If you are heading to one of Fukuoka‘s landmarks, Dazaifu Tenman-gū, you definitely won’t want to miss out on Dazaifu Monzen Machi, the approach to the shrine that is lined with Umegae Mochi rice cake makers, trendy boutique shops, and cafes! Because there are so many shops and sweets makers on the street, we thought to make some recommendations of which ones to go to in case you can’t decide which shop to start with (^_-)-☆.
Our Favorite Spots on Dazaifu Tenman-gū’s Approach
Tips:
☛ On the 25th of each month, the Umegae Mochi’s color changes from white to green. To commemorate the birthday of Sugawara no Michizane, the god enshrined in Dazaifu Tenman-gū, mugwort is added to the dough used to make the rice cake.
☛ On the 17th of each month, black rice flour is used as a part of the ingredients making the Umegae Mochi looks purple to celebrate the opening of the Kyushu National Museum (九州国立博物館).
☛ If you want to make your Umegae Mochi, email [email protected] two weeks in advance to reserve a workshop at Dazaifukan.
Explore Dazaifu With a Guided Tour
If you prefer a guide to introduce you to the charms of Hakata, how about joining one of the below tours?
- Guided Train and Boat Tour of Dazaifu & Yanagawa from Fukuoka
- Strawberry picking, Takeo Shrine, Yanagawa boat,Dazaifu one day tour
- Dazaifu Shrine, Yufuin, and Beppu Day Trip in Kyushu
- Dazaifu, Yufuin, Beppu Ropeway, and Kamado Jigoku Day Tour
- Yufuin no Mori Train, Yufuin, Dazaifu 1-Day Tour (from Fukuoka)
Tip: Refer to HERE if you want to rent a Kimono when you are in Dazaifu!
How to Get to Dazaifu Monzen Machi
- From Nishi Tetsu’s (西鉄) Dazaifu Station (太宰府駅), it is a 5-minute walk.
- From Hakata Station, you can take a bus from Hakata Bus Terminal to Dazaifu Station. The bus trip is around 45 minutes. You can check Nishitetsu’s website HERE for the service’s timetable.
- You can also use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit.
The Top Cafes to Visit Near Dazaifu Tenman-gū
In Dazaifu Monzen Machi and near Dazaifu Station, there are several unique cafes that will make your visit more memorable. So, after exploring the shrine’s huge precinct, how about taking a break in a nice cafe?
If that sounds like a good idea, refer to our article on The Top Cafes to Visit Near Dazaifu Tenman-gū to plan your visit!
Sawawa Dazaifu Store (茶和々 太宰府店)
Speaking of Japan, many people would think of matcha green tea. Sawawa is the spot near Dazaifu Tenman-gū where you can enjoy various matcha-infused desserts. The shop’s bright green building will certainly catch your attention as you walk towards the shrine.
The matcha sweets maker was founded in 1948 as a tea specialist. Thus, the desserts served here use high-quality matcha powders instead of the usual dessert-grade matcha. In addition to the traditional sweets such as matcha anmitsu, the tea shop has desserts popular among youngsters, such as matcha flavored Baumkuchen, on the menu.
Sawawa offers matcha ice cream. You can choose from four different bitterness levels. The higher the bitterness level, the stronger the tea flavor. If you are unsure which level to choose, go with the second level. It has a good balance between the bitterness of the green tea, the creaminess of the milk, and the sweetness.
Of course, different blends of matcha powders are also on the shelf. Each has a description of the taste for you to choose based on your preference.
Sawawa Dazaifu Store’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Sawawa Dazaifu is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
- The cafe is a 1-minute walk from Nishitetsu’s Dazaifu Station (大宰府駅).
Baien Kashidokoro (梅園菓子処)
To get some traditional confectionery other than Umegae Mochi, head to Baien Kashidokoro. The confectionery, which opened in 1948, is now one of the sweets providers to the Japanese imperial family. Their sweets are offered to the gods enshrined in the imperial palace. Thus, if you want to try the same sweets that the royals eat, visit Baien!
Located on the approach to Dazaifu Tenman-gū, Baien stands out. Why? It would be very hard to miss its huge signboard with Baien (梅園) written! The shop is lined with various sweets, including their signature confectionery, Homanzan (宝満山) and Uso no Mochi (うその餅). Both use Dazaifu‘s specialty, eggs.
