Handmade wagashi, a feast for the eyes too.

Okashiho Tajima-an

The mame daifuku has been one of Tajima-an's signature items since it opened. Even its appearance is distinctive — a flat sheet of mochi wraps around the filling in a uniquely folded shape. The mochi is a touch thicker than usual, yet remarkably soft. Take a bite, and the mild saltiness of the mochi and black beans mingles gently with the smooth sweetness of the filling, spreading softly across your palate. It's not simply sweet — the flavor of the ingredients themselves comes through too, thanks to this deliberately light finish, which is said to pair well not only with Japanese tea but with coffee and black tea as well. Some customers, who otherwise aren't fond of sweets, say Tajima-an's wagashi are the ones they can enjoy.

A big, round chestnut manju, the lightly sweetened rikyu manju and kintsuba, and playful-looking higashi (dry sweets) — Tajima-an offers a wide range of wagashi. Seasonal sweets are made throughout the year too, and around New Year's they even prepare "kuchitori" (kuchitori-gashi are a Hokkaido folk sweet shaped to resemble auspicious items like sea bream). Every piece is handmade with painstaking care, with just as much attention paid to appearance as to flavor — it's easy to see why the shop draws customers from outside the city as well. Whether you live in Sapporo or not, it's well worth a visit.