A “Dagashi-Ya” is a store that specializes in traditional Japanese candy that has been valued throughout history for the affordability and pure joy that comes from popping back mouthfuls of colorful sweets.Teeming with bustling adolescence, the shelves of novel toys, cards, and trinkets round out a selection children fall giddy for.. Honjo-Kaeruhonpo Higashi-Komagata Candy Shop Located conveniently within a few blocks width along the Sumida River in Higashi-Komagata, one could merely cross the Azuma Bridge from the classic landmark area of Asakusa and find themselves deep in the hometown honesty of "Shitamachi". Rooted in its old time ways, this neighborhood of the working class preserves a history in a city constantly faced with change. The numerous meal shops and bathhouses create a time honored background for festivals, parades, and fireworks reminiscent of past summers. Location: 2-8-2 Higashi-Komagata, Sumida-Ku, Tokyo 130-0005 Japan Phone: 03-3622-5990 Open: Mon-Sat Afternoon-8:00PM (Open on Sunday & a national holiday sometimes. Just call us!!) Honjo-Kaeruhonpo Ryogoku Candy Shop/Restaurant The Ryogoku store is east behind the legendary Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo arena. (A half-minute walk from the A2 exit of the Ryogoku station of the Oedo Line) Enjoy fare of various tastes from the menu or get prepared for Monjya-Yaki. A traditional eating experience that shouldn’t be missed! We have coffee, unique sodas, cocktails, and the best tasting draft beer in the area!! Take advantage of the “One Coin Lunch” (500 Yen) offered on weekdays. And don’t forget to end your meal with a few sweet treats from our quaint selection of dagashi. Location: 1-8-6 Kamezawa, Sumida-Ku, Tokyo 130-0014 Japan Phone: 03-5608-3788 Open: Mon-Fri 10:00AM-2:30PM(Lunch from 11:30AM) Dinner 5:00PM-11:00PM Sat, Sun & National Holiday Evening-10:00PM (Sometimes closed on Sunday & a national holiday. Just call us!!) Dagashi Honjo-Kaeruhonpo welcomes you to the world of "Dagashi". The term refers to the sweet candies that were available to all classes of people and are fondly remembered for providing a smile or two during the hard times of Japan’s reconstruction. During the Edo period, late eighteenth century, delicate confections were reserved for the upper class society and to this day remain a staple among the many fine arts of Japan.This, however, had little importance for the average little boy or girl that simply couldn’t reach the treats meant only for “grown-ups”.The children’s secret wishes for their own treats were granted later in the nineteenth century of the Meiji Era. Sugar had poured into Japan from all parts of south-east Asia and suddenly candy burst onto the streets high and low. With the limited availability of space, many homes doubled as family businesses known as an “Ishoku”. Candy shop ishokus, similar to the American “five and dime”, stocked a vast variety of affordable sweets sending every child out onto the streets with a sugary satisfaction. The old-fashioned dagashi candy was made primarily from natural ingredients such as bean pastes, sweet potatoes, rice, cinnamon, and konpeito (rock candy) that came in a wide range of shapes and a rainbow of colors. An up-rise in candy manufacturing during the post World War II Showa era had introduced a few additions to the selection. Caramel along with “guru-choco”, glucose mixed with cocoa powder, exploded onto the snack scene. The two remain the base of a wild assortment of Japanese candy today. Industry giants fought heavily for the teeth of Japan and soon ishoku candy shops rapidly blossomed across regions of Nihon spreading bite-sized morsels of revolutionary wonder to a giddy public in the heat of what was known as the “caramel wars”. The post war baby boom coupled with the nation’s obsession with candy became responsible for the second dagashi phenomenon. Indeed, it was a very sweet revival. Unfortunately, due to the nature of change and the industry’s shift towards higher priced sweets, the local mom and pop candy shop like sugar drops themselves, dissolved. Honjo-Kaeruhonpo preserves the sentimental times of sweet simplicity, bringing a corner of nostalgia to the Sumida area. Drop by, say hello, have a treat and take a step back in time. You’ll find along with the laughter of children everywhere that the joy of candy is universal. Monjya-Yaki Left: Monjya before cooked Right: Monjya-Yaki on the tabletop griddle with Dagashi. What in the world is "Monjya-Yaki"??? In a few words, Monjya-Yki is the cousin of Okonomi-Yaki, the savory pancake that is eaten in infinite variations all over Japan. Monjya-Yaki, like Okonomi-Yaki, is a cook-it-yourself dish that is prepared on a tabletop griddle. Variations abound but usually Monjya-Yaki is made by forming a ring of sliced vegetables and whatever ingredients you've ordered on a smoking hot griddle and then pouring a thin batter into the well before seasoning and mixing together the whole delicious mess!! This thin batter is what separetes Monjya-Yaki from the ubiquitous Okonomi-Yaki. When Monjya got it's start during World War II, frugal cooks would thin out their Okonomi-Yaki batter and draw Japanese characters, or "Moji" on the grill. This thrifty wartime "Moji-Yaki" became the Monjya-Yaki we know and love today. The history of Monjya-Yaki is steeped in controversy, however, with Asakusa in Tokyo and historian Gunma prefecture both claiming fatherhood to this humble beloved pancake! Any food histrian Tokyo-ite will point to Asakusa in Taito-Ku as Monjya's brthplace but the opinion in Gunma is that Monjya was invented there by an ingenious Meiji Era noodle maker making use of his leftover dough at the end of his workday. This debate did not affect the children growing up in post-war Japan, however, who would flock to their local Monjya-Yaki and Dagashi shop after school. There for a few Yen they could sustain themselves with a hot, delicious snack of Monjya-Yaki, often topped with a piece of dried squid that was sold as "Dagashi", the traditional snacks and sweets that evoke nostalgian all Japanese. In recent days as Japan becomes more and more modernized and international, the sight of the old-fashioned Monjya-Dagashi shop is sadly becoming rare. No longer a meal just for children, Monjya has become a treat for adults winding down from the stresses of the day, armed with a few drinks and a tiny steel spatula. The good news is you can still take part of this bit of Japan's culinary history in neighborhoods that embrace this traditional culture. So next time you catch the unmistakeable scent of hot Monjya-Yaki being peeled off the grill at your neighborhood Monjya shop, pop in and don't forget tonbring a few coins to bring home a pocketful of Dagashi too! Today, most Dagashi and Monjya shops are separated. Traditionally, however, they were found in one operation. Honjo-Kaeruhonpo in Ryogoku celebrates this tradition by bringing you the best of both worlds they way it should be.