Tokyo Souvenirs: Tokyo Banana, Hiyoko Manju, Ningyo Yaki
When people living in the local areas of Japan go on a sightseeing trip to Tokyo by train, they typically buy Tokyo souvenirs in train stations right before they start on their way home from there.
In fact, there are many souvenir shops in JR Tokyo Station selling a wide range of Tokyo souvenirs, among which I think sweets and candies are especially popular.
3 Must-Try Tokyo Souvenirs
And today let me introduce 3 must-try classic Tokyo sweets that many tourists to Tokyo often buy in the train station as souvenirs or gifts.
The products are all nationally famous in Japan and highly recommended to those who do sightseeing in Tokyo for the first time.
Tokyo Banana (東京ばな奈)
First, “Tokyo Banana (東京ばな奈)” is a soft, really fluffy sponge cake filled with fragrant banana-flavored custard cream.
It is one of the best and most popular Tokyo confections loved by people of all ages. In JR Tokyo Station, you will find the sponge cake sold at most souvenir shops.
Hiyoko Manju (ひよ子饅頭)
Image: Amazon Japan
“Hiyoko Manju (ひよ子饅頭)” is a small chick-shaped steamed bun filled with a gently sweet yellow paste made with white kidney beans.
It was first made in 1912 by a confectionery company based in Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
In 1964, the year of the Tokyo Olympics, the maker opened its first shop in Tokyo, and today Hiyoko Manju has become one of the most beloved Tokyo sweets.
Ningyo Yaki (人形焼)
“Ningyo Yaki (人形焼)” is a small character-shaped sponge cake similar to Nagasaki Castella but filled with a sweet bean jam.
This classic Tokyo sweet got its name from where created, the town Ningyo-Cho in Nihonbashi.
As “Ningyo (人形)” means “doll” in Japanese, the sponge cake comes in various character shapes, which include manga characters like Doraemon.
