A favorite of Soseki Natsume, the Kuya-monaka sells 8000 every day through reservations. <\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Kuya\u2019s legendary Kuya-monaka* is almost impossible to purchase without a reservation. How many do you make every day? (*monaka: wagashi prepared with azuki bean jam filling sandwiched between two thin crisp wafers made from rice) <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We make around 8000. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- 8000! That is quite a number! And yet it is so difficult to purchase that it is referred to as being legendary. Is the manufacturing also done at the store in Ginza? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. We cook the anko (azuki bean jam filling) and sandwich it between the wafers on the store premises. People are often surprised to learn that they are made in Ginza, but Ginza Fugetsudo, located diagonally across the street from us, and Seigetsudo Honten in Ginza 7-chome also manufacture their products in Ginza. There is actually quite a large variety of wagashi made in Ginza.\u201d<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I see. I understand that Kuya was established in 1884 (Meiji 17). Could you please tell me about your corporate history and about the origin of your name? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- As far as I know, our founder had originally worked for the Edo Palace, taking care of the tatami mats there, but he lost his job after the restoration of imperial rule. Just then, he was a member of the Kanto Kuya-shu, an odori-nenbutsu (Buddhist incantation chanting, drumbeating, and dancing) group, of which the owner of Eitaro Sohonpo in Nihombashi was also a member. With his help, Kuya was established in 1884 in Ikenohata in Ueno. Our name was taken from Priest Kuya. Since Ueno was burnt down in the Great Tokyo Air Raid, we relocated to Ginza in 1949 (Showa 24). <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Have you sold monaka from the very beginning? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We have lost almost all materials that would tell us about the pre-war period, but I am pretty certain that they sold monaka back then as well. This because some of Kuya\u2019s most loyal clients included literary masters of the times, and the Kuya-monaka and Kuya-mochi occasionally appear in their works. In Soseki Natsume\u2019s I am a Cat, the Kuya-mochi is served with green tea. Therefore, our store is sometimes introduced in special features on topics such as \u201cSoseki\u2019s favorite stores.\u201d <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_01.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\u5e97\u8217\u3068\u540c\u3058\u30d3\u30eb\u5185\u306b\u3042\u308b\u4f5c\u696d\u5834\u3002\u5f8c\u308d\u306e\u5927\u91dc\u3067\u3042\u3093\u3053\u3092\u7df4\u308b\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_02.jpg\")
<\/p>\nManufacturing space in the same building as the store. Stirrng anko in the large pot in the back. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_03.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\u3082\u306a\u304b\u3067\u3042\u3093\u3053\u3092\u5305\u3093\u3067\u3044\u304f\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_04.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSandwiching the anko in monaka wafers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"\u7a7a\u4e5f\u3082\u306a\u304b\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_05.jpg\")
<\/p>\nKuya-monaka<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nDedicated to selling over the counter under the motto \u201cno credit sales even when sweets sell well\u201d. <\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that Kuya has a corporate policy, \u201cno \u201ckashi-uri\u201d even when kashi (sweets) sell well.\u201d What do you mean by this? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- As far as I know, it was the policy of my grandfather, the third-generation owner of the store. \u201cKashi-uri\u201d means credit sales. Our style of business may appear not to be commercially driven. At Kuya, we do not offer credit sales and accept only cash. Orders are received over the phone or in person at the store and we ask our customers to come to our store to collect their purchase. We do not provide shipping services. We make it a rule to \u201csell products handmade in the middle of Ginza within a day.\u201d <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Now that everything has become convenient, I find that traditional style of business very attractive. And you are following the footsteps of earlier generations? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- I would say so. I suppose I am not determined to make a great amount of profit. Many people may have the image that the Kuya-monaka is rare and therefore expensive, but they are available for only 103 yen a piece. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is quite inexpensive! Is there anything that you lay particular importance upon in terms of your manufacturing methods? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We have no secret family recipe that is passed down only from parent to child. \u201cCarefully cook the best ingredients.\u201d That is all there is to it. At Kuya, we do not make confectionaries that require delicate workmanship. Our confenctionaries are rather simple and our customers appreciate the simpleness, which is often referred to as a quality of Edo culture. Therefore, we are dedicated to careful and reliable work, but I believe anyone can make the same products once they set their mind to it (laughs). <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Oh, I am sure that there is an essence that even you don\u2019t notice. What other kinds of wagashi do you make? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We also constantly make six types of namagashi (unbaked wagashi). A namagashi that is available all year round is the Kuya-soshi, which is like a dorayaki, with anko sandwiched between pancakes, only we cut them in squares, in the shape of a book. We also offer seasonal confectionaries. For example, in summertime, we make mizu-yokan (sweet bean jelly) and in wintertime, we make nerikiri (unbaked cake that is made by mixing and kneading its ingredients, mainly white bean jam, refined or glutinous rice flour, sugar and yam). <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_06.jpg\")
<\/div>\n![\"\u7a7a\u4e5f\u306e\u751f\u83d3\u5b50\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_07.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNamagashi sold at Kuya<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Introducing the charm of anko through Sorairo, a new brand. <\/h4>\n\n- Takashima <\/dt>\n
- After you assumed the post of fifth-generation owner, you launched \u201cSorairo.\u201d What motivated you to start a new business? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- In 2011, when I launched Sorairo, I sensed stagnation in the wagashi industry as a whole. Against this backdrop, I felt a strong desire to have people rediscover wagashi, traditional Japanese food culture and to engage in the branding of anko. However, I felt no need to change Kuya, so I ended up spontaneously launching a new business. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So it was spontaneous (laughs). What is your lineup? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- When I launched Sorairo, I wanted to include the dorayaki in our product lineup since we do not carry it at Kuya. The dorayaki is widely known even among foreigners as Doraemon\u2019s favorite snack. Therefore, I thought it would be an effective way to introduce anko to the world. That is how our dorayaki, Taiyo (sun) was born.
