Heartfelt Hospitality Embodied in Traditional Chestnut Sweets

A famous shop in Obuse, Nagano Prefecture, offering Japanese and Western sweets using smooth chestnut paste that locks in the chestnut flavor. It boasts over 100 years of history in northern Shinano, overlooking the Chikuma River and the Five Mountains of Northern Shinshu. Using Obuse chestnuts, treasured since the Muromachi period, they produce Kuri Kanoko, Kuri Yokan, and baked goods. The 17th head, Tsugio Ichimura, promoted the townscape beautification project in Obuse, making the town a popular tourist destination with over 1 million annual visitors. The area around the main store offers shops, eateries, a sake brewery, and accommodations. They practice the spirit of "Altruism"—the Obuse tradition of "wholeheartedly entertaining guests."