5 Must-Buy Delicious Souvenirs in the Kyushu Region (Sweets Edition)

1. Saga Nishiki by Muraokaya (Saga)

The first item on the list is Saga Nishiki, a famous confectionery from Saga. Inspired by the gorgeous look and unique texture of Saga Nishiki, a traditional textile in Saga, this confectionery incorporates Japanese and Western elements. Azuki beans (sweet red beans) and chestnuts are put inside fluffy and soft dough, then the dough is baked and sandwiched in a beautifully layered Baumkuchen. People love this confectionery for its fine texture and moderate sweetness.

Sample price: Saga Nishiki 5-ko-iri/fukuro-iri (5-piece set/inside a pouch) (700 JPY (incl. tax))

2. Hakata Marron by Kujukushima Group (Fukuoka)

Next on the list is the Hakata Marron that is a famous delicacy from Hakata in Fukuoka. It is a confectionery that fuses crushed marron glace made from Kyushu-produced chestnuts with azuki (red bean) paste, with the mixture wrapped in butter-rich financier (a type of pastry) and then baked. This confectionery uses wheat flour and eggs sourced from Kyushu. It comes in cute bite-size pieces, making it the perfect souvenir.

Sample price: Hakata Marron 8-ko-iri (8-piece set) (605 JPY (incl. tax))

3. Castella by Seifudo (Nagasaki)

Next up is Castella (baked sponge cake created from wheat flour, chicken eggs, sugar and other ingredients), which is a specialty of Nagasaki. There are many shops specializing in castella in Nagasaki, but the one recommended here is Seifudo – a shop that is located near the classic sightseeing spot called Glover Garden. It is so famous that many people from faraway places go out of their way to visit. When it comes to castella types, there are many flavors available such as chocolate, matcha green tea and earl grey, but the most famous flavor is cheese. This confectionery is known for its refined sweetness and the exquisite taste of its faintly aromatic cheese.

Sample price: Cheese Castella 0.5-go Size (864 JPY (incl. tax))

4. Kumamoto Ikinari Dango by Kumajun (Kumamoto)

Next on the list is Ikinari Dango, a traditional sweet that continues to be loved through the ages in Kumamoto. It is a steamed delicacy of thin dough with mochi-like consistency that is filled with mildly sweet red bean paste on top of sweet potato. Defined by its simple and natural sweetness, it is the kind of delicious flavor that you won’t get tired of.

Sample price: Kumamoto Ikinari Dango 10-ko-iri (10-piece set) (1,620 JPY (incl. tax))

5. Hakata Torimon by Meigetsudo (Fukuoka)

The last item on the list is Hakata Torimon by Meigetsudo. It is a baked delicacy of soft white kidney bean paste wrapped in dough with a milky aroma. It is famous for its melt-in-your-mouth texture and gentle and refined sweetness.

Sample price: Hakata Torimon by Meigetsudo 5-ko pack-iri (5-piece pack) (560 JPY (incl. tax))

Note that there are many other Kyushu specialty and original sweets in store for you, such as KitKat in Amao (a kind of strawberry that originated from Fukuoka) flavor, Cheese Manju (steamed yeast bun with cheese inside) (Miyazaki) that has a kind of elegant sweetness, and Karaimo Rare Cake Lovely (no-bake sweet potato cake) (Kagoshima) that boasts such soft texture.