Just hearing the word strawberry makes your brain react and your mouth is flooded with flavor. When you bite into it, the gentle sweetness of the milk bean paste is followed by the even sweeter strawberry juice. It’s the best! Let us introduce you to our Strawberry Daifuku, which sparkles like a jewel!

Where is it?

The shop we’re introducing today, kadou_hachiemon, is located along Prefectural Route 22 in Yamagata Prefecture. Look for its quaint building and this sign. There’s a gravel parking lot on the north side of the shop. Please use that.

Pale Pink Jeweled Strawberry Daifuku

Just looking at this photo has you already starting your car and getting ready to go shopping. But if you’re in the passenger seat, try to hold back a little, or if you’re in the passenger seat, check out this blog, open Google Maps, and get ready to go!
Now, back to strawberry daifuku. Are you a fan of white bean paste? Or black bean paste? Or smooth bean paste? Or chunky bean paste?
I’m a fan of Hachiemon’s milk bean paste (lol). This milk bean paste is, frankly, really sweet. The strawberries grown in the earth are so sweet that you almost forget how sweet the milk bean paste is! So fresh!! The milk bean paste brings out the sweetness of the strawberries. It’s the best!

Strawberries in Strawberry Daifuku

Regarding the story of this juicy strawberry princess, when I contacted Mr. Yaemon over the phone, he told me that they mainly use “Tochiaika” and “Tochiotome” from Tochigi Prefecture. While I was writing this article, I became so curious that I suddenly called the store just before closing time.

Tochiotome

A versatile variety, suitable for both fresh consumption and sweets. Strawberries are loved all over the world.

・Shape: Sleek conical shape. Very red and shiny.
・Weight: Even a normal-sized strawberry weighs about 15g (large ones weigh 30-40g)
・Sugar content: High at 9-10%, its low acidity creates a well-balanced sweetness. The flesh is tightly packed and bursting with juice!

Shipping Period: October–June

Tochiaika

An original Tochigi Prefecture variety. A vigorous, disease-resistant strawberry.

・Shape: A cute heart-shaped strawberry. It’s even redder than Tochiotome strawberries.
・Weight: Large, at 20g.
・Sugar content: Average 15% Brix, exceptionally sweet.
・Shipping period: October to June (harvested slightly earlier than Tochiotome strawberries, as they flower earlier).

What exactly is Strawberry Daifuku?

Strawberry Daifuku’s roots are said to lie in Toraya Honke, a long-established Japanese confectionery shop in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture. Around 1986, a shop owner decided to top a leftover daifuku (rice cake) with a strawberry during a break. Since then, various styles have been developed, including wrapping the strawberry in a ha-nijuu mochi (rice cake with a strawberry on top), sandwiching the strawberry between the slits of the daifuku, and even placing the strawberry inside the daifuku itself.

Seasonal Menu

This wonderful hand-drawn illustration has captured my heart. I’m so curious about the menu, which changes every month, that I might go buy some daifuku just to read it.
Unfortunately, when I visited it was a Sunday and the store was packed, so I wasn’t able to ask who was drawing the illustrations. However, I confirmed this over the phone, and I learned that there isn’t a fixed person in charge of the illustrations and text, but rather several staff members are in charge of them. Yes, that was a fun little bit of information. Just getting one made me happiness level sky rocketed!
By now, you’ve already arrived at the store. Thanks for the drive.
Now, let’s head inside…
If you’re thinking, “I can’t make it to the store in this short article!”, we have good news for you. You can buy Hachiemon’s strawberry daifuku online! If you can’t make it to Yamagata Prefecture,
please click here → kadou_hachiemon Online Shop 

These days, online shopping is so convenient! It makes me think, “What a convenient time we live in.” My friend, who married outside of Yamagata Prefecture, craves Yaemon’s strawberry daifuku, so she apparently gets some sent to her from her hometown every year around this time. She must have eaten more than I did back home! (My parents live in Yamagata, they’re the best!)

Summary

Hachiemon’s strawberry daifuku can usually be enjoyed from January to May each year (the same applies to the online shop). Even if you miss the period, you can still enjoy the delicious seasonal fruit daifuku: apricot daifuku from June to August, cherry daifuku in mid-June, fruit tomato daifuku in July and August, shine muscat daifuku from September to November, grape daifuku in September, and La France daifuku from October to December. We hope you enjoy!
Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff at Hachiemon for kindly agreeing to this article and for their courteous response despite my sudden phone call.

Click here for more information about kadou hachiemon