A joy to receive, and a joy to give. I have found some heart-fluttering souvenirs from Kumamoto!
Add a vibrant touch to salads and carpaccios!
Hanasai Dressing (200ml)
A floral dressing made from Stock flowers (of the Brassicaceae family) cultivated by Shiraishi Flower Farm, a flower grower in Takamori Town. It has a shio-koji (salted rice malt) base and is subtly sweet. Produced in limited quantities.
1,875 yen (tax included)
TAKAraMORI
0967-62-2277
1043-1 Takamori, Takamori-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture
A smooth, non-greasy camellia oil that absorbs beautifully into the skin.
Organic Camellia Oil (10ml)
A 100% additive-free skin oil made from organically grown camellia seeds from Kumamoto Prefecture. Use it for moisturizing your face, hair, and entire body. Its portable size makes it perfect for preventing dry skin while you are on the go. The sturdy box packaging is also a delightful feature.
2,200 yen (tax included)
Horiuchi Seiyu
0964-43-0221
94 Yoshimoto, Hikawa-cho, Yatsushiro-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture
Wear Traditional Crafts
Higo Mari Earrings (Renben)
Higo Mari Netsuke (Camellia)
Accessories crafted from “Higo Mari,” a traditional handicraft of Kumamoto. These pieces use rice husks as a core and feature cotton threads dyed with natural vegetable dyes. The gentle, natural colors and the masterful handiwork are truly superb. They are also a perfect match for Japanese attire.
Higo Mari Earrings (Renben): 2,400 yen (tax included)
Higo Mari Netsuke (Camellia): 1,400 yen (tax included)
Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center — Craft Shop Takumi
096-324-5133
3-35 Chibajomachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Famous local spinning tops that also double as chopstick rests.
Watermelon Spinning Top & Spicy Mustard Lotus Root Spinning Top
These unique “umbrella-style” spinning tops are crafted by Masahiko Iseri, the creator of “Hikoichi-koma,” a traditional folk toy passed down in the Yatsushiro region. They are modeled after Kumamoto’s famous local specialties: Karashi Renkon (spicy mustard lotus root) and Ueki watermelons.
460 yen each (tax included)
Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center — Craft Shop Takumi
096-324-5133
3-35 Chibajomachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Traditional Western-style confectionery, preserved since our founding.
Liqueur Marron
A butter cake with a recipe that has remained unchanged since the shop’s founding in 1962 as Kumamoto’s very first Western-style confectionery. The rich liqueur soaked into the sponge provides a sophisticated, adult flavor. The delicious chestnuts with their inner skins (shibukawa-maron), grown right here in Kumamoto Prefecture, are also excellent.
300 yen per piece (tax included)
SWISS
096-352-1251(SWISS Shimotori Branch)
5-2 Anseimachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Beauty from within with herb water.
Rose Tea (13g)
Rose Herb Water
Uses organic roses and herbs cultivated at a JAS-certified rose farm. The colorful petals are a delight to the eye. Rich with the fragrances of lemongrass and Japanese mint, it offers a refreshing finish.
1,100 yen (tax included)
Aso Kirei
0967-34-0349
2147-2 Kurokawa, Aso City, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture
Akaushi cattle roaming free! Milk cookies.
The Flying Cow of the Aso Grasslands Cookies Calf Bottle (68g)
An egg-free cookie made using milk from Abe Farm, which received three stars from the International Taste Institute. The milk-bottle-shaped packaging would likely be a hit as a gift. The illustrations of Aso’s Akaushi cattle are also cute.
610 yen (tax included)
Abe Farm
0967-32-0565
47-1 Mikubo, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture
