Hyperlocal Tokyo

On September 23rd, a friend contacted me saying they were in Asakusa. I immediately thought, 'If they're at Sensō-ji Temple, they have to get some Tokiban-dō Rai-okoshi!' They ended up buying some for me. I plan to bring it to my colleagues. I first met them on September 20th and had a conversation for about six minutes, but I felt a lot of stress. I can tell with my eyes and hands! I hope it can bring them some peace, even if it's just a little. ✨

I remember receiving 'Raiko-oshi' (a type of Japanese rice cracker) as a Tokyo souvenir from relatives when I was a child. For a while, I thought 'Tokyo souvenir' meant 'Raiko-oshi'. I thought there would be many shops selling it in the Asakusa area, but it seems there are actually fewer than I expected. I bought some at a shop next to Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), which was bustling with customers and had a wide variety of products. The staff were also very friendly. It wasn't exactly the same as what I remembered from my childhood, but it was delicious with its various flavors.

I always buy this when I go to Asakusa. It's next to Kaminarimon. There are soft ones and various flavors, and they're all delicious. It's definitely different from other okoshi. My mother loves it too.

Asakusa is synonymous with 'Raiko-oshi' (a type of rice cracker), and when you think of 'Raiko-oshi', you think of 'Joban-do' (a famous shop). They offer a variety of flavors, including traditional, chocolate, milk, and even semi-soft varieties. There's a building nearby called '5656 (Goro-Goro) Kaikan', which also sells 'Raiko-oshi', but this shop is said to have the widest selection.

I visited Asakusa during the New Year's holidays in January 2023. While I didn't buy any 'Raikochi' (a traditional Japanese confectionery), I saw something called 'Monja Man' and decided to try it. I parked my car at a parking lot along the river, but the crowds of worshippers were so thick in Nakamise-dori that I couldn't get through. I had to take a long detour, which took a lot of time. I wasn't specifically looking for this shop, but I wanted to cross Nakamise-dori to get to a tempura restaurant. On the way, I was intrigued by the line for 'Monja Man', but the taste was underwhelming. It didn't really taste like 'monja' and the flavor was just okay. I wasn't fooled by the appearance. The shop is an old establishment, so it has a nice atmosphere.