Hakata Old Town boasts a wide range of souvenirs with interesting backgrounds from famous products of shops with a long history to new items related to old stories of the area. It will be just nice to enjoy the products on-site or to bring them back home to share with your family and friends. It is also possible to order. Visit the shops and experience the specialties of Hakata.

*Temporary closure, change of opening hours, and unavailability of products are expected due to COVID-19. Contact each destinations in advance to make sure if the service is available.

Hakata Uiro

Uiro with a fresh feeling – a new product created in its original place Hakata
The chewy steamed cake Uiro is well-known as a renowned sweet nationwide, but do you know it is originated in Hakata? Around in 1368 when the Chinese dynasty transferred from Yuan to Ming, there was a Yuan’s official named Chen Yanyou who fled to Myorakuji Temple in Hakata. As he was an official called Libuyuan Wailang (or Uiro in Japanese pronunciation) in charge of medication, he became to call himself Chen Uiro. And together with medicines, it was the chewy cake that he brought in as his family’s traditional sweets for guests.

Hirofumi Ito, owner of Peace Island LLC providing rental kimono service, launched to develop Uiro made in Hakata to let more people know about the story. With French cuisine chef Noriko Yoshida who created the recipe; Nobuyuki Mitsuyasu, owner of Mitsuyasu Seikaen Tea Leaf Shop; and the chief priest of Myorakuji Temple, Ito repeated tasting, and then “Hakata Uiro” has been commercialized in spring 2021. It has three flavours; Matcha tea, Hojicha tea, and Shiro-an (white bean paste). Tea leaves used for flavours of Matcha and Hojicha teas are high quality selected by Mitsuyasu Seikaen. The dough is made from bracken starch, making Uiro even chewier texture. This original Uiro will be a new specialty of Hakata. Hakata Uiro is available at shops including Mitsuyasu Seikaen and Hakata Machiya Folk Museum at 2,480 yen for six pieces.

Available at:
❖Chikuzenbori
Address：125,Imajyuku Uenohara, Nishi Ku, Fukuoka City,
TEL：092−806-5655
Regular holiday：every Monday

❖Mitsuyasu Seikaen Tea Shop
Address：8-1, Nakagofukumachi, Hakata Ku, Fukuoka City, 812-0035
Business hours：10：00～18：00
TEL：092-291-0365

❖Hakata Souvenir Shop
Address：1-1, Chuo Street, Hakata Station, Hkata ku, , Fukuoka City, 812-0012
JR Hakata Station　Hakata Exit concourse

Burdock Root Products: Zoni, Tea, and Snack　
　Zoni no Sekitei

Gobo (burdock root), indispensable ingredient for Hakata’s dishes
Zoni no Sekitei restaurant is located close to Zhotenji Temple with the monument commemorating the origin of Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival. At the climax event the festival floats run in front of Zoni no Sekitei, a 50-year old restaurant where you can enjoy zoni (Japanese traditional soup dish for New Year) all year around. Popular Hakata zoni is a bowl of ago-dashi (soup stock extracted from flying fish) with many vegetables and pieces of yellowtail. The restaurant successfully got granted a patent for making the flagship dish into a frozen package. As shredded gobo is used in Sekitei’s zoni, the vegetable is requisite for Hakata’s food culture; from udon noodles with gobo tempura to seasoned rice with chicken, motsunabe hot pot, and chikuzenni (boiled vegetables) gobo, is a necessary item for so many dishes.

Quality gobo is supplied from the producing areas nationwide to fill the consumption. Here at Zoni no Sekitei, new products such as gobo tea and gobo tea karinto (a deep-fried sweet snack) have been developed as a new souvenir.

“Our zoni has plenty of gobo. The gobo tea and gobo tea karinto have been created as gobo food culture is distinct. They are just perfect for souvenirs of Hakata and I hope to increase recognition of the Hakata Old Town.” the shop owner Seki says.

❖Zoni no Sekitei Kyodo Ryoriten　local cuisine restaurant
Address：1-7-16, Hakataeki Mae, Hakata Ku, Fukuoka City, 812-0011
TEL：092-451-1621
Official website： https://zouninosekitei.com/
Online store：https://item.rakuten.co.jp/jrk-shoji/10005928/

Matcha Ganache and Teas
　Mitsuyasu Seikaen Tea Leaf Shop

Matcha sweets with solid taste of green tea
Established in 1716 Mitsuyasu Seikaen has more than 300-year history. Fukuoka’s Yame Tea selected by the 13th-generation owner is sold at the shop, but you can enjoy an authentic green tea at its adjoining tea house Chayu Seika. The original sweets served with a tea pot are created with an idea of “eating tea.” High quality Yame-hoshino matcha usually used as Usucha at tea ceremony is applied in those sweets. Rich taste will spread in your month!

In particular, Match ganache is just like you are eating green tea; both enjoying it at the tea house and bringing it home are delightful.

The shop owner Mitsuyasu says “We are happy to be registered in the Hakata Old Town Selection as we have been running the tea business for a long period in the merchants’ town Hakata. We have a wide range of tea leaves from a daily use to special occasions. Please stop by to have a rest.” Yes, it sounds nice indeed to refresh yourself having a cup of tea and sweets during strolling the Hakata Old Town.

