The old home of Habutae mochi

This is the store of Maeda Seika, a long-established Japanese confectionary shop established in 1954, which manufactures and sells Habutae mochi, a famous confectionary of Fukui Prefecture.

The entrance to the store is decorated with dinosaurs and other objets d’art, allowing visitors to enjoy the atmosphere of a dinosaur kingdom unique to Fukui Prefecture.

Upon entering the store, visitors pass through a massive gate and are greeted by a thatched-roof building. Inside is a spacious 100-tatami mat room, with exposed thick beams reminiscent of a good old Japanese house.

In the center of the restaurant is a sunken hearth where you can enjoy a cup of hot tea. You can take a breather with sweet snacks.

In addition, most of the products are available for tasting, so you can try different flavors and choose your favorite one as a souvenir.

In addition to pure white Habutae mochi, there are more than 15 varieties of Habutae mochi, including chocolate, Nikki, black sesame kinako, yomogi, wrapped in red bean paste, Habutae furoshiki, and Orifuku.

Especially recommended is the very popular “Nama Habutae Mochi” (fresh Habutae mochi). It is made by kneading mochi flour, sugar, and syrup for two hours and pouring it directly into a container. Unlike regular Habutae mochi, it is served as it is without batter, which gives it a more mochi-like texture.

The factory produces more than 1,500 boxes of Habutae mochi per day, and visitors can freely observe the production process of Habutae mochi.

The entire factory can be viewed from the tour pathway. Tours are free of charge and reservations are not required. Feel free to drop by and learn how Habutae mochi are made and how they are produced.

The ancient village of Habutae mochi is so popular that it attracts many visitors from within and outside of the prefecture, with about 300,000 people visiting annually, making it as large as a service area.

This space is even used for the Buddhist memorial services held at Eiheiji Temple, and Maeda Seika’s Habutae mochi is the official store of the Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple.

Habutae mochi, a famous confectionery of Fukui Prefecture, has a history of more than 300 years. Its name comes from Habutae, a silk fabric made in Fukui Prefecture.

Habutae weaving is a characteristic weaving technique in which the warp and weft yarns are alternately crossed without twisting, resulting in a soft and lustrous texture. Haniue mochi is also known for its fine luster and elegant texture, and is a well-loved specialty of Fukui Prefecture.