Opening hours, fees and event dates change. Before you go, please confirm the latest details on each facility's or organizer's official information.
It'll make you smile! Ken Shimura's “Daijobu daa Manju”
A souvenir unique to Higashimurayama is the “Daijobu daa Manju” and “Daffunda Manju” from the wagashi shop “Mochiman (Ippu-Yanagi).” They're a quirky item that turns the famous catchphrases — “Daijobu daa” (It's all right) and “Daffunda” — of Higashimurayama-born comedian Ken Shimura straight into manju. The shop's owner is said to be from the same Higashimurayama as Shimura and of the same generation. During exam season they sometimes become popular as a good-luck charm for “daijobu” (= all right / you'll be fine). Fun in both look and name, they're loved as a souvenir that makes a great conversation piece.
The town's prized “Sato ni Hachikoku” items
The Chamber of Commerce's regional brand “Sato ni Hachikoku” has plenty of souvenir-perfect items. If you want to take home a distinctly Higashimurayama taste, check here first.
- Local sake “Kinkon”: Toshimaya Shuzo's flagship label. A prestigious bottle even served as offering-sake at Meiji Jingu and Kanda Myojin.
- Hachikoku yuba, charcoal-made natto, yose-tofu: Japanese foods that make the most of local ingredients.
- Higashimurayama kuro-yakisoba sauce: the “black sauce” that lets you recreate that jet-black local yakisoba at home.
- Grilled dango and wagashi: fragrant soy-glazed grilled dango, Ken Shimura-themed manju and more.
- Seasonal fruit such as Tamako pears: if the timing's right, freshly picked fruit too.
Items, stockists, prices and stock can change. Check the latest with each shop, Higashimurayama City and the Chamber of Commerce. “Sato ni Hachikoku” also includes local sake. In Japan, drinking under the age of 20 is prohibited by law. For sake souvenirs, also mind carry-on rules and each country's import regulations.
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