Tachikawa Iseya, Main Shop

A long-established Japanese-style confectionery shop that retains its tradition with a new twist.

This long-established Japanese-style confectionery shop, located along the Tachikawa north-side main street, displays a shop curtain and signboard with the family crest, exuding a venerable atmosphere.
Soon after you enter the shop, you will see a big teapot with a sign that says: “Please feel free to help yourself to the tea.” We are sure that you will feel a warm welcome.

The shop curtain and signboard with the family crest are the trademarks of Iseya.

Meet the second-generation manager, Mr. Takanari Kobayashi, and his wife Ayako. They got to know each other in the track and field club during their school days. “We want to create new varieties of confections that incorporate the ideas of our younger staff members, while preserving the original taste preferred by the previous generation,” they said.

The shop’s recommendation is “Mizu-youkan”, or red bean jelly wrapped in a preserved cherry leaf, priced at 194 yen. This is perfectly suited for the summer season.

Dorayaki (red bean paste pancakes) pancakes, popular throughout the year, including “Tachi-dora” at 216 yen, and “Udora” at 216 yen, which are stamped with Tachikawa’s costumed mascot character.

These are especially popular during autumn and winter seasons. They sell “Taiyaki” (fish-shaped pancake filled with coarse sweet red bean paste) at 172 yen, and “Mitarashi” (skewered rice dumplings in a sweet soy glaze) at 194 yen (all tax included). You would be lucky if you can get them because the types and quantity available vary by day.
“Lately, we began to realize our mission to preserve tradition,” they said. As the Japanese confectionery industry is getting less popular these days, they are planning to develop innovative variants of confectionery incorporating anime characters.
They added, “Japanese confection is very simple – just a combination of bean paste and soft skin made from refined rice flour. However, what makes it interesting is that the taste varies depending on the store.” They explain that Japanese confection is completely free from oil, animal products and flavorings, and therefore is gentle to your body.
Their main lineup include “Sakura-mochi” (rice cake with bean paste wrapped in a preserved cherry leaf), “Kashiwa-mochi” (rice cake with red bean paste wrapped in an oak leaf), “Ohagi” (rice cake with red bean paste), “Ichigo-daifuku” (rice cake stuffed with a strawberry and sweet bean paste), “Daifuku-mikan” (rice cake stuffed with a mandarin orange and sweet bean paste), and “Kuri-daifuku” (rice cake stuffed with a chestnut and sweet bean paste). These confectionery change with the season, so you can taste different types of sweets every time you visit this shop.