Homanzan isn’t your typical cake. It has an elegant texture that is good to consume chilled in summer and warm in winter. You can also pour brandy or plum wine over Homanzan and see how alcohol’s rich aroma blends nicely with the sweet. Since Baien brought Homanzan to the market since its establishment, a few more flavors of Homanzan have been added to the product lineup. The rum raisin flavor, for example, goes well with coffee.
Uso no Mochi is a good souvenir. Not only does it have the unique light green color, but there is a small Eurasian bullfinch figure in the box! Blue perilla gives the confectionery a refreshing flavor and melts in your mouth. It was created to lift the locals’ spirits after WWII, when people were feeling down. So, if there is someone you want to cheer up, Uso no Mochi will be a great gift!
Large wooden Eurasian bullfinch figures can also be found in the shop!
Tips:
☛ If you want a wooden Eurasian bullfinch figure made on New Year’s Day, purchase your Uso no Mochi by the end of February. After Baien runs out of the wooden figure, a clay figure is used.
☛ Like Umegae Mochi, Baien’s Uso no Mochi’s color turns red on the 25th of each month.
☛ Check with the staff to see if you can try their product.
Baien Kashidokoro’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Baien Kashidokoro is open from 10 am to 5 pm.
- The shop is a 2-minute walk from Nishitetsu’s Dazaifu Station (大宰府駅).
Loop a Bread
Very close to AMARILLO is a very popular bakery in Dazaifu called Loop a Bread. Don’t be surprised if there is a queue when you get there. The bakery has many repeaters because once you try the bread here, you will want to come back again and again. Apparently, even the French are impressed by Loop a Bread’s bread! In addition to the taste, the welcoming staff is another reason for its popularity.
Loop a Bread has a stylish and relaxing atmosphere. Being health-conscious and having a great passion for bread-making, the owner, Futami-san (二見和利), creates 40 to 50 different kinds of baked goods using high-quality ingredients. He hopes that his bread can be consumed daily by his customers. Thus, various savoury breads are on the display shelf so you can enjoy them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
About the Bread at Loop a Bread
Looking at the bread sold at Loop a Bread, your impression might be that hard bread fills most of the shelf. But that isn’t the case. Many of them just have a crispy exterior. Once you buy through that surface layer, the bread is actually moist! Even those who are not used to eating hard bread can enjoy the bread at Loop a Bread every day!
A good example is the improved version of simit. It uses nearly double the normal amount of water, so the bread would almost “melt” in your mouth. If you like black olives, the Olive Noir (オリーブノワール) is the bread for you. Like simit, the interior is extremely soft. The same goes for its melon pan. It is like eating a melon-pan version of brioche!
Futami-san even managed to turn German rye bread light!
Tips:
☛ Since you don’t need to consume the bread straightaway, we recommend visiting Loop a Bread before exploring Dazaifu. The popular items often sell out by midday!
☛ Bread-tasting is available for a couple of breads each day.
☛ Until 11 am, you can enjoy the bread at ton (トオン), the cafe next door. But you need to order a drink at the cafe. When you pay for the bread, let the staff know your intention to dine in.
☛ A description of the bread and its allergen information is provided for each bread, making it easy for those with special dietary needs. As the information is only in Japanese, ensure you have a Translation App installed on your phone.
Loop a Bread’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Loop a Bread is open from 9 am to 5 pm from Wednesday to Sunday.
- The bakery is a 3-minute walk from Nishitetsu’s Dazaifu Station (大宰府駅).
Miffy Oyatsu-do (みっふぃーおやつ堂 太宰府店)
Miffy Oyatsu-do also has a shop in Dazaifu if you prefer cutely-looking bread (^_-)-☆.
Tenzan (天山 本店)
If you are looking for traditional sweets other than Umegae Mochi, Tenzan is a great spot to stop by. The popular Japanese confectionery maker is known for its Onigawara Monaka (鬼瓦最中), which is shaped like a demon tile. Using the demon tiles excavated from the Remains of Dazaifu Government Office (大宰府政庁跡) as a model, the waffle-based wagashi looks much more impactful. The typical flavors include red bean paste (粒餡), white bean paste (白餡), Yame tea-infused bean paste (八女茶餡), and rice cake red bean paste (粒餡 餅入り). No matter which flavor you choose, the amount of filling is so much that the waffles can’t be closed!
