2024.12.03 Maruyasu Tanakaya Main Store Once again, Kasai — a self-confessed foodie — was lured by the sweet aroma and paid a visit to Maruyasu Tanakaya's main store. Despite his busy schedule, Mr. Tsuchihashi, the company's Managing Director, kindly spoke with us. The main store sits near Lake Suwa, and they also operate a Kamisuwa Ekimae store near Kami-Suwa Station, giving them two locations in Suwa City. Maruyasu Tanakaya began in 1929 in front of Kami-Suwa Station. This year marks their 95th anniversary, making them a confectionery and cake shop with a proud history. When you think of Maruyasu Tanakaya, the Cheesecake Entremet, available by mail order, comes to mind! Beauty advisor Chizu Saeki helped bring it wider recognition. The Cheesecake Entremet itself has been a beloved flagship product for 40 years. They offer nationwide shipping, so people across Japan can enjoy it. Although Maruyasu Tanakaya is strongly associated with Western-style confections, they originally made Japanese sweets. The yokan (sweet bean jelly) preserves recipes from those early days. Because they previously supplied azuki beans and rice, they make yokan from carefully selected azuki beans—please enjoy it as well! Mr. Tsuchihashi's top recommendation is "Shinano no Kuni" — a butter castella sponge cake studded with chopped chestnuts and coated in a refreshing lemon cream. Named after the prefectural song "Shinano no Kuni," it has been loved for about 50 years. On the side of the wrapping paper you can even see the old provincial name 'Jūshū' (literally 'Ten Provinces'), a reference to the line 'Shinano no kuni wa jūshū ni…' from the prefectural song. I love that packaging so much that I even use the previous design as teaching material (laughs). Maruyasu Tanakaya offers many sweets and has a seating area. Come and enjoy tea time with friends and savor their treats. ★ Maruyasu Tanakaya Main Store 📍 3-1421-1 Takashima, Suwa-shi, Nagano Prefecture ☎ 0266-52-0126 ◎ Business hours: 10:00 – 19:00 ◎ Regular holiday: Closed on Wednesdays ◎ Online shop: https://www.suwa-tanakaya.jp/products/list ◎ Homepage: https://www.suwa-tanakaya.jp/ They have another branch close to Kami-Suwa Station. They started in 1929, so this year is their 95th anniversary. Many Japanese traditional sweets shops have long histories. On this day, Mr. Tsuchihashi, the Managing Director, talked with me. Their shop’s famous product is Cheesecake Entremet. It has been loved for 40 years. Numerous media and magazines have spotlighted the Cheesecake Entremet. They operate an online shop and offer nationwide shipping, so please enjoy it at home. I had pictured Maruyasu Tanakaya making Western-style sweets like the Cheesecake Entremet, but I was mistaken. At the beginning, the shop produced Japanese traditional sweets. The yokan remains as it was back then. Mr. Tsuchihashi’s recommendation is Shinano no Kuni. It is a butter sponge cake with finely chopped chestnuts inside, finished with lemon cream on the outside. Sounds delicious, right? Absolutely! They offer many kinds of sweets. If you visit Suwa City, please try them—I’m sure you’ll like them! ★ Maruyasu Tanakaya Main Branch 3-1421-1 Takashima, Suwa-shi, Nagano Prefecture ☎ 0266-52-0126 ◎ Business hours: 10:00 – 19:00 ◎ Regular holiday: Closed on Wednesdays ◎ Online shop: https://www.suwa-tanakaya.jp/products/list ◎ Homepage: https://www.suwa-tanakaya.jp/ https://www.suwa-tanakaya.jp/products/list https://www.suwa-tanakaya.jp/