I go back and forth to Tokyo so often, and visit the famous dessert shops every time I’m here, that by now I’ve been to almost all the major ones I wanted to try. The one that (probably) caps it all off is a place called Inamura Shozo. The shop is in Uguisudani, a bit of an out-of-the-way spot even within Tokyo, so I never had the time to go until now, but this time I made a point of dropping by.
The front entrance
I was surprised: it’s not a very big shop, yet there’s someone standing there to open the door for you. It’s a bit of a walk, but there are signs from the station, so it’s not hard to find. Those who know will know that Uguisudani is a slightly shady area with love hotels packed densely around the station. The shop is further in from Uguisudani, past the cemetery, and surprisingly the neighborhood around it feels like an upscale residential area. When I got the shop’s business card, the address said Ueno. Honestly, there aren’t any good dessert shops around Ueno, so a place like this really has a reason to exist.
In front of the shop was a quiet, peaceful park.
The customers were mostly couples, or ladies in their going-out clothes holding parasols. Everywhere you look, it’s that calm Ueno atmosphere.
Mont Blanc from atop Ueno Hill
They really made great use of the chestnuts. The sponge was soft and the cream wasn’t too sweet… it felt like a Japanese-style Western pastry. It seemed to suit the Ueno neighborhood well, too. At this level, I’d recommend making the trip even from far away to try it.
Caramel roll
A very rich flavor. It’s tasty, of course, but compared to the Mont Blanc it felt a little lacking. They also had chestnut macarons and chocolates, so I bought some. The macarons got crushed because I carried them badly, but they were incredibly rich. The friend I shared them with said macarons are expensive everywhere to begin with, but with this flavor they’re worth the price. I agreed. If you’re going to charge that much, you have to guarantee that level of taste.
Inamura Shozo has a second shop in Nippori that specializes in chocolate, and I’d like to go there sometime too. But from now on, I think I’ll stop obsessing over desserts and just wander around wherever I feel like. The older I get, the more laid-back life becomes. ^_^