Tenzan’s red bean paste is cooked using red beans from Tokachi, Hokkaidō. The waffles are made using carefully selected glutinous rice from Saga Prefecture. As the sugar level is reduced, you should still be able to enjoy their monaka even if you don’t have a sweet tooth.
Furthermore, seasonal edition Onigawara Monaka is offered during the strawberry and chestnut seasons. When the waffles are sandwiched with Fukuoka’s giant strawberry, the monaka looks even more appetising. So, make sure you order an Amaou Strawberry Daifuku Monaka (あまおういちご大福最中) if you visit Dazaifu between December and May!
In summer, Amaou Kazu Ice Bar (あまおう葛アイスバー) is the customers’ favorite. Made with arrowroot flour, the “popsicle” won’t melt, making it the best street food to combat the hot weather! Plus, the ice bar is filled with Amaou strawberries!
Tenzan’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Tenzan is open from 10 am to 5 pm.
- The traditional confectionery shop is a 3-minute walk from Nishitetsu’s Dazaifu Station (大宰府駅).
Yasutake (やす武)
Yasutake is a shop in Monzen Machi with a long history that can be traced back to the Kamakura period (1192 – 1333). The Yasutake family was the biggest female accessory seller in town. In 1948, it changed its family business and is now one of the most popular Umegae Mochi makers in Dazaifu.
The rice cakes are perfectly grilled, giving them a beautiful golden appearance. Unlike the traditional Umegae Mochi, the rice cakes sold at Yasutake are accented with salt from Akō City in Hyōgō Prefecture. It is one of the secrets that people tend to eat more than they intended and why customers would queue up for it.
Also, it is the perfect Umegae Mochi for those who aren’t a fan of sweets!
In January 2022, Yasutake re-opened after a major renovation to the shop front. With its voguish look, it is now a shop that can easily catch the attention of anyone who strolls on the street. If you pay attention to the lighting, it is smartly arranged into the shape of Yasutake’s family crest!
Yasutake’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Yasutake is open from 8:30 am to 6 pm.
- For Dazaifu Tenman-gū’s access information, please refer to our Dazaifu Tenman-gū article.
Starbucks – Dazaifu Tenman-gū Store (スターバックスコーヒー 太宰府天満宮表参道店)
While you might not normally fancy a cup of coffee from a Starbucks Cafe, we highly recommend you check out the Dazaifu Tenman-gū store. Sandwiched by traditional-looking houses, its trendy appearance will undoubtedly stand out when you walk on Dazaifu Monzen Machi Street.
The interior design of the store was completed with 2,000 rectangular cedar logs, which warmed up the otherwise cold concrete grey walls. Utilizing the traditional architectural techniques, not even one nail is used to support the structure!
The café was designed by Tokyo University’s professor, Kuma Kengo (隈研吾). The design blends modern Western and traditional Japanese elements amazingly to create a special space for the customers to enjoy the coffee with the nice scent of the cedar.
If you get a chance to sit down, spend some moments examining the tables and chairs in the store. Different from a regular Starbucks café, the furniture here is order-made to match the stylish look of the café!
At the back of the store, the small garden has Dazaifu‘s symbol planted, plum blossoms, which brighten up the café with their gorgeous flowers from late winter to early spring.
Although the shop is most likely packed with tourists, if you are lucky enough that the seats at the back are vacated, how about spending a while enjoying this architectural wonderland?
Starbucks – Dazaifu Tenman-gū Store’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Starbucks – Dazaifu Tenman-gū Store is open from 8 am to 8 pm.
- From Nishitetsu’s Dazaifu Station, it is around a 4-minute walk.
- The cafe is just a one-minute walk from Dazaifu Tenman-gū’s stone torii gate.
Kaguno Konomi (香菓)
If you like chestnuts, the spot that you have to visit on the approach to Dazaifu Tenman-gū is Kaguno Konomi. The confectionery maker is known for its Mont Blanc. What is so special about their Mont Blanc is the shreds of purée. Made with Japanese chestnuts from Kumamoto, the 1mm shreds are as fine as gold thread. Another thing that makes Kaguno Konomi’s Mont Blanc special is what the purée covers. As ice cream and a meringue base replace the cake underneath the purée, you’d better finish it in five minutes ヾ(≧▽≦)ﾉ.
