Tako Shogetsu

Now in the hands of the shop’s third generation, the husband and wife team of Kenichiro and Nobuko continue to make sweets and operate the shop smack in the middle of the bustling Yanagibashi Market, one of Fukuoka’s busiest fresh fish and produce markets. During WWII, sugar was scarce and so the family switched to selling fish; that’s the origin of the word tako (octopus) in the shop’s name. Well known in the area for their confections, their other top-seller is okowa (rice mixed with red beans). A package of okowa will make an excellent treat for your next bento! Back to the sweets though! There offer twenty odd varieties of sweets. Their asanama sweets include ohagi (rice balls covered in sweet bean paste) and sakura mochi (rice cakes wrapped in a sweetened cherry tree leaf). They are made each morning without preservatives and should be enjoyed by the end of day. Finally, known only to people in the area, Tako Shogetsu operates a cozy cafe directly above the shop. It remains relatively unknown because there’s no sign! It’s an ideal spot to rest your feet after touring the market – and of course, for enjoying some fresh sweets and tea.

Yanagibashi Rengo Ichiba, 1-4-2 Haruyoshi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka

092-761-5058