\nOur other products are also named after objects in the sky, in line with the store name Sorairo (meaning \u201ccolor of the sky\u201d in Japanese) \u2013 for example, Tsuki (moon), which is a sandwich cookie with anko filling, and Hoshi, anko in jam bottles.\n<\/dd>\n - Takashima<\/dt>\n
- How creative and novel! What are your plans for the future? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We don\u2019t really have long-term plans, since we have rather been following inspiration. However, I do feel that there remains a dominant image that \u201cwagashi should be enjoyed with Japanese tea\u201d or that \u201cwagashi is super high-end because it is supposed to served at traditional tea ceremonies.\u201d I would like to go beyond conventional thinking to produce more modern products that can be enjoyed by a wider audience. I hope to continue to be involved in communicating to the world that Japanese confectionaries, are a part of our gastronomic culture, which we take great pride in. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_08.jpg\")
<\/div>\n![\"\u7a7a\u3044\u308d\u3000TOKYO](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_09.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSorairo, TOKYO Me+ store <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n![\"\u305f\u3044\u3088\u3046\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_10.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTaiyo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"\u3064\u304d\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_11.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTsuki<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nAlways a part of Ginza\u2019s landscape, a mixture of tradition and innovation <\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- You are currently a member of Ginminkai, an association of young business owners in Ginza, right? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I am currently a member of the Public Relations Division of Ginmikai. We serve as guides at large community-wide events such as the Ginza Yanagi Matsuri and the Tokyo Marathon because many people cannot find their way through the maze of temporarily closed streets. It is a great pleasure to be able to contribute to Ginza through activities other than business activities. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Before we close, please tell me about your passion towards Ginza. <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- Although I do not live in Ginza, I have had a very close relationship with Ginza since I was very young During the thirty or more years that I have known it, the townscape has evolved and many stores have changed, but long-established stores have also stayed in business over the years. I believe that it will always be a mixture of tradition and innovation. I hope that Kuya will always remain a part of Ginza\u2019s townscape. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_12.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_66_13.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nChisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession <\/p>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Kuya\u2019s legendary Kuya-monaka* is almost impossible to purchase without a reservation. How many do you make every day? (*monaka: wagashi prepared with azuki bean jam filling sandwiched between two thin crisp wafers made from rice) <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We make around 8000. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- 8000! That is quite a number! And yet it is so difficult to purchase that it is referred to as being legendary. Is the manufacturing also done at the store in Ginza? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. We cook the anko (azuki bean jam filling) and sandwich it between the wafers on the store premises. People are often surprised to learn that they are made in Ginza, but Ginza Fugetsudo, located diagonally across the street from us, and Seigetsudo Honten in Ginza 7-chome also manufacture their products in Ginza. There is actually quite a large variety of wagashi made in Ginza.\u201d<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I see. I understand that Kuya was established in 1884 (Meiji 17). Could you please tell me about your corporate history and about the origin of your name? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- As far as I know, our founder had originally worked for the Edo Palace, taking care of the tatami mats there, but he lost his job after the restoration of imperial rule. Just then, he was a member of the Kanto Kuya-shu, an odori-nenbutsu (Buddhist incantation chanting, drumbeating, and dancing) group, of which the owner of Eitaro Sohonpo in Nihombashi was also a member. With his help, Kuya was established in 1884 in Ikenohata in Ueno. Our name was taken from Priest Kuya. Since Ueno was burnt down in the Great Tokyo Air Raid, we relocated to Ginza in 1949 (Showa 24). <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Have you sold monaka from the very beginning? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We have lost almost all materials that would tell us about the pre-war period, but I am pretty certain that they sold monaka back then as well. This because some of Kuya\u2019s most loyal clients included literary masters of the times, and the Kuya-monaka and Kuya-mochi occasionally appear in their works. In Soseki Natsume\u2019s I am a Cat, the Kuya-mochi is served with green tea. Therefore, our store is sometimes introduced in special features on topics such as \u201cSoseki\u2019s favorite stores.\u201d <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\n