In addition to the typical Mont Blanc using chestnuts, Kaguno Konomi also make the cakes with a variety of fruits and sweet ingredients depending on the season and period.
Ordering at Kaguno Konomi is through a ticket vending machine. After the staff gets the ticket, your order is made in front of you. It is just exciting to see how the staff squeezes the purée over the ice cream! If you want to take a video of how the Mont Blanc is made, get your camera ready. The staff will wait for you before starting the process (^_-)-☆.
Kaguno Konomi is more than just a dessert shop. You will be offered a dessert feast where you “eat with your eyes first.” Enjoy both visual and gustatory pleasures, and every bite is worth savoring. However, please note that there is only a small stand-up dining space. Thus, it can be inconvenient if you visit Kaguno Konomi with children.
Kaguno Konomi’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Kaguno Konomi is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
- The dessert shop is a 4-minute walk from Nishitetsu’s Dazaifu Station (大宰府駅).
Kingberry Amaou Cheesecake Factory (Kingberryあまおうチーズケーキファクトリー)
Amaou is a type of strawberry that is known as Fukuoka‘s specialty. The huge strawberry is used to make various desserts, such as the monaka at Tenzan. If you are a big strawberry fan, Kingberry is a heaven for you. Almost all items on the menu involve Amaou strawberries! Plus, the pudding-like Amaou Cheesecake doesn’t consist of eggs, making it a good dessert option for oriental vegetarians.
Although the shop calls it a cheesecake, Kingberry’s Amaou Cheesecake is more like a strawberry cream cheese served in a small jar. It has a smooth texture and a perfect balance of the sweetness and sourness from the strawberries and cream cheese layers. The cream cheese layer is made using fresh cream and milk from Kyūshū. The strawberry puree on the top is made using plenty of Amaou strawberries and stabilized with agar.
Besides the Amaou Cheesecake, you will also love Kingberry’s strawberry juice. That’s right. The shop sells juice made from plenty of strawberries! It also contains strawberry seeds, which give it a nice granular texture.
Tip: If you want to try the fresh strawberry juice, arrive before noon to avoid disappointment!
Kingberry’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Kingberry is open from 9 am to 5 pm.
- The shop is a 4-minute walk from Nishitetsu’s Dazaifu Station (大宰府駅).
Teradaya (寺田屋)
Located at the end of Dazaifu Tenman-gū‘s approach, Teradaya has been serving the pilgrims for more than 85 years. From the delicious plum wine to umeboshi (Japanese salted plum), the plum specialty shop has a wide range of plum products. The staff is most likely making the Umegae Mochi behind the glass panel when you walk past it. Seeing how the rice cake is made itself is an enjoyment.
So what about the taste? The rice cake served at Teradaya is grilled one by one by the staff. This is probably one of the reasons that their customers love their Umegae Mochi. The moderately sweet bean paste is wrapped by slightly thicker skin, giving it a somewhat chewy texture. The freshly grilled crispy outer layer is another factor that contributes to its deliciousness.
If you don’t like to eat while walking, sit in the dining space at the back of the shop. When the weather is nice, the traditional outdoor setting is the best place to enjoy Umegae Mochi! Their dine-in menu has the Umegae Mochi teamed up with coffee or Japanese tea. We would recommend giving their Ume-cha (plum tea) a try as the type of tea is special to the region (^_-)-☆.
Teradaya’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Teradaya is open from 9 am to 5:30 pm daily except the first and the third Wednesdays from April to December.
- Teradaya is the shop that is closest to Dazaifu Tenman-gū‘s stone torii gate.
Visiting the Biggest Shrine in the Kyūshū Region: Dazaifu Tenman-gū
If you haven’t already, have a quick read of what the most famous shrine in Kyūshū is about before you head there!
Knowing the history of the shrine and some details of the buildings in the precinct will make your visit a lot more meaningful and enjoyable.
For more details about the shrine, such as the flowering season of the 6,000 plum blossoms, refer to our article on Dazaifu Tenman-gū!
