Chestnut Yokan and Chrysanthemum Monaka at Aoyagi Seike in Tokyo

If you are exploring Asakusa and looking for traditional Japanese sweets, consider Aoyagi Seike, a confectionery tucked away in the residential streets of Mukojima, Tokyo. Founded in 1948, the shop is known for two signature sweets: Kuri Yokan, filled with large chestnuts, and Kiku Monaka, shaped like a chrysanthemum.

Yokan is a Japanese sweet made by cooking azuki bean paste with agar until it sets. Monaka is made by sandwiching sweet bean paste between thin wafers made from glutinous rice. Although they share a key ingredient, Aoyagi Seike’s versions offer two very different experiences: soft yokan that gently breaks down in the mouth, and monaka that brings together a toasty wafer shell and a moist, tender filling.

Kuri Yokan: Large Chestnuts in Delicately Soft Yokan

Aoyagi Seike’s Kuri Yokan is one of its signature sweets, pairing carefully prepared azuki bean paste with chestnuts cooked until tender. When sliced, the golden chestnuts stand out against the deep color of the yokan.

When we tried it, the texture was strikingly soft: a small confectionery pick slipped through the yokan with almost no resistance. In the mouth, it broke down into a fine, soft texture, releasing the flavor of the azuki along with its sweetness. Neither astringency nor a heavy sugary aftertaste lingered, so the character of the beans remained noticeable even after we finished a slice.

The chestnuts were also moist and tender. As we chewed them together with the yokan, the two textures came together rather than leaving the chestnuts feeling hard or separate from the bean paste. It is the kind of sweet to cut into small slices and enjoy slowly with Japanese tea.

Kuri Yokan has a shelf life of 30 days when stored at room temperature, making it an option to enjoy later in your trip or consider taking home. Check the storage instructions when purchasing it, and confirm your destination’s rules on bringing in food before traveling.

Kiku Monaka: A Chrysanthemum-Shaped Wafer Filled with Azuki Paste

Another signature sweet, Kiku Monaka, is shaped like a 16-petaled chrysanthemum crest and generously filled with azuki kinton bean paste. The thick layer of filling sits between two wafers, giving the sweet a distinctive appearance even when viewed from the side.

Monaka wafers are made by baking thin sheets of glutinous rice dough. When we bit into Aoyagi Seike’s Kiku Monaka, the wafer’s toasty aroma and initial bite came first, followed by the softer, moist texture of the filling. The pleasure was not simply in the sweetness of the bean paste, but also in the contrast between the wafer and what was inside it.

Each piece is quite large. You can gently twist it apart at the center before eating, revealing the cross-section of the filling and making it easier to enjoy a little at a time.

Kiku Monaka keeps for three days at room temperature. Unlike Kuri Yokan, it is best to plan on eating it soon after purchase. For a longer trip, it makes more sense as a sweet to enjoy with tea while you are still in Tokyo than as a souvenir to carry overseas.

Where to Buy: Mukojima Main Shop or Matsuya Asakusa?

The Mukojima Main Shop is about a 10-minute walk from Tokyo Skytree Station. Set a little away from the busy tourist streets in a residential neighborhood, it is a good choice if you would like to visit the shop itself. It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is closed on Sundays and national holidays.

If you are sightseeing in Asakusa, the counter on the first floor of the Matsuya Asakusa department store is another option. It is close to Asakusa Station on the Tobu and Tokyo Metro lines, and the department store is normally open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Hours and closing days can change, so check the counter’s operating status and the availability of individual Aoyagi Seike products before visiting.

The official online shop also carries yokan and Kiku Monaka. International shipping has not been confirmed, however, so if you are visiting Japan, plan on buying them in person.

Aoyagi Seike Mukojima Main Shop

Aoyagi Seike at Matsuya Asakusa