❖Mitsuyasu Seikaen Tea Leaf Shop
【Kannai main store 】
Address：Machi8-1, Nakagofukumachi, Hakata Ku, Fukuoka City, 812-0035
TEL：092-291-0365
Official website：http://www.mitea.jp/

【Shintencho Shopping Arcade branch】
Address：Shintencho south street/ 2-7-243 , Tenjin, Chuo Ku, Fukuoka City, 810-0001
TEL：092(741)3171

Hakata Mizuhiki
    Nagasawa Yuino Shop

Hakata’s new craft connecting people
Mizuhiki, decorative cord attached to gifts and decorations for engagement ceremony, means not only purification and protecting from evil spirit but a wish for a good connection with people. The first-generation owner Hiroaki Nagasawa of a Yuino shop dealing with decorations for engagement ceremony, developed the project of Hakata Mizuhiki to hand it over as a culture to the next generation. At present, the second-generation owner Hiromi Nagasawa is active as a Mizuhiki designer. As Japanese tradition and sophisticated, contemporary design are united, the unconventional Hakata Mizuhiki is drawing attention as not a supporting but a “main” article.

Daily use products such as bottle ribbons for wine or sake, chopsticks rest which brightens your table, and charm straps are particularly popular. ”I hope it will not be a transient popularity but will grow to a traditional craft people of Hakata can be proud of” says Hiromi. How about bringing cool Hakata Mizuhiki into your living and fashion?

❖ Hakata Mizuhiki Nagasawa Yuino Shop
Address：13-231, Kamigofukumachi, Hakata Ku, Fukuoka City, 812-0036
TEL：092-271-0813
Shop Information：https://www.facebook.com/yuino.Nagasawa.hakatamizuhiki/
Shop Information：https://instagram.com/hakatamizuhiki?utm_medium

Tai Products
    Kappo Yoshida

Fully enjoying the taste of every part of Tai (Sea Bream)
Japanese restaurant Kappo Yoshida established in 1963 in Tenjin and loved by the locals, has been relocated in Tenya-machi in 2021. “It must’ve been a fate that we opened the restaurant here in the Hakata Old Town. I appreciate people in the town warmly welcomed us. I hope to promote this district together with the community people.” says the owner Yoshida.

The most popular items loved by the locals and tourists for a long period of time is Tai-chazuke (Sea Bream on Rice with Tea). Red Sea Bream caught from inshore waters of Kyushu is exceptional with its juicy and plump texture and deep taste. As up to four tons of Tai is used at the restaurant a month, a set of Tai products has been developed to effectively use resources. This original merchandise is a box of Tai products; Tai dashi only to pour hot water to make a clear soup of a deep taste; salad dressing with a profound flavour of Tai; pasta source, a simple dressing for your pasta; and simmered Tai to make Tai-gohan or Tai-mixed rice. Each has plenty of Tai fish meat. Enjoy the taste specific to Kappo Yoshida.

❖Kappo Yoshida
Address：1-16, Tenyamachi, Hakata Ku, Fukuoka City, 812-0025
TEL：092-409-0703
Official website：https://www.kappo-yoshida.jp/
Online store：https://kappo-yoshida.shop/

Sake
    Ishikura Brewery

Hakata’s sole brewery with a one-hundred year history familiar to the locals
Ishikura Brewery is the only sake brewery left in Hakata. Its history started when Ishikuraya, a shipping company, opened a sake brewery in the Edo Period. The factory in operation and commonly known as Hakata Hyakunen-gura was built in 1872 as the second brewery of Ishikuraya. Here at Hakata Hyakunen-gra, sake brewing technique cultivated with Japanese culture and wisdom has been handed over ever since the Meiji Period.

In addition to the factory shop where tasting of sake such as ‘Hyakunen-gura’ and ‘Ginjo Josui’ is available, Hakata Hyakunen-gura is familiar as the premises for receptions and events, taking advantage of its heritage character remained in the town. Ishikura Brewery is rooted in Hakata Old Town as its first factory destroyed in air raids in the war was in Kamiya-machi of the Town. The Executive Director Ishikura says “We hope many people will come for tasting sake and shopping at Hyakunen-gura, a place you can feel history in the middle of the city.”

❖Hakata Hyakunen-gra
Address：1-30-1, Katakasu, Hakata Ku, Fukuoka City, 812-0043
TEL：092-633-5100
Official site： https://www.ishikura-shuzou.co.jp/
Online store： https://www.100nengura.com/

Hakata Good Fortune Chopsticks　 
    Man-hashi Honten

Inviting good fortune with chopsticks purified at Kushida Shrine
Since 1927 a chopsticks shop Man-hashi Honten located at the approach to Kushida Shrine has dealt Japan-made chopsticks from Waribashi (disposable chopsticks) to Iwaibashi for New Year festivities and lacquered chopsticks. As all the products got purified at Kushida Shrine, the guardian deity of Hakata, they are pleased as good fortune chopsticks. Chopsticks not only for family use but also gifts are available, and all are good as souvenirs.

“We run business taking care of product quality, being customer-friendly, and safe and comfortable service. Cooperating with the community people, I wish to make the Hakata Old Town an exciting place, something like that they visit Hakata just because of our attractive shops and products.” the third-generation owner Kojima says.

❖Man-hashi Honten
Address：6-4, Reisemmachi, Hakata Ku, Fukuoka City, 812-0039
TEL：092-291-4503

★Hakata Old Town Selection — Accommodations
★Hakata Old Town Selection — Experience