JR East Travel Service Center Morioka Staff Recommendations! Morioka Station: 6 Souvenirs and Confectioneries

  • Iwate
  • Souvenirs
Morioka station is the best place to buy sweets and confectionaries! The local staffs are sure to recommend the best sweets and confectionaries. How about buying some for yourself as a souvenir or as a reminder of your trip?

The package features the symbol of Iwate, the "Kijiji.

The name "Sandai Sugi" and the packaging may sound like a Japanese confectionary, but it is a Western confectionary with a new texture!
The "Sandai-sugi" was named after the three large cedars by the main hall of Chuson-ji in Hiraizumi, named after the three generations of Fujiwara in Oshu.
From the name "Sandai-sugi" and the package, you may think it is a Japanese confectionary. However, when you open the package, you will find it is a Western-style confectionery, suitable for both coffee and tea!
It is a sweet that is well-balanced in every way and goes well with both coffee and tea!
As it says on the box, "Please enjoy it chilled", it tastes best when eaten chilled.
As the box says, "It tastes best when chilled." The speciality of "Sandai-Sugi" is the new texture of this Western-style confectionery, in which the center of the baumkuchen is filled with ganache chocolate, and both sides are sandwiched between cookies.
The cookies are baked just thin enough to preserve the texture
・Baumkuchen made by a traditional method accented with cardamom
・Aromatic ganache made with French Grand Marnier
These ingredients are made to create a sense of unity.
It is a very popular product of Fleur*Kikuya, carefully made one by one in many processes!

In addition to Morioka Station, there are also stores in the southern part of the prefecture, so be sure to try them as a souvenir of Iwate.
Fleur*Kikuya" website:

Fukayama Chestnut Shibori / Chestnut Confectionery Nakamatsuya

Deep Mountain Chestnut Shibori" that reminds you of the coming of autumn
The most famous chestnut confectionery in Iwate is "Fukayama Chestnut Shibori" by Nakamatsuya.
It is a nationally famous seasonal chestnut confectionery (October to March). The three-day shelf life is another proof that no extra ingredients are used.
Although the "Miyama Chestnut Shibori" is made of only carefully selected Japanese chestnuts and sugar, it is an elegant chestnut confectionery with the original sweetness and moistness of chestnuts, which gives it a simple yet profound flavor.
The carefully kneaded red bean paste is then carefully pressed one by one with a chakin-shibori method by craftsmen who put their heart and soul into their work.
　Nakamatsuya was founded in Iwaizumi-cho, Iwate Prefecture, home to Ryusendo, one of Japan's three largest limestone caves, in 1929, and since its second generation, the store has produced a variety of famous confections, mainly carefully selected chestnut confections, attracting fans from all over Japan. The main store in Iwaizumi also offers confections limited to the head store, so why not stop by on a road trip?

Incidentally, people in Iwate Prefecture often give them as gifts and greetings to those who have taken care of them, and they are very much appreciated.
Please enjoy the warm, gentle and happy feeling in your mouth that is more like chestnuts than chestnuts and cannot be imitated.
"Nakamatsuya" website:

Sugata's original squid rice crackers / Sugata Co.

Image courtesy of Sugata Co.
Miyako's specialty, "The original Sugata no ika senbei"
It is a rice cracker made from Japanese common squid.

Each rice cracker is carefully baked by hand, a method that has not changed since its establishment in 1881.
It is characterized by the taste of squid and the flavor of the sea that spreads out from the sweetness, and the more you chew it, the more delicious it becomes.

The rice cracker in the shape of a surume-ika (Japanese common squid) has an excellent crunchy texture.
For those who like hard rice crackers, this is a must-try item.

It is also recommended to enjoy it with alcohol.
In the style of cracker, putting cream cheese on squid crackers is a great match with wine!
It also goes well with milk, making it a perfect snack for children.

The Hanawa factory in Miyako also has a direct sales shop. You can also tour the factory and try your hand at baking ika senbei (squid rice crackers). (Advance reservation required.) Why not take a trip to Miyako and try freshly made ikasenbei?
"Sugata Limited" website:

Mochimochiyaki / Yamazen Confectionery

Image courtesy of Yamazen Confectionery
Mochimochi-yaki" is a mochi mochi (sticky rice cake) with a glutinous texture and sweet bean paste sandwiched in the baked crust.
It is the No. 1 popular Japanese sweet of Yamazen, a confectioner with a history dating back to 1909.

