If you come to Nagoya, we recommend buying some HAKKO (fermented) food as souvenirs. We'll introduce you to Hatcho miso, soy sauce, sake, fermented sweets, and even souvenir shops at the airport for the perfect travel mementos and gifts.
2025.10.17-
Table of Contents
- HAKKO (Fermented) Foods: Great Souvenirs!
- 1. Buy Hatcho Miso at Kakukyu Hatcho Miso
- 2. Roadside Station Ajinokura Taketoyo: Fermented Foods from Around Nagoya!
- 3. Nakasada Shoten: Carefully Crafted Tamari Soy Sauce and Miso
- 4. Sawada Shuzo (Sake Brewery): Bring Home Traditional Sake
- 5. Kinbara Sakaten (Liquor Store): Find Your Favorite Drink at a "Fun Liquor Store"
- 6. Arigato no Sato: White Dashi and Soy Sauce from Hichifuku Brewery
- 7. Enfance's White Soy Sauce Pudding and Madeleines
- 8. Stock Up at Nagoya Airport Before You Leave!
- Bring Back a HAKKO Souvenir from Nagoya!
HAKKO (Fermented) Foods: Great Souvenirs!
Nagoya is known as the "city of HAKKO (fermentation)," a representative food culture of Japan. The city offers rich Hatcho miso, fragrant white soy sauce, traditional sake, mirin, and other flavors unique to this region. If you're visiting, why not choose a souvenir packed with the “wisdom of fermentation”? This time, we'll introduce our recommended souvenir shops to visit while sightseeing in Nagoya.
1. Buy Hatcho Miso at Kakukyu Hatcho Miso
Kakukyu Hatcho Miso, a long-established store that has been in business since the Edo period, is the birthplace of Hatcho miso, created “hatcho” (approximately 870 m) west of Okazaki Castle. The traditional aging method using giant wooden barrels and stonework is incredible. At the store, you can purchase a wide range of products, including Hatcho miso itself as well as seasonings and sweets made with miso. These are great gifts for anyone who loves cooking.
2. Roadside Station Ajinokura Taketoyo: Fermented Foods from Around Nagoya!
Ajinokura Taketoyo is a shop packed with Aichi's fermentation culture, including products like miso, tamari soy sauce, and white soy sauce. You can also find Nakasada Shoten’s rich tamari soy sauce and sweets like miso castella. This is a must-visit spot if you're looking to buy fermented seasonings in one stop.
3. Nakasada Shoten: Carefully Crafted Tamari Soy Sauce and Miso
Taketoyo is a major producing area for tamari, a rich, flavorful soy sauce that pairs well with sushi and seafood. At Nakasada Shoten, a famous local store, you can buy carefully crafted soy sauce and miso to bring home. Made only with domestically grown soybeans and salt, the store has been making traditional miso and soy sauce for 140 years. They are committed to natural fermentation, bringing out a rich umami flavor through long aging without adding unnecessary ingredients.
4. Sawada Shuzo (Sake Brewery): Bring Home Traditional Sake
Sawada Shuzo, founded in 1848, is known for its Hakuro sake, made using the famous mineral water and rice of the Chita Peninsula . In addition to Junmai Daiginjo and aged sake, Hakurobai (plum wine) is also popular for being easy to drink, even for beginners. Tastings are also available, so get your favorite bottle as a souvenir!
5. Kinbara Sakaten (Liquor Store): Find Your Favorite Drink at a "Fun Liquor Store"
Kinbara Sakaten, known as a "store where you can have fun," stocks not only sake and shochu (Japanese distilled spirit), but also a wide range of locally produced mirin, white soy sauce, and fermented seasonings. Another appealing feature is the standing bar where you can sample drinks before purchasing. This is a unique place where you can choose souvenirs while taste testing different types of sake.
6. Arigato no Sato: White Dashi and Soy Sauce from Hichifuku Brewery
Hichifuku Brewery, the first in Japan to produce white dashi (Japanese soup base), has been dedicated to using only the high-quality ingredients since its founding in 1950 and continues to strive to create products made with your well-being in mind.
At Arigato no Sato, you can sample freshly extracted white soy sauce and try dishes using white dashi that can easily be recreated at home. The brewery features a wide selection of products and suggested recipes, which will make choosing a souvenir fun.
7. Enfance's White Soy Sauce Pudding and Madeleines
This Western-style pastry shop develops unique sweets made with local white soy sauce and Hatcho miso. Their white soy sauce pudding and madeleines are sweet with a hint of saltiness and umami, making them a delicacy you can only find here. They are popular as souvenirs that will delight both adults and children.
8. Stock Up at Nagoya Airport Before You Leave!
The souvenir shops at Nagoya airport (Chubu Centrair International Airport, NGO), are great places to stop by at the end of your trip. With a large selection of fermented foods from Aichi and Nagoya specialties, they’re convenient if you're short on time or want to stock up. There's also a wide range of products that are easy to take home, such as small bottles of condiments, vacuum-packed miso, and visually appealing Japanese sweets.
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Centrair DutyFree Neo Japan
479-0881 1-1 Centrair , Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture , Terminal 1,...
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Bring Back a HAKKO Souvenir from Nagoya!
Nagoya and Aichi offer a wide variety of souvenirs, including miso, soy sauce, sake, and sweets, all of which allow you to experience the HAKKO (fermented) food culture. There's an extensive range of items from exclusive products only available at local breweries and liquor stores to convenient souvenirs you can buy at the airport. Choose a fermented food product as a memento of your trip, for yourself, or as a gift!
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