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Kamakura Souvenirs: 13 Edible Delights and Cute Mementos
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Kamakura has an abundance of souvenir shops that often leave visitors wondering what to choose. This article offers a curated selection of 13 delightful souvenirs for indecisive gift-givers and self-indulgers. Whether you seek delectable snacks or practical trinkets, this article has it all!
Written by
I am currently working as the Taiwan version editor for MATCHA. I am from Changhua County and during my time in Taiwan, I worked as a domestic Japanese tour guide and in interview PR for a Japanese television station. I am skilled at arranging travel itineraries, particularly for food and hot spring-related attractions. My interests include photography, especially food and portrait photography. Due to my age and my fondness for places like bars and izakayas, I call myself 'Matcha Uncle'.
Planning a visit to Kamakura but unsure about souvenir choices? Are you curious about the trendiest local souvenirs?
This article explores must-visit souvenir shops in Kamakura, featuring a variety of delightful sweets and practical items that cater to every preference!
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Delightful Sweet Treats: 8 Handpicked Dessert-Inspired Souvenirs
Traditional Japanese sweets have long been popular as souvenirs in the ancient city of Kamakura.
However, in recent years, the influence of Western desserts has led to the rise of numerous specialty shops offering a variety of Western-style confections, ushering in a new chapter for Kamakura's dessert souvenirs.
1. arbrenoir YAKUMI: Matcha Sesame Flavored Wheel Cake, or Kamakura-yaki
Founded with a mission to uphold Japan's condiment (yakumi) culture, arbrenoir YAKUMI offers a range of gift and personal use condiments like yuzu pepper, tsukudani (simmer soy sauce and mirin), garlic pepper, green onion pepper, and ginger pepper.
Aside from selling condiments, they also provide a freshly made Japanese-style dessert called Kamakura-yaki.
Kamakura-yaki features a mochi skin made with Uji matcha powder and a sweet, but not overly rich, black sesame filling. This treat offers a delightful harmony of matcha and sesame aromas with every bite.
2. Kamakura Beniya: Adorable Walnut Squirrel Cookies
Kamakura Beniya is a specialty Western-style confectionery store that sells biscuits and walnut cookies. Their award-winning walnut squirrel cookies ("Kurumikko") received the Best Award at the 25th Kanagawa Prefecture Confectionery Exhibition, making it a star product of the shop.
Kurumikko not only features an irresistibly cute squirrel design on the packaging but also offers a sophisticated Western-style dessert experience.
These buttery biscuits filled with caramel and walnut pieces provide a slightly bitter-sweet taste designed for mature palates!
3. Chikaramochiya: Traditional Wagashi Shop Creating Fragrant Delights
Established during the Genroku Era (1688-1704), Chikaramochiya near Enoden Hase Station in Kamakura has been passed down for nine generations. They uphold traditional techniques and refrain from using any additives.
A popular souvenir from the shop is the Gongorou Chikaramochi, a glutinous rice dessert filled with red bean paste. With its smooth red bean filling and chewy mochi, this delicacy attracts many visitors.
The shop also served as a filming location for the nostalgic Japanese TV series "Second to Last Love" (Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi).
4. Kamakura Goro Main Store: Taste the Sweet and Tart Flavor of Apple Treats
The Kamakura Goro Main Store is known for its flavors of Hantsuki (Half-Moon) cookies and honey cakes.
They recently introduced the Kamakura Honey Apple Filled Cake, featuring a large apple filling, attracting many visitors with its adorable apple packaging.
After soaking in honey, the apples add a creamy texture, allowing the Apple Filled Cake to deliver the ruby-red fruit's tangy sweetness, the honey's sweetness, and creamy richness in every bite.
5. Kamakura Itoko: Taste Traditional Kamakura Wagashi Flavors
Kanagai, or Kintsuba, is a traditional Japanese wagashi with an ultra-thin outer layer made of wheat flour fixed with agar. The filling is typically made of ingredients like red beans and sweet potatoes.
Kamakura Itoko Kanagai offers a variety of flavors, such as pumpkin, matcha, red bean, chocolate, and sweet potato kin tsuba.
The photo above is the sweet potato flavor of kintsuba, where the rich and slightly sweet filling is wrapped in an ultra-thin skin, creating a multi-layered texture.
6. Romi-Unie Confiture: All-Purpose Jam for Daily Heavenly Delights
Founded by a dessert researcher who trained in Paris, Romi-Unie Confiture offers handmade jams and cookies. The jams, crafted in the in-store workshop, come in nearly 30 different flavors for customers to enjoy anytime.
The caramel-flavored jam with a bottle cap featuring a Great Buddha image is popular with Kamakura visitors.
