Ozasa (小ざさ) in the Daiyagai District is one of Kichijōji‘s most famous traditional confectionery shops. It is a shop that the locals are willing to queue for! The small shop at the corner, established in 1951, is a yōkan specialist. Using simple and raw ingredients, the confectionery maker, using traditional methods, offers simple but amazing yōkan. Because the yōkan there is so popular, it is best to queue by around 7:30 am to grab the numbered ticket for purchase!
About Ozasa
The kneading of the handmade yōkan at Ozasa is done according to the day’s temperature and humidity to ensure high quality. Because charcoal is used, the pot’s temperature changes rapidly. The staff will then adjust the strength of the charcoal fire, the cooking time, and the mixing method when kneading the red bean paste. As a result, the yōkan has a fine texture. The sweetness is just right too!
Getting Ozasa’s Yōkan Ticket
The yōkan at Ozasa is a limited product. Only 50 yōkan are available for purchase each day. And because the traditional confectionery tastes so amazing that the owner even published a book about how the shop is successful because of it, the yōkan there is highly sought after!
Each day, the numbered ticket (整理券) for yōkan is distributed from 8:15 am (the 2nd photo in the IG post). The staff will note down the number of yōkan you want to purchase, the time of your arrival, and your name. The yōkan will be ready for purchase from 10 am. Each ticket allows you to purchase up to three yōkan.
Because the yōkan is getting more and more expensive (1,100 yen in May 2024), you no longer need to get to Ozasa very early to secure one of the tickets. We got to Ozasa at around 7:50 am on a weekday and were the 8th group in the queue.
Note that when you queue, there might be a large gap in the line. This is requested by Ozasa to its customers to clear the way for the shop to its left.
Tips:
☛ If you like the texture of Mizu Yōkan, you can eat the Ozasa’s yōkan right away or leave it for a couple of days. We were told by a local, a royal Ozasa customer, that the yōkan tastes the best between two to four weeks after purchase.
☛ After getting the ticket, you can visit Omusubi Gonbei on the other side of Kichijoji Station for breakfast.
☛ Don’t head back to Ozasa at 10 am, as there will likely be a queue. Return to the shop after 10:30 am is recommended. You have until late afternoon to return and purchase it.
Osaza’s Monaka
If you can’t get to Osaza early enough to get the yōkan, you can get the monaka instead. It is a traditional confectionery with two thin crisp wafers sandwiching bean paste. Apparently, the shop sells more than 10,000 monaka every day!
Osaza’s monaka has two flavors: red bean paste and white bean paste. No matter which flavor you choose, the less-sweetened bean paste is smooth and has the right amount of sugar in it. The wafers were also properly made and it has a nice scent to it.
Ozasa’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Ozasa is open from 10 am to 7:30 pm from Wednesday to Monday.
- The shop is a 3-minute walk from Kichijoji Station’s north exit.
Discover the Attractions in Kichijōji
Now that you know where to go for a meal, it is time to discover the attractions in Kichijōji. The neighborhood rated “The Most Desirable Area to Live” is great for almost everything. It is also where the famous Ghibli Museum is located!
For more ideas of what to do in the area, refer to our Kichijōji article!
