Souvenirs

All of Fukui Prefecture

Enjoy sweet mizu-yokan by the kotatsu heater in winter, Fukui-style.

The Japanese sweet mizu-yokan is generally understood as a treat to enjoy in summer. With sweet bean paste enveloped in kanten agar jelly, it offers a refreshing sweetness, but in Fukui mizu-yokan is enjoyed in winter by the kotatsu heater. In Fukui, Egawa mizu-yokan is most famous. The box may be large, but its sweetness is subtle and additive-free, and you’ll find you eat it up quickly!

Soft, light, and smooth as a feather—habutae-mochi rice cakes

From the moment you pick them up, habutae-mochi rice cakes seem to softly melt away. The anticipation of eating this famous Fukui confection is wonderful. Habutae-mochi rice cakes are simply made by adding sugar and syrup to steamed rice cake flour, but these are made in great quantities in Fukui Prefecture and have become a classic souvenir of the region. Choose your favorite from among many variations, including fillings of sweet bean paste, chocolate, and strawberry, or those with mugwort kneaded in.

Visit Maeda Seika to see habutae-mochi rice cake making

The Maeda Seika store is one of the originators of habutae-mochi rice cakes. At their main location, visitors can take a tour and see how mochi rice cakes are made. Maeda Seika produces a spectacular stream of about 3,000 habutae-mochi rice cakes per day. The site also features a store where you can try mochi rice cakes to your heart’s content while drinking tea. Habutae-mochi rice cakes originated with Fukui’s history of silk fabric production. This is a wonderful spot to encounter history.

For reference

Maeda Seika

Address

35-21-1 Matsuoka Yoshino, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui-ken
Telephone

0776-61-2100
Opening hours

8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Closed

Open every day
Website

http://www.maedaseika.co.jp/

Access

Komatsu Airport is a 1-hour flight from Haneda Airport. Fukui Station is about 1 hour by shuttle bus from Komatsu Airport. Maeda Seika is a 20-minute taxi ride from JR Fukui Station.