When the cold season comes, they come back to the parking lots of supermarkets and home improvement centers in Tohoku, piping hot and filled with plenty of sweet bean paste that you will never tire of! That’s right, Yamagata’s obanyaki “Ajiman”. There is probably no one who doesn’t know about it, but this time I’d like to talk about the takoyaki “Takopon” that is sold there.

I know what “Ajiman” is, but what about Takopon?

There’s probably no need to explain it now, but I’ll just briefly explain… “Ajiman” is a Yamagata snack made by Ajiman Co., Ltd. in Rankawa, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, which is made by wrapping a thin skin around a sweet bean paste made from homemade boiled Tokachi red beans. That’s right, sweet snacks, sweet snacks alone aren’t enough, are they? (Hmm) Takoyaki Takopon is the snack that listens to the whims of such prefecture residents. People go out to buy only this “Takoyaki Takopon”. That’s why Takoyaki Takopon is a salty snack for Yamagata residents.

Ajiman Menu

When you see the opening illustration, you’re probably lamenting, “What on earth is this food, it doesn’t look delicious!” Don’t worry. From here on, I’ve prepared some delicious images, so please take a look.

Ajiman

My first memory of Ajiman is when my grandfather always brought back some as a gift for my grandmother, who loved sweets. That’s how I first encountered Ajiman. My grandfather was quite a stylish man, and he always bought them for his wife, not for his grandchildren.

Custard cream flavored bun

It first appeared in 1992. It was initially a limited-time item, but was later upgraded to a regular menu item. A little sister to “Ajiman” was born (this is just my imagination). It’s still cute. I used to eat it when it was a limited-time item, but I haven’t had it since it became a regular item.

Takoyaki Takopon

Well, now, sorry to have kept you waiting. Here is the star of the dish this time, Takoyaki Takopon. It’s filled with huge octopus and chunks of cabbage, with mayonnaise as a secret ingredient! This mayonnaise is mellow and not harsh. It’s like… kuuuu♪. It’s not the kind of octopus that you’d have to look for to know it’s there, so you’ll be able to fully enjoy it.

The recommended way to eat it is with a little bit of mayonnaise and a little bit of mustard. Please give it a try.

Tokachi bean paste

The real star? The driving force? The gentle sweetness of the bean paste that is contained in that (“Ajiman”) is so much. I often use it with bean paste mochi and red bean pumpkin.

Where can you eat it?

You can usually find them in the parking lots of supermarkets and home improvement stores. I like to eat them hot and fresh, so I usually buy them at the supermarket or home improvement store near my house. However, some stores don’t have stalls, so it’s better to check before you go. Because if you don’t go, you’ll feel disappointed.
This is something I noticed this time, but the opening hours were during lunch time, so we couldn’t all enjoy Ajimamman and Takopon. Ah, how sad. Is there anything we can do about it? By the way, here are their opening hours. 9:45-17:30 (Lunch break 12:40-14:00)

For more information　→　Ajiman store list

Extra Edition

I’ve been recommending Takopon so much, but the beautiful Shinjo lady taught me a delicious way to eat “Ajiman”, so I’ll share it with you all.

Half and Half

A new sister product of the long-established Ajimaman, custard cream, has been released. Upon hearing about this, Shinjo Bijo mixed the bean paste and custard cream together. It’s a surefire combination. According to Shinjo Bijo, when it comes to Ajimaman, you always buy both the bean paste and the custard cream.
Having received such a recommendation, I actually tried it! Honestly, it’s delicious!! The combination of the bean paste in Ajimaman and the creaminess of the custard cream makes it taste like close brothers.

Limited time offer

In Yamagata Prefecture, “Furikomiman Mochiri Yomogi Ajimaman” has been on sale for a limited time only on weekends and holidays since February 2025. The skin is made with yomogi and the filling is Ajimaman’s original bean paste, making it chewy and sweet. This was mainly a food review, but here is a warning from the limited-time Ajimaman! When borrowing money from your grandparents or parents, go and borrow it in person and honestly. There will also be withdrawal fees.

summary

Takoyaki Takopon, a salty snack from Yamagata. I would like to say that it is available from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south and Okinawa, but it seems that it is not yet available in Hokkaido or Okinawa. However, it is good to live long enough to know that snacks from cold regions can be eaten in warm regions. I can imagine the residents of Yamagata who have left the prefecture saying this. If you go shopping, please try it. And don’t ever transfer money! This is important, so I’ll say it again. Don’t ever transfer money! If you want to borrow money, go to your parents’ house with a straight face, bow down, and rub your forehead on the tatami mat to show your sincerity.

Click here for Ajiman store information