When you visit noodle restaurants in Japan, have you noticed that there is almost always a small round can of spice on one side of the table for you to add more flavor to your noodle soup? If you like the blend that is known as Shichimi in Japanese, the shop that you must visit when you are around Nagano Station is Yawataya Isogorō (八幡屋磯五郎).
About Yawataya Isogorō
Yawataya Isogorō, founded in 1736, is a shop that has the longest history on Nakamise-dōri Street. The shop itself is well-known to the Japanese, and the 7 spice blend, which is one of the Seven Specialties of Zenkoji remains their most popular souvenir.
The 7 spice blend was so popular that during the Edo period, it was nicknamed Zenkōji Mairi no Tegata (善光寺参りの手形), which means ‘permit to enter the temple’ (≧▽≦). The shop even turned the street stools in front of it into the shape of its spice container (refer to the 3rd and the 4th photo in the IG post)!
Apart from a variety of different 7 spice blends, you can also customize your own spice blend (refer to the 5th and the 6th photo in the IG post)!
Yokochō Café (横町カフェ)
The main Yawataya store also has a café called Yokochō Café attached. The photo below shows the café’s entrance from the shop’s back. The two people in the photo are checking the café’s menu. Walking towards the café from Zenkoji, you won’t miss it if you look left when waiting for the traffic light to turn green. The shop’s truck is too eye-catching! Imagine if that big can of 7 spice blend is completely filled with spice powder (´▽｀*).
Many of the dishes on the menu of their café are infused with their spices. Please be aware that they currently do not have a savory vegetarian menu. However, we have confirmed with the staff that they can remove the prawn from the Green Curry (緑カレー), which will make it vegetarian.
Moreover, they have a nice dessert menu with many spice-infused items (all products contain eggs except the gelato).
Tip: Yawataya Isogoro’s Nagano MIDORI shop is usually less packed than its main store. It is located on the same level as JR and Shinano Railway’s ticket gate.
Our Visit to Yawataya Isogorō
Yawataya Isogorō was always busy whenever we walked past the shop. Originally, we wanted to make our special spice blend. But it seemed like the spice customization queue moved very slowly. Thus, we gave up after a couple of minutes.
Since our time was freed up, we ordered their signatory 2 Spice Cheesecake (2つのスパイス・チーズケーキ) and a cup of cinnamon apple pie chai latte on the special menu. The chai latte really was a cup of “apple pie”. The sprinkled cookie on the drink was like the pie crust, with multiple apple slices in the glass.
The cheesecake was smaller than expected. But the spiced-up cheesecake was tasty and went really well with the berry sauce and cream. Since several cans of spice were on the table, we also tried adding more spice powder to the cheesecake. The result? Well, it was best to eat the cheesecake as it was (´▽｀*).
Yawataya Isogorō’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Yawataya Isogorō is open from 9 am to 6:30 pm daily.
- Yokochō Café is open from 10 am to 5 pm.
- The last order is taken at 4:30 pm.
- It is just a 5-minute walk from Zenkoji.
- From Nagano Station, it is around a 20-minute walk.
Discover Other Must-Visit Shops on Zenkoji’s Nakamise-dōri Street
Nakamise-dōri Street in front of Zenkoji Temple is the street between the temples at Niōmon Gate and Sanmon Gate. Amongst the many shops and restaurants lined up on the sides of the street, it shouldn’t be a surprise that many tourists would have a hard time deciding which shops to visit.
So, refer to our Guide to Nakamise Street’s Top Zenkōji Specialties article for our recommended shops and tips. A few hidden gems are also included!
Explore the Chestnuts Town – Obuse
If you’re not in a hurry, we recommend you stop by Obuse for their delicious chestnut desserts and the dramatic ukiyo-e that the town is renowned for.
Find out more about what you can do and where to go, and of course, where to eat when you get to this gorgeous town from our Obuse article (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
You can even visit someone’s backyard without notifying the owner!
Visit the Snow Monkeys in Jigokudani Monkey Park
We have all seen humans enjoying the hot springs. You yourself, especially during the winter, might have already indulged in the onsen to warm up and let the rich minerals moisturize your skin.
But have you ever seen monkeys doing the same?
If you want to see some, follow our article on Jigokudani Monkey Park to find out the best time of the year to visit and how to get there!
