubuan (sweet bean paste) has been a long time seller popular with visitors to Kinosaki.

  • Rangetsu

    らん月

    This is the representative insignia of our shop and a trade thats secret has only been passed on from father to son. A superb specialty, this Yokan is made with the highest quality Dainagon Adzuki(large-grained adzuki bean).

  • Kuri Youkan

    栗羊羹

    A generous amount of Japanese chestnut from the Tamba region creates a harmonious flavor with the adzuki in this special youkan.

  • Onsen Manjyu

    温泉まんじゅう

    Freshly steamed at our shop from the first of October to the beginning of May. The outer part of this steamed bun is made with brown sugar and is wrapped around tsubuan. In addition to being able to purchase the manjyu by the box for gifting, during winter you can buy the freshly made manjyu still steaming here. This has become a popularly classic souvenir of Kinosaki. Branded onto the manjyu is our shop's name and the silhouette of the Kounotori, a designated Special Natural Monument that are currently being bred and raised in the region to bring the species back from extinction.

  • Tajima Ji

    但馬路

    This high quality European style cake fully utilizes the flavor of the specialty product yuzu. Our store's special flavored yellow An is wrapped and baked in an outer dough made with butter milk. A refreshing and mildly sweet milk confection.

  • Kani Monaka

    かに最中

    These monaka confectioneries are shaped after Kinosaki's famous winter deliciousness, matsuba crab and are packed with tsubuan. We welcome you to enjoy the excellence of the carefully selected Tamba Dainagon Adzuki(large-grained adzuki bean) that makes up the tsubuan filling.

  • Yuzu Monaka

    柚もなか

    Inside this elegantly styled Monaka you will find white koshian made with freshly picked and locally grown yuzu fruit. We make this sweet so as to suit everyone by skillfully subduing the aroma and flavor of the yuzu.

  • Kinosaki Yubeshi

    城崎ゆべし

    Yuzu is associated with Tachibana, a fruit that is thought to be the original sweet and brought over by Tajimamori, the god of sweets...Yubeshi is the result of bringing together the aroma and flavor of the Yuzu fruit. The pleasant and mellow flavor makes this a popular item.

  • Yunohana

    ゆのはな

    A baked wagashi with exquisite Koshian and Gyuhi wrapped up and baked. Branded on the top is a flower representative of the current season, a small way to further enjoy the four seasons while enjoying this sweet on your stroll through the hot spring town of Kinosaki.

  • Matsuba Kani Sable

    松葉かにサブレ

    A French style senbei (wafer) modeled after the local San'in area's winter specialty, Matsuba Crab. Baked with Californian almonds and France's finest Madère wine. Purchase it for a little reminder of your trip, or to bring home to enjoy it with friends and family over a cup of coffee or tea.

  • Kinosaki Onsen Senbei

    城崎温泉煎餅

    Veteran craftsman carefully choose locally produced eggs and hot spring motifs to create the Kinosaki Onsen Senbei. From years of ingenuity came the birth of these senbei which are loved by people from all over the country for their rich flavor.

  • Yuzu Syrup
    Yuzu no Yu

    ゆずしろっぷ
    柚の湯

    Our long time running yuzu syrup is made from fresh Tajima region yuzu fruits. Enjoy this syrup on toast, another popular way is to add two teaspoons to a cup of hot or cold water and slowly sip. Great as a hot drink to warm you up in the winter or with ice in the summer to cool down with.

  • Castella

    かすていら

    A first-rate Japanese sponge cake still made the same old fashion way one at a time and with care.

  • Tajima Bijin

    たじまびじん

    We specially make this Tajima Bijin (Bijin meaning beautiful woman in Japanese), that was created in 2012 for the Tajima Sweets Draft (Hyogo Prefectural Government Tajima District Administration Office Regional Policy Planning Office) and selected as a sweet to represent the area and its people.

  • Kintsuba

    きんつば

    This confectionary is carefully made using the highest quality of nationally recognized Tamba Dainagon Adzuki(large-grained adzuki bean) and Wasanbon (refined Japanese sugar).

Season special limited items

  • Kuzu Mochi

    くずもち

    A cool summer treat, this Kuzu mochi is made from Kuzuko and its texture is somewhere between a gelatin and mochi. Topped with traditional Japanese syrup made from refined Japanese sugar and savory Kinako(roasted soybean flour).

  • Wasan Boumitsu
    Kumomame Jelly

    和三宝蜜 黒豆ゼリー

    An amber colored jelly made with special Sanuki produced wasanbo (refined Japanese sugar). Inside you will find sweet black beans and gold leaf from Hokkaido.

  • Kori Ume

    氷梅

    This Saomono (sweets in the form on a log) type confectionery is a treat enjoyable only in the summer. It is made with domyoji (course rice powder) and sprinkled with an abundant amount of Tamba produced Dainagon Adzuki, which are likened to plums. Best enjoyed and should be kept at room temperature or slightly chilled.

  • Mizore Yuzu

    みぞれ柚

    This mizore agar or kanten in Japanese, is brewed with shredded Yuzu, allowing you to see, smell and taste the "coolness". It has been a popular and well loved summer treat for many years. Best enjoyed and should be kept at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Japanese Straw Craft

Beauty of Mugiwara Zaiku

A brief history of this elegant craft

A now rare art form and Kinosaki is the only place to still create these mesmerizing works of art with only a handful of artisans left to create them.

Dating back a few hundred years ago to the Kyoho era (mid Edo era) a person from what was known as the Inshu region, now known as Tottori prefecture, is said to have come to this onsen resort town. They are noted as starting this handicraft when they decorated flutes and spinning tops with brightly colored straw and sold them in the town to help pay for their lodging fees.
Following this, boxes and post cards were soon being decorated with mugiwara zaiku. Continuing into the Meiji era that artform progressed and through great advancements received the highest medal of honor at the world fair in 1902. Also, during the Pacific War our shop was approved by the government for “preservation of fine art and craft” for the mugiwara zaiku created here.

Recently, with new techniques for traditional ways and modern colors, we have been able to apply this art to a wide array of objects, such as stationary and trinket boxes, card cases, stamp booklets and more.

We thank all of our patrons for their continues support and love for this beautiful art.

Access

Located in the center of Kinosaki Onsen,
next to Ichi-no-Yu public bath house.

416 Yushima, Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka-shi
Hyogo prefecture, Japan 669-6101

Getting here by car

  • From Osaka/Kobe

    About 3.5 hours
    Chugoku Expressway > Yokawa JCT > Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway > Kitakinki Toyooka Expressway > Hidaka Kannabe Kougen IC > Route 9 & Route 312 > Kinosaki Onsen
  • From Himeji

    About 2 hours
    Bantan Expressway > Kitakinki Toyooka Expressway > Hidaka Kannabe Kougen IC > Route 9 & Route 312 > Kinosaki Onsen
  • From Kyoto

    About 3.5 hours
    Kyoto Jukan Expressway > Yoza-Amanohashidate IC > Route 176 & Route 312 > Kinosaki Onsen

Getting here by rail
Get off at "Kinosaki Onsen" located on JR San'in Line

  • From Osaka

    About 3 hours on a limited express train
  • From Kobe

    About 3 hours on a limited express train
  • From Himeji

    About 2 hrs. 10 min on an express train
  • From Kyoto

    About 2.5 hours on a limited express train

See here for train times and routes.

Copyright(C) MINATOYA All Rights Reserved.