Manufacturing space in the same building as the store. Stirrng anko in the large pot in the back. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\nSandwiching the anko in monaka wafers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\nKuya-monaka<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nDedicated to selling over the counter under the motto \u201cno credit sales even when sweets sell well\u201d. <\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that Kuya has a corporate policy, \u201cno \u201ckashi-uri\u201d even when kashi (sweets) sell well.\u201d What do you mean by this? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- As far as I know, it was the policy of my grandfather, the third-generation owner of the store. \u201cKashi-uri\u201d means credit sales. Our style of business may appear not to be commercially driven. At Kuya, we do not offer credit sales and accept only cash. Orders are received over the phone or in person at the store and we ask our customers to come to our store to collect their purchase. We do not provide shipping services. We make it a rule to \u201csell products handmade in the middle of Ginza within a day.\u201d <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Now that everything has become convenient, I find that traditional style of business very attractive. And you are following the footsteps of earlier generations? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- I would say so. I suppose I am not determined to make a great amount of profit. Many people may have the image that the Kuya-monaka is rare and therefore expensive, but they are available for only 103 yen a piece. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is quite inexpensive! Is there anything that you lay particular importance upon in terms of your manufacturing methods? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We have no secret family recipe that is passed down only from parent to child. \u201cCarefully cook the best ingredients.\u201d That is all there is to it. At Kuya, we do not make confectionaries that require delicate workmanship. Our confenctionaries are rather simple and our customers appreciate the simpleness, which is often referred to as a quality of Edo culture. Therefore, we are dedicated to careful and reliable work, but I believe anyone can make the same products once they set their mind to it (laughs). <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Oh, I am sure that there is an essence that even you don\u2019t notice. What other kinds of wagashi do you make? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We also constantly make six types of namagashi (unbaked wagashi). A namagashi that is available all year round is the Kuya-soshi, which is like a dorayaki, with anko sandwiched between pancakes, only we cut them in squares, in the shape of a book. We also offer seasonal confectionaries. For example, in summertime, we make mizu-yokan (sweet bean jelly) and in wintertime, we make nerikiri (unbaked cake that is made by mixing and kneading its ingredients, mainly white bean jam, refined or glutinous rice flour, sugar and yam). <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
Namagashi sold at Kuya<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Introducing the charm of anko through Sorairo, a new brand. <\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima <\/dt>\n
- After you assumed the post of fifth-generation owner, you launched \u201cSorairo.\u201d What motivated you to start a new business? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- In 2011, when I launched Sorairo, I sensed stagnation in the wagashi industry as a whole. Against this backdrop, I felt a strong desire to have people rediscover wagashi, traditional Japanese food culture and to engage in the branding of anko. However, I felt no need to change Kuya, so I ended up spontaneously launching a new business. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So it was spontaneous (laughs). What is your lineup? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- When I launched Sorairo, I wanted to include the dorayaki in our product lineup since we do not carry it at Kuya. The dorayaki is widely known even among foreigners as Doraemon\u2019s favorite snack. Therefore, I thought it would be an effective way to introduce anko to the world. That is how our dorayaki, Taiyo (sun) was born.
\nOur other products are also named after objects in the sky, in line with the store name Sorairo (meaning \u201ccolor of the sky\u201d in Japanese) \u2013 for example, Tsuki (moon), which is a sandwich cookie with anko filling, and Hoshi, anko in jam bottles.\n<\/dd>\n - Takashima<\/dt>\n
- How creative and novel! What are your plans for the future? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- We don\u2019t really have long-term plans, since we have rather been following inspiration. However, I do feel that there remains a dominant image that \u201cwagashi should be enjoyed with Japanese tea\u201d or that \u201cwagashi is super high-end because it is supposed to served at traditional tea ceremonies.\u201d I would like to go beyond conventional thinking to produce more modern products that can be enjoyed by a wider audience. I hope to continue to be involved in communicating to the world that Japanese confectionaries, are a part of our gastronomic culture, which we take great pride in. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
Sorairo, TOKYO Me+ store <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/p>\nTaiyo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\nTsuki<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nAlways a part of Ginza\u2019s landscape, a mixture of tradition and innovation <\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- You are currently a member of Ginminkai, an association of young business owners in Ginza, right? <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I am currently a member of the Public Relations Division of Ginmikai. We serve as guides at large community-wide events such as the Ginza Yanagi Matsuri and the Tokyo Marathon because many people cannot find their way through the maze of temporarily closed streets. It is a great pleasure to be able to contribute to Ginza through activities other than business activities. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Before we close, please tell me about your passion towards Ginza. <\/dd>\n
- Yamaguchi<\/dt>\n
- Although I do not live in Ginza, I have had a very close relationship with Ginza since I was very young During the thirty or more years that I have known it, the townscape has evolved and many stores have changed, but long-established stores have also stayed in business over the years. I believe that it will always be a mixture of tradition and innovation. I hope that Kuya will always remain a part of Ginza\u2019s townscape. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Chisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession <\/p>\n
![\"MUSE\u301c12](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_cd_muse.jpg\")
<\/p>\n