Introducing Kogiku, a traditional confectionery shop that treasures its heritage while constantly embracing new ideas♪…

Founded 137 years ago.

Kogiku, a long-established wagashi shop in Hamamatsu, reopened its factory outlet two years ago with a chic, modern-Japanese design—making traditional sweets fun and approachable for younger visitors.

Uniquely for a confectionery shop, Kogiku offers a drive-thru.

Ms. Iyona Kamei, who oversees planning and production, says customers love the convenience of picking up their favorite sweets without leaving their car.”

After marrying the eldest son of the founding family, Ms. Kamei left her career in medical administration and stepped into the world of confectionery.

Encouraged by the current president to ‘bring a fresh perspective,’ she is working on developing and producing new sweets while honoring the shop’s long-standing traditions.

Let us introduce Kogiku, a confectionery that cherishes tradition while continually embracing new ideas!”

For 137 years, artisans have preserved the handmade, traditional flavors that machines can’t replicate

The artisans who carry on Kogiku’s traditions are all seasoned veterans, dedicated to their craft for decades.

Each artisan focuses on their specialty, preserving the delicate flavors that machines simply can’t reproduce.

The hand-cut warabi mochi, made using the same recipe since the shop’s founding, is Kogiku’s signature traditional sweet—entirely handmade and crafted by skilled artisans.

Available in limited quantities each year, it’s a seasonal treat sold during the hot summer months.

At the Nishiyama and Ryoke locations, the hand-cut warabi mochi is sold by weight, so you can buy just the amount you want.

All of Kogiku’s wagashi, including beautifully crafted seasonal sweets, are handmade by artisans, each created with careful attention to detail.

The colorful seasonal wagashi reflect the trends of each season, and simply looking at them brings a sense of joy.

These handcrafted seasonal sweets are precious treats, with only about 100 made each day.

Hydrangeas

Fireflies

Pinks (nadeshiko flowers)

So, what’s the secret behind Kogiku’s delicious wagashi?

Simply put—it’s the red bean paste.”

The red bean paste, loved by many customers, highlights the rich flavor of Hokkaido Tokachi azuki beans. With a clean, mild sweetness, the artisans bring out the best in the high-quality ingredients.

The texture and flavor of the red bean paste change with the seasons, and skilled artisans carefully spend time and effort to preserve this traditional taste.

This red bean paste has been made using the same traditional method since the shop’s founding.

The "Nama Dorayaki" series was born from a focus on freshness, a rare approach for wagashi that are usually made to last

While Kogiku offers many popular wagashi, including the long-lasting favorite Sayuri, perfect as souvenirs, they also wanted customers to enjoy the fresh taste of newly made sweets.

That’s why they introduced the Nama Dorayaki series two years ago.

Nama Dorayaki with fresh cream

The classic flavors include fresh cream, matcha, caramel nut, and chocolate.

Sayuri, one of Kogiku’s popular wagashi

In addition to the classic flavors, you can enjoy seasonal Nama Dorayaki: cherry blossom mont blanc and amanatsu in spring, warabi mochi in summer, mont blanc in autumn, and strawberry and tiramisu in winter.

Fluffy dorayaki pancakes are filled with Kogiku’s signature red bean paste and light, refreshing fresh cream.

Be sure to try the fresh, just-made ‘nama’ flavor!

A must for cat lovers: the "Neko Dorayaki"

The “Neko Dorayaki” is made using a custom mold.

It was created as a new product inspired by the founding family’s love of cats, shared by many of the staff as well.

You can choose from two flavors: azuki (red bean) or caramel.

These adorable cat-shaped dorayaki have a 10-day shelf life, making them perfect as gifts 😸

The seasonal "Okowa" sells out every time! Since it’s made in limited quantities, be sure to get it early

The “Okowa” series from this long-established wagashi shop is released for just three days each season.

Made without additives and praised for its perfect touch of salt, the ‘Okowa’ series is a popular item that sells out every year.

This seasonal okowa features the flavors of the moment.

Since it’s made in limited quantities, be sure to grab it early!

Did you know you can also enjoy lunch here? 🍙

Beyond the seasonal okowa, the factory outlet café has offered a limited-quantity “Okowa Onigiri Set” for the past year, so visitors can enjoy okowa as a casual lunch any time.

The set includes a seasonal okowa onigiri 🍙, a bowl of clear soup, and a small side dish of the day.

You can also enjoy value drink sets or dessert sets.

Lunch is served from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., so you can relax and enjoy your meal in the calm, modern-Japanese interior. ☆

A limited-quantity ‘Okowa Onigiri Bento’ is also available for takeout.

Perfect for those who want to enjoy it leisurely at home.

A message for our readers from Ms. Iyona Kamei, in charge of planning and production

Two years ago, the Kamida factory outlet was renovated.

The renovation was driven by a desire to create a space where customers can enjoy the shop’s traditional sweets, passed down through generations, while also experiencing new offerings.

Every morning, freshly steamed seasonal okowa onigiri are prepared, and in the hot summer, you can also enjoy shaved ice and anmitsu.

We hope you’ll stop by the café space and give them a try!

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

We hope you enjoyed this introduction to Kogiku, the long-established wagashi shop featured in today’s article.

In addition to the artisans’ carefully crafted wagashi, many seasonal flavors are also available in the store.

At the factory outlet’s eat-in area, you can enjoy lunch as well as a variety of sweets.

Why not visit Kogiku this summer and see for yourself? ♪

Kogiku Infomation

Kogiku Head Factory

Address: 550-2 Kamida-machi, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu

Business hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Open all year round)

Café & Drive-Thru: Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Phone: 053-441-0550

Kogiku Kasai Store

Address:1702-2 Kihei-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu

Business hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Open all year round)

Phone: 053-434-6139

Kogiku Nishiyama store

Address: 2213-2 Nishiyama-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu

Business hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Open all year round)

Phone: 053-485-7139

Kogiku Ryoke store

Address: 1-4-27 Ryoke, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu

Business hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Open all year round)

Phone: 053-461-0839

Official Website: https://www.goo-kogiku.com/

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wagashi_kogiku/