Tracing the History and Flavors of Kitakyushu Through Its Beloved Long-Established Sweets

A Sweet Walk Through Kitakyushu’s Classic Confectioneries

Bulk traditional Japanese candies and snacks displayed in glass jars at a store.

Kitakyushu is home to many beloved traditional sweets that have been enjoyed for generations. Whether influenced by the historic Nagasaki Kaido—once known as the “Sugar Road”—or by the city’s steelworkers and miners who sought sweet treats after long days of labor, confectionery culture has deep roots here. On this half-day walking and bus tour, hop between long-established sweet shops that continue to delight locals today.

Duration : Half day

Transportation : On foot & Bus

📍Places to visit on this course

  1. Ittendo (Traditional Bean Confectionery)

  2. Kurosaki Inakaan Hibiya

  3. Tsuruya Honpo

  4. Okashi no Mizuma

🚩START!

JR Kurosaki Station

On foot (5 minutes)

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1. Ittendo (Traditional Bean Confectionery)

Interior of a shop with shelves of snacks, a table with boxes of various items, a fan, and decorative masks on the wall.

🫘 A specialty bean sweets shop with over a century of history

Founded in 1905, this long-established bean confectionery shop is tucked away in a lively area just five minutes from JR Kurosaki Station. Their signature product, Ittendo Longevity Beans, remains a favorite among loyal customers. Made from rare, extra-large black soybeans sourced from Hokkaido, the beans are carefully roasted in-house to bring out their rich aroma and flavor. The shop also offers more than 20 original sweets, including the popular “Potsuplu” series made with macaroni.

📍 Basic Info

On foot (5 minutes)

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2. Kurosaki Inakaan Hibiya

🍱 Perfectly grilled eel, fragrant and tender

A traditional Japanese meal with grilled eel over rice in a red and black lacquered bowl, served with pickled vegetables in a small white dish, and a black lacquered teapot on a black wooden tray.

A beloved local restaurant with many long-time regulars, Kurosaki Inakaan Hibiya is known for its carefully prepared grilled eel. Using eel sourced from Kagoshima and Miyazaki, the chefs expertly remove excess fat to achieve a fragrant, fluffy texture. The popular Kabayaki Eel Set Meal omes generously glazed with a house-made sauce that is mildly sweet rather than overpowering. Even the pickles are handmade.

📍 Basic Info

By car (30 minutes)

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3. Tsuruya Honpo

☕ A nostalgic café revival with classic sweets and home-roasted coffee

A cup of black coffee on a saucer with a teaspoon, a plate of assorted cream-filled pastries with golden crust, and a steamed bun on a black plate, all set on a dark wooden table.

Originally founded in 1930, Tsuruya Honpo was once famous for its Yahata Manju, a sweet enjoyed by steelworkers in the area. Though the shop closed in 2014, it made a heartwarming comeback in 2021 as a café. Enjoy a cup of home-roasted coffee alongside the iconic Yahata Manju or their long-loved handmade cream puffs—simple comforts that pair perfectly with the café’s nostalgic atmosphere.

📍 Basic Info

On foot (30 minutes)

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4. Okashi no Mizuma

🍡 New flavors join the famous gourd-shaped monaka

Three traditional Japanese sweets called Monaka cookies, shaped like cute snowmen, with three broken-open cookies in front filled with red bean, yellow, and green pastes, on a red plate.

Established in 1947, Okashi no Mizuma is well known for its signature gourd-shaped monaka filled with sweet red bean paste. The classic flavors include azuki bean, Iyokan citrus, and matcha. A newer gift set released in 2021 features charming packaging inspired by the nearby Edamitsu Hachimangu Shrine, known for its deity believed to ward off coughs. Other popular items include brandy cake, carefully handmade by the third-generation owner.

📍 Basic Info

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On foot (15 minutes)

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JR Edamitsu Station

🏁GOAL!

  • A bowl of udon noodle soup topped with green onions, tempura, beef, and a fish cake, served alongside onigiri rice balls wrapped in seaweed.
  • Two small dishes with Asian cuisine on a black tray. One dish contains a piece of sushi with sauce and herbs, the other dish has skewers of grilled meat.
  • A modern building with glass doors and windows, decorated with flags and signs, including a cartoon tiger mascot wearing a white hat and cape, outdoors on a sunny day with trees in the background.
  • A hand holding a partially filled dumpling with green filling, next to a blue container of more dumplings.