Shioi

Nama-choco daifuku stands out as a chocolate confection at a Japanese sweets shop. One visitor describes a coating of chocolate powder around a piece of fresh chocolate about the size of a caramel. It is gently sweet, with a clean finish. Another found it closer to a Western-style sweet, with no red bean paste, and said it seemed to melt away in the mouth. It is a daifuku worth considering when you want something different from the usual Japanese sweets or are looking for a small gift.

For the flavour of red bean paste, miso manju, monaka filled with bean paste and seasonal sakura mochi are other options. Miso manju is described as white bean paste mixed with miso. One visitor remembers the delicate sakura mochi, where the aroma of the cherry leaf comes together with glutinous rice and bean paste. Another chose dorayaki bearing the words “Osaka Hirano” on the packaging as a souvenir from Hirano. Whether you are picking up a sweet to enjoy on your own or a gift marked with the name of the area, Shioi offers a choice that ranges from traditional Japanese confections to chocolate-filled daifuku.