Hello, this is Nele.
Have you heard of “dagashiya” (vintage candy stores)?
It’s a gathering spot for children in Japan.
A place where they can buy candy from the old lady at the store, make new friends and cause some trouble together, and also learn a lot of good and bad things from the old lady.
You could even say that it is a place where they learn the first ground rules about society.
So today, I will report about this paradise for Japanese children!
Vintage Candy Store “Kikuchi Shōten”
This time, our report was supported by Kikuchi Shōten. A location also used for shooting movies or TV shows, this is a candy store that has been there since the old days and still has its vintage charm.
This is the owner of the store, Kikuchi-san. She has been running this candy store for 35 years now.
“Compared to the old days, there fewer children around and business is tough. But when I see those children`s faces waiting in front of the store every morning, I can`t help but open it again!”, Kikuchi-san laughs.
Even during our report, she was quite busy with children pestering her shouting “Granny! Granny!”. We were able to catch a glimpse of this world, her laughing with the children, sometimes scolding them, and the children playing lively, sometimes pouting. The candy store is not only a place to eat sweets and play, but a place where they learn what they are allowed to do and what not.
The pockets of this apron are Kikuchi-san`s cash register. There is a pocket for each kind of coin; 1 Yen, 5 Yen, 10 Yen, 50 Yen or 100 Yen coins, or game coins. This is the wisdom and practicality of 35 years of business.
Do you know what this is? It is a traditional Japanese calculator called “soroban”. Apparently the upper beads have the value of 5, the lower beads a value of 1.
Coin Games
These are coin game machines placed in front of the store. They have been in use for quite some years and have a nice notion of “vintage”. One game costs 10 Yen, and if you are lucky, you can win a coin back. Then, you can exchange the coin for 10 Yen worth of candy. If you are playing really well, you have the chance of winning candy worth five times your 10 Yen! During our visit, many children held their 10 Yen coins firmly in their small hands, earnest looks on their faces, waiting for their turn to take a challenge at the game.
This is the back of the store, a corner to play video games. As you can see, it is a popular space for children.
“Well, nowadays children play games on their cell phones. They don`t play the games here”, Kikuchi-san mutters.
The Candy
An introduction of the candy (dagashi) that has been around since the old days. I am sure that the Japanese people reading this column will feel nostalgic and remember how they ate them as a child too!
Ume-chan
A fish? Squid? Anyways, it is ume (plum)-flavored.
The taste? Sour.
Powder Juice
Mix it with water, and this power turns to juice. There is the powder version and tablet version.
Kabayakisan Tarō, Yakinikusan Tarō, Wasabinori Tarō
Apparently this has been in the store since the old days. They actually sell it in convenience stores now too.
Kozakura Mochi, Coke Flavor, Soda Flavor
It`s like eating hard gummi. By the way, don`t you agree that there are significantly many candy sorts with coke or soda flavor?
Balloon Gum
If you push the button, one gum will appear on the bottom. As children, didn`t we all thought that gum was something to swallow as a whole? Or was that just me…
Lemonade Mints
Like Frisk for children. There were all kinds of flavors.
Kinako Stick
This is my recommendation!
Blueberry Cigarettes
Blueberry-flavored candy in shape of a cigarette. You can imagine how children would eat this!
Moroccan Yoghurt
Yoghurt-flavored candy. There are lots of flavor variations.
Sukonbu
Sour candy made of seaweed.
Ume Jam
Ume-flavored jam. You use it as kind of a dressing for other candy.
Tube Juice
Juice in a tube. Again, coke and soda flavor.
Ice Cream
All kinds of flavors from 10 Yen.
Itohiki Candy (candy on a string)
By pulling a string attached to a candy, you hope for luck (and the biggest candy). There are various flavors and sizes.
Toys
Moving on, I will introduce some of the toys popular with children.
Glider
If you put the parts together, it will look like this!
Tattoo Stickers
Tattoo stickers – you never know what kind of tattoo you will get until you open the package.
This was mine.
You put it on the part of your body you like and stick it to your skin with water.
Needle Balloon
You can make a transparent balloon with this toy.
Like this
And this
Tadaa!
Monster Smoke
Here…
You put your finger on the sticky part
If you rub your fingers together, smoke will come out of them!
(Actually there was no smoke coming when I tried, but…)
Beigoma
Hmm…
Maybe like this?
Spintop Set
A spintop. One for 84 Yen.
Super Ball
This is called super ball. You get the ball with the number you got in a lottery. There are some balls with quite some elasticity!
And finally…
How did you like Kikuchi-san`s vintage candy store?
In the old days, these stores could be found everywhere all over Japan, but nowadays, with declining birth rates dagashiya are becoming rare.
Isn`t it kind of sad that stores with this kind of unique and vintage charm are gradually disappearing?
If you visit Japan, please grab a 100 Yen coin in one hand and visit one of the few remaining dagashiya. I am sure you will have the chance to catch a glimpse of the “good old days” of Japan.
Kikuchi-san also said that she would continue her business as long as her health and spirits allow it!
Dagashiya Kikuchi Shōten
Tōkyō-to, Shinagawa-ku, Minami-ōi 4-14-19