Made with hazelnuts, sea salt, and caramel, this jam combines precious ingredients from the mountains and sea. This delectable treat brings the entire essence of Kamakura—a coastal city nestled between mountains and sea right onto your taste buds.
7. Kamakura Genjian: Transforming Peanuts in 72 Ways
Kanagawa's Hayama City is known for its peanut cultivation, leading to the popularity of peanut snacks. Kamakura Genjian specializes in peanut products, offering various flavors like matcha, honey, chicken broth, and curry.
Various peanut snacks from Kamakura Genjian are perfect for pairing with green and oolong tea. It makes excellent accompaniments for those who enjoy a light drink!
8. KANNON COFFEE Kamakura: Sip Leisurely Chic Drip Bag Coffee
Hailing from Nagoya, KANNON COFFEE established its presence in Kamakura in 2017 as a fresh addition to the historic Kamakura region.
Upon opening, it quickly garnered a huge following eager to taste their popular signature dessert, the Great Buddha Pancake.
The shop also sells drip-bag coffee made from selected coffee beans. Appealing to its trendy audience with its stylish packaging, this product is a popular choice as a souvenir when visiting Kamakura.
Adorable and Practical Souvenirs
Besides the abundance of dining establishments, Kamakura boasts various general stores selling fashionable accessories, toys, wallets, and other souvenirs.
Below, we'll highlight a selection of irresistibly cute souvenirs that will make your heart flutter!
9. Kamakura Hanamizuki: Shibainu Goods That Will Make Dog Lovers Go Crazy
Placing adorable Shiba Inu dolls at the shop entrance is a surefire way to lure dog enthusiasts into a shopping frenzy.
Kamakura Hanamizuki offers a range of Shiba Inu-themed products, including plush toys, tote bags, handkerchiefs, glasses cases, wallets, and more!
These practical and reasonably priced items make perfect souvenirs for dog lovers to buy for themselves or as gifts!
10. Souvenir Gallery KAMAKURA: Give Your Temple Stamp a Trendy Makeover
Goshuin (shrine/temple stamps) served as proof of visiting ancient temples and was seen as a deity's embodiment.
In recent years, Japan has seen a rising number of goshuin collectors who introduce the allure of goshuin to a broader audience. Keeping up with the trend of collecting goshuin, essential items like the goshuincho (notebooks to collect goshuin stamps) and goshuincho covers to protect them have gained popularity!
If you are a goshuin enthusiast looking for a unique goshuincho notebook, Souvenir Gallery KAMAKURA offers a variety of styles for those seeking something special!
11. Kamakura Tezukuri-ya: Snag Some Colorful Handmade Wallets
Kamakura Tezukuri-ya offers reasonably priced handmade wallets featuring designs such as arabesque patterns, Mount Fuji, Shiba Inu dogs, and other iconic Japanese motifs.
Of course, one of the wallet designs features the iconic Great Buddha of Kamakura, known for its charming and lovable appearance. No wonder it's a top-selling item at the store!
12. Kotori: A Nostalgic Alley Stationery Store
Kotori is a stationery store co-operated by eight individuals who work in different fields, including illustrators, photographers, and architects.
The bookshelf in the corner is custom-made by an architect, postcard photos are from photographers, and original products are designed by illustrators. Each person contributes their talents to achieve a sense of accomplishment and happiness in this small stationery store.
One of their recent popular products is the Travel Journal, which is perfect for documenting travel experiences, and the nostalgic Pen Pal Journal from childhood. The simple yet evocative designs invite you to pour all your memories and thoughts into them.
13. Shiraho Kamakura: Canvas Bags Capturing Simplicity and Elegance
Shiraho Kamakura focuses on functionality and design in their canvas bags. The canvas material offers a balanced level of softness and sturdiness, remaining resistant to dirt. This makes it easy for first-time users to handle.
The store's variety of canvas bag products ranges from small handbags to spacious backpacks, catering to the diverse needs of travelers and daily use. In addition to canvas items, they offer fashion accessories like charms, hair accessories, and earrings.
Enjoy Exploring Kamakura
The souvenir shops in Kamakura may seem to be competing with each other, but upon closer examination, you'll notice their high degree of similarity. This makes it easy for those prone to indecision to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Hopefully, the carefully selected shops in this article can help you bring back true Kamakura memories to your home country. Remember, buying just enough is better than struggling with carrying too much back!
Read also
I am currently working as the Taiwan version editor for MATCHA. I am from Changhua County and during my time in Taiwan, I worked as a domestic Japanese tour guide and in interview PR for a Japanese television station. I am skilled at arranging travel itineraries, particularly for food and hot spring-related attractions. My interests include photography, especially food and portrait photography. Due to my age and my fondness for places like bars and izakayas, I call myself 'Matcha Uncle'.
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