Ishii

Ishii is a long-standing wagashi (Japanese sweets) store founded in 1862, back when Tokyo was still known as “Edo.” The building the store is in is over 200 years old, although the specific year of its construction is unknown. The building is a treasure in itself, being of an Edo-period mercantile architecture known as “dashiketa-zukuri,” with a dignified appearance, a dirt floor out front, and a roll-up shutter entrance. The shop specializes in take-out goods, and various famous products are lined up for perusal at the counter. Their “Kome-Kome Roll (Rice-Rice Roll)” is very well known and their most popular product, made with a smooth dough of rice flour from both mochi rice and regular rice, and filled with plenty of pure fresh cream. Their “Torayaki,” a take on dorayaki, comes in a variety of flavors, including “Anko no Tora” packed with plenty of not-too-sweet red bean paste, as well as cream and salt flavors. Their “Kuzu Mochi” is a Kanto-style take on “kuzu mochi” made with an old-timey traditional method, and shops that make and sell this treat in Tokyo are quite rare. Picking out a variety of wagashi for take-out to enjoy the flavors of a long-standing shop is an indispensable part of experiencing walking around Taishakuten Sando. There are also a variety of tsukemono (pickled items) along the right side of the shop, which make great souvenirs.