There are countless delicious snacks in Asakusa, and if you walk to the end of the Nakamise Shopping Street, you will see the highly recommended crispy fried mantou shop, “Kokonoe Agemanju (浅草九重のあげまんじゅう),” which always has a long line. This time, I had more time in Asakusa, so I lined up to try it out. The taste seemed different from the reviews online, so I wanted to share my experience with everyone!
Must Read: 9 Best Things to Do in Asakusa to Help You Capture 100 Years of Tokyo within a Day
Where is Kokonoe Agemanju?
- Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Transportation: 5-minute walk from Ginza Line, Tsukuba Express, and Toei Asakusa Line “Asakusa Station” (Tokyo Metro)
- Business hours: 09:30~18:00/19:00 (open year-round)
Asakusa Nine-layer Fried Bun Flavor
Asakusa Kujū Fried Mantou is a specialty shop that sells fried mantou. The main feature of the shop is the variety of flavors available, including red bean paste, black sesame, matcha, chocolate, curry, golden sesame, pumpkin, caramel sauce, sweet potato, cherry blossom, and baked mantou with Chinese characters. There are many options to choose from, and the prices range from 120 to 200 Japanese yen, which is very affordable and in line with the style of Asakusa’s popular street food.
Red bean paste and chocolate flavors
This time I bought the signature red bean paste and chocolate flavors. When I received them, they were already cold. Both flavors had a moist and hard outer layer that was difficult to bite into. The filling ingredients were poor and the amount was not much. It felt very different from the recommended crispy outer layer and soft inner texture on the internet.
The fried mantou was completely over-fried, and the red bean paste didn’t have the same aroma level as Japanese red beans. In addition, there may have been a lot of people that day, and the staff were too busy, with bad temper and attitude. It made me a little puzzled about the long queue.
Above is my experience of tasting Asakusa fried buns, which was quite disappointing. Asakusa has many other snacks worth trying!
Other Asakusa Food Recommendations: 【Asakusa Food】10 Affordable Asakusa Snacks and Queue Restaurants You Can’t Miss
One-day Tour of Attractions around Asakusa
【Morning】Visit Sensoji Temple, Shop at Nakamise Shopping Street → 【Afternoon】Stroll in Ueno Park, Shop at Ameyoko → 【Evening】Walk along Sumida River Park → Enjoy the Night View from Skytree Tembo Deck → Shop at Tokyo Solamachi
The itinerary in Asakusa is often combined with a one-day trip to Ueno and Tokyo Skytree, which are very close by. The above is the recommended itinerary route that I suggest, which is smoother to walk. You can also refer to Tokyo Asakusa one-day trip itinerary route arrangement for detailed transportation connections and fun attractions.
- Ueno: Ueno & Okachimachi Complete Guide: Sightseeing Guide near Ueno Station
- Ameyoko: Ameyoko Complete Guide: Food, Cosmetics, and Shopping
- Asakusa: [Tokyo Asakusa Attractions] Sensoji Temple – Recommended Walking Route
- Skytree: [Tokyo Skytree Guide] Attractions, Night Views, Transportation, and Shopping Malls
- Origin of Japanese Lucky Cat: Imado Shrine: The Love Shrine Most Popular Among Japanese Women
Ultimate Tokyo Food Guide: 20 Best Japanese Foods to Try in Tokyo