Tachiaigawa Daikokuya, a long-established rice cracker store that retains a trace of the Edo period

Bamboo shoot crackers" are sold under the name "Noren" (curtain). It does not contain bamboo shoots, but is a rice cracker in the shape of bamboo shoots. There are five flavors: coarse soybean paste, sesame, seaweed, soy sauce, and spicy. Since it is a signature item, it is sometimes sold out. In fact, on the day we went to interview them, they were sold out except for soy sauce and sesame.
By the way, why "bamboo shoots"? The origin of the name comes from the bamboo shoots that were a specialty of this area in the past. In the late Edo period (1603-1867), bamboo groves grew thickly around Shinagawa and Meguro, and bamboo shoot cultivation flourished. After the Great Kanto Earthquake, the area was converted to residential land and the bamboo groves were drastically reduced, and the famous bamboo shoots disappeared. In order to revive the famous bamboo shoots of those days, the "bamboo shoot rice cracker" was finally created by sticking to the "mold" for baking the rice cracker. It was very difficult to bake the rice crackers evenly in this shape. After repeated trial and error, he finally succeeded in creating a satisfactory product! The unusual shape has attracted a lot of attention, and they are also appreciated as souvenirs.

An old map from the Edo period. It is displayed in the store. It is said that the foundation of the current Daikokuya store is drawn on this map! The name "Oimura" on the map refers to a large village that existed in this area during the Edo period (1603-1868) until 1908, when the area was renamed "Oimachi" (Oi-machi) after the town was incorporated. The history of the area is so rich that it dates back to the Edo period!

Various items are displayed in the store. Looking around, prints and carved wooden ornaments catch the eye. They are all handmade by the owner! The owner himself is a first-class architect, and he also renovated the store. He says that anything that comes to his mind, he wants to make by hand! The most intricate items can take several months to make. Hats off to him!