Yoshikawa

Set near Anahachiman-gu Shrine, Yoshikawa is a specialty takeout shop dedicated to carefully crafted ohagi (traditional sweet rice cakes), leaning heavily on ingredients from Hokkaido. The signature tsubu-an ohagi features house-made coarse sweet red bean paste prepared with 100 percent Tokachi-grown azuki beans, delivering deep flavor and measured sweetness that never feels heavy. For those who prefer a velvety texture, the koshi-an ohagi offers an elegant, smooth alternative.

Beyond the traditional styles enveloped in bean paste, Yoshikawa offers variations focused on the flavor of the grain itself. The kinako ohagi and the domestic sesame version contain no bean paste inside, simply highlighting the unadorned pairing of the steamed rice cake with aromatic roasted soybean flour or fragrant seeds. The lineup also invites diners to tailor each piece by choosing among sticky white rice, glutinous barley, or black rice bases, each lending distinct chew and toasty grain aromatics as you chew.

The counter display changes with the seasons, alongside sweet staples such as mameshiro daifuku made with Kuro-sengoku black soybeans and comforting bowls of oshiruko. Their modest, snack-sized portions make them effortless to carry along as a souvenir gift or an afternoon bite while exploring the streets around Waseda.