Oda Nobunaga’s Kitchen: 3 Delicious Souvenirs Found in Tsushima City, Aichi Prefecture

Tsushima City is located in the west-central part of Aichi Prefecture. It has long been a thriving commercial area and was once even called “Nobunaga’s Kitchen.” The city is home to many historic temples and shrines, such as Jokyoji, Ungoji, and Tsushima Shrine. Tsushima City also offers a variety of charming souvenirs. This time, we’re introducing some recommended souvenirs from Tsushima City in Aichi Prefecture. All of these are especially popular items from the area.

1. Kakiya Manju

Kakiya Manju is a classic sweet from Tsushima City. It is essentially a sake manju (steamed bun filled with sweet red bean paste and flavored with sake). The fluffy dough is kneaded with sake, enhancing the rich aroma and perfectly complementing the sweetness of the red bean filling. The red bean paste is made using premium adzuki beans, making an exceptional match with the sake-infused dough.


Kakiya Manju is sold at the shop “Kakiya Manju,” located in Hashizume-cho, Tsushima City. It's an 11-minute walk from the nearest Tsushima Station. It’s also close to the approach to Tsushima Shrine, so consider stopping by after visiting the shrine.

2. Kutsuwa

“Kutsuwa” is reputed to be one of the hardest sweets in Japan—some even say it's a top contender for first or second place in terms of hardness. Its appearance is quite rustic and unique, giving it the feel of a rare item. But many fans adore it precisely because of its extreme hardness. The flavor is mildly sweet, creating a pleasant contrast to its appearance and texture.

You can buy Kutsuwa at Tsushima’s popular Japanese sweets shop “Akadaya Seishichi.” This shop has also been featured on TV and in magazines. In addition to Kutsuwa, they also sell “Akada,” a sweet made by deep-frying rice dumplings. Akada is believed to offer blessings for protection from illness from Tsushima Shrine, making it a thoughtful gift for wishing health upon family and friends.

3. Douceur

The last souvenir introduced from Tsushima City is Douceur. Douceur is available at the popular Western-style confectionery shop “Musée d’H” in Tsushima City. Simply put, it's a chocolate cake, but you can enjoy multiple types of chocolate with varying flavors and thicknesses in a single cake. It’s a sweet that truly showcases the creativity of the patissier.

Musée d’H is an 8-minute walk from Meitetsu Hibino Station. In addition to Douceur, they sell many other delicious cakes, so it’s a great place to visit when you need a refined gift.

◎ Summary

What did you think of these uniquely Tsushima souvenirs from this historic post town? Walking through the old streets and discovering these shops is part of the fun. Be sure to pick up a souvenir as a memory of your visit to Tsushima City.