At first glance, it looks like a dorayaki, but the baked crust is unique, and as the name suggests, the texture is sticky.
The glutinous dough is thin, moist, and light.
The sweet bean paste sandwiched inside has a rich, elegant sweetness and is smooth to the touch.
The light sweet red bean paste and the light texture of the thin dough are a perfect match, and you can't stop eating.

The thin crust baked into a tiger pattern is based on the legend that a tiger was kept at Morioka Castle.
The price is reasonable at 150 yen per piece (tax included), and they are popular not only as souvenirs but also as snacks.

Please try them when you visit Morioka.

"Yamazen Confectionery" website:

Takeya Confectionery] [Kuromame cake / Takeya Confectionery

Image courtesy of Takeya Confectionery
Takeya Confectionery is located in Kuji City on the coast of Iwate's northern region and specializes in sweets made from Iwate Prefecture, especially soybeans and black beans harvested in the northern part of the prefecture. The "Kuromame Cake" introduced here is made with carefully selected ingredients, and is filled with softly sweetened Kuromame (black beans). It is rich and moist, with a rich buttery texture, and contains no preservatives or coloring agents. This cake is loved by people of all ages.

If you can't make it to Kuji City this time, that's okay! If you can't make it to Kuji City this time, don't worry. You can buy a small size "Kuromame Cake" at "iwate tetoteto" in Morioka Station. You don't have to cut the cake into pieces, so you can take it as a souvenir or just as a snack for yourself. Although compact, they are more than satisfying.
(Information on sales at "iwate tetoteto" is current as of April 1, 2025.

Takeya Seika also offers other confections that are full of the charm of soybeans and black beans. Please stop by the store when you visit Kuji City.

"Takeya Confectionery" website:

Takeya Confectionery】 【Satobi】【Takeya Confectionery】【Takeya Confectionery】【Takeya Confectionery】【Satobi

From left to right: "Chiin," "Kyuko," and "Shinnyo. The packaging features a motif of the "Kiji," the symbol of Iwate Prefecture.
Have you heard of "mame-ginsenga" (soybean silver sugar)? It is a local confectionery that has been popular in Morioka since the Edo period.
Takehoshi's "Satobi" is a new twist on the traditional sweets.
Three different kinds of soybean flour are used, each leaving a completely different aroma in the mouth. As the word "Rizo" suggests, the more you chew, the deeper the flavor becomes, despite its simplicity.
The "Chine" has the sweetness of white soybean flour mixed with the texture of crunchy walnuts, which is more pleasant to chew, while the "Kiko" with green soybean flour has a refreshing flavor with the aroma of sesame gradually spreading. And "Shinnyo" with burnt soybean flour and "Daitokuji natto," which has a unique flavor similar to miso, gives it a sweet and sour sensation.
Mameginko" has an image of a familiar local confectionery, but Takehang's "Riso" has a sense of luxury and also offers the excitement of choosing which flavor to try.　The excitement of choosing which flavor to try, and the appeal of enjoying the aftertaste of each type are also appealing.
Walnut rice cake filled with walnuts (image provided by (Image courtesy of Takeyoshi Confectionery)

Takehang has many popular tea cakes that locals unanimously recommend for their deliciousness, such as dorayaki, delicately designed jyosagashi, and kuro-mochi (black rice cake), but the walnut rice cake is also highly recommended.
The fragrant soy-sauce flavored yubeshi is filled with fragrant and flavorful walnuts! The sticky texture of the yubeshi and the crunchy texture of the walnuts are irresistible. Please be sure to try this classic tea cake, which has been popular in Iwate, where glutinous rice is grown, for many years.
In addition, the Fezan store sells "Ki-no-ka" (seasonal sweets) only on the second Friday of every month. Stop by to treat yourself to special sweets that are not usually sold at the store and that can only be enjoyed during the season.

"Takeho Confectionery" website:

Summary

How was it? These were just six of our favorites, but there are still many more delicious sweets to be found in Iwate Prefecture. If you have a chance to visit Iwate Prefecture, please stop by one of the locally loved sweets stores!
For train + lodging "Iwate Area" reservations, please visit [ JR East View Dynamic Rail Package ]
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