A Food Tour In Setagaya For Under 2000 Yen! Shopping In Shoin Shrine Shotengai

What Is Shoin Jinja Dori Shotengai?

In Tokyo's Setagaya ward, one long street serves as the approach to Shoin Jinja Shrine. This path is a shotengai, or shopping street, and the shops lining both sides of it play an important role in the daily lives of Setagaya's local residents.

The nearest station is the Tokyu Setagaya Line's Shoin Jinjamae Station. From many years ago, this area was famous for its shopping street bustling with local people. However, with an increase in bookstores and sophisticated coffee shops, it's become a popular area that's also attracting the attention of young people from outside the Setagaya district as well.

In today's article, we'll introduce a local walking course that includes delicious treats found along the Shoin Jinja Dori Shopping Street, all for the reasonable price of less than 2000 yen.

1. Setagaya Engawa Cafe - Try an Amazake Cappuccino!

Exit Shoin Jinjamae Station's north exit and walk for about one minute, and on your right-hand side Setagaya Engawa Cafe will come into view. Inside the shop you can relax and enjoy some healthy drinks.

During the cold winter months the most popular drink is the genmai amazake cappuccino (450 yen with tax). I also gave this drink a try.

The balance of the espresso, the gentle sweetness of the genmai amazake, combined with the smoothness of the milk, was simply exquisite. When I brought the drink up to my lips, the distinct aroma of the genmai (*1) wafted through the air.

Containing an abundance of fiber, genmai amazake is apparently good for intestinal disorders and also for helping skin to look beautiful.

During the hot months of summer, they also sell genmai milk ice coffee (520 yen with tax) and other cold drinks made with amazake. Takeout is available, so a delicious drink in one hand makes the perfect accompaniment to a leisurely neighborhood stroll.

*1 Genmai: is unmilled brown rice that contains more nutrition than regular white rice.

The ever popular Setagaya Engawa Cafe is often referred to as a natural food store by local residents. Inside the shop there are many health-related specialty products from all regions of Japan.

The most popular item is rakuraku genmai, the amazake that's used in making the genmai amazake cappuccino. This is the shop's own unique product and one bottle retails at 900 yen with tax.

Originally, the shop owner wasn't particularly fond of amazake. But later they joined forces with a craftsperson and created a better tasting version, for people hesitant about drinking it, like he once was.

This product is non-sugar and non-alcohol, so it's suitable for anyone, including ten month old babies. With a smooth, silky texture and pleasant smell, it's easy to drink.

By itself, the liquid concentrate is sweet like yogurt syrup, so we recommend diluting it by adding some milk or soy milk.

The owner, who has been involved in resort development and management for many years, lines the shop shelves with a variety of products, both healthy and delicious, that were found in various parts of Japan.

In particular, the shop has many fermented foods, such as shoyu (soya sauce) and koji (*2). This is the kind of place you want to stop in at and look for souvenirs.

*2 Koji: this is a kind of starter that works like yeast to ferment various kinds of food.

Setagaya Engawa Cafe

4-20-12 Wakabayashi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 154-0023

2. Let's Pay a Visit to Shoin Jinja Shrine!

After recharging ourselves with the genmai amazake drink, let's pay a visit to Shoin Jinja Shrine, just three minutes away on foot.

This shrine worships a fellow by the name of Yoshida Shoin, a distinguished intellectual from the late Edo period. Many of his disciples went on to become politicians during Japan's age of modernization (Meiji period), and even today, he remains an important figure whose name is often mentioned during discussions on Japanese history.

In the springtime, the expansive grounds of the shrine are blanketed with sakura cherry blossoms, so by all means please go for a walk here.

3. Nikorasu Seiyodo Bakery - Going Strong for 100 Years!

Next, from Shoin Jinja Shrine let's head back in the direction of Shoin Jinjamae Station, and go to the south side of the station.

Nikorasu Seiyodo Bakery, is a shop that was established in 1912. Boasting a large variety of bread products all at reasonable prices, this bakery plays a part in supporting the daily lives of nearby residents.

Today I purchased three different kinds of wagashi (Japanese confectionaries).

On the left side in the picture above is black bean anpan (140 yen with tax), a filling snack stuffed with generous amounts of large black beans and a chewy texture; on the right side is tsubu anpan (110 yen with tax), a perennial favorite among Japanese people; and at the top of the picture is delicious Shoin manju (120 yen with tax), which contains strained anko (red bean paste) with a smooth texture and distinct taste.

The grand total comes to just 370 yen.

All three treats contain anko with just the right amount of sweetness.

The Shoin manju that's been stamped with the Shoin trademark on top, makes for a great souvenir to remember your trip by.

Overflowing with elegant-tasting white anko, you'll be completely satisfied with this manju.

4. Ogawaya - Sneak Out Side Dishes for Tonight's Meal!

Founded in 1975, Ogawaya (Homemade Oden Ogawaya), is a shop specializing in oden.

Delicious eaten just as it is, oden makes a handy side dish that can be served at any time during the year.
In the summer it makes a good snack to go along with alcohol, or a convenient accompaniment to green tea, and of course this slowly simmered, hot food is perfect for those cold winter months.

In particular among the more than thirty kinds of oden ingredients, the satsuma age, or deep-fried fish paste, has many variations.

Today I purchased five different kinds of satsuma age. Shoin Jinja, the most popular satsuma age item is mixed with benishoga (red pickled ginger); kikurage, a type of mushroom; edamame soy beans, corn, and one variety made with shrimp and bean sprouts.

At just 60 yen apiece, five of these unique satsuma age came to a grand total of only 300 yen.

The shop's food items are reasonably priced and looked extremely tasty, so I was tempted to buy all of them!

All of the oden products are handmade and deep-fried on the shop premises every day.

The eggs and wheat flour used in the shop's recipes are produced without any chemicals, preservatives, or additives, so customers can eat without worrying about the quality of the ingredients. Their special consideration for customers with allergies, is also one reason for their long standing popularity.

Just as their shop sign (Homemade Oden Ogawaya) says, their oden products make meal planning a little easier for local residents. Since the oden often sells out before closing time, we recommend going there between four and five pm at the latest.

5. Shoin Senbei (Shoin Jinjamae Location) - Stop in for Coffee on Your Way Home

Read: Coffee And Rice Crackers? The 200 Year Old Matsuzaki Senbei Cafe

Just a short walk from Ogawaya is a long standing senbei (rice crackers) shop. Inside the shop, there's a cafe space, so just before going home you can stop in and relax for awhile.

When your order a drink, a complimentary tile-shaped senbei comes with it. A cup of coffee, 540 yen with tax, is also served with this senbei.
Be sure to stop in for a visit.

The shop has senbei that make the ideal souvenir, so for details please have a look at: Coffee And Rice Crackers? The 200 Year Old Matsuzaki Senbei Cafe.

Enjoy a Day in Setagaya!

Today, in addition to visiting Shoin Jinja Shrine, I also stopped in at a cafe, bakery and oden shop, and to finish my walking tour had a cup of coffee. The total cost was a very reasonable 1660 yen.

I'll take the oden home with me and have it for tonight's dinner.

After paying a visit to Shoin Jinja Shrine, it's worth dropping into some of the many attractive shops clustered along the Shoin Jinja Dori shopping street.
Even with such low prices you're guaranteed to have an enjoyable experience, so on days when you're not rushed for time, please make a trip out here!

This article was made in cooperation with: Setagaya Engawa Cafe, Ogawaya