Decchi Yokan: Where to Eat, Prices & Hours (Shiga)

Decchi yokan is a steamed yokan long enjoyed in Omihachiman and across the Kinki region. Wheat flour and other ingredients are added to red bean paste, wrapped in bamboo bark, and steamed. Explanations of the name vary, from decchiru, referring to the kneading step, to the tale of an apprentice, a decchi, bringing it home as a gift, and it spread as a homely sweet close to ordinary people.

Highlights

Its appeal is a chewy texture faintly scented with bamboo bark and a restrained sweetness. Lighter than ordinary firm yokan, part of the pleasure is the charm of the moment you unwrap the bamboo bark. Depending on the region there are steamed and water yokan versions, and in Omi the steamed type has been the familiar one.

Enjoying the Seasons

Chill it for a cool treat in summer, or pair it with warm green tea as an accompaniment in winter. Re steaming it in its bamboo bark revives a moistness close to freshly made. Its simple sweetness suits both an everyday snack and a pause on a journey.

Access and Basic Information

It can be bought at Japanese sweet shops in Omihachiman. Heading toward Hachimanbori from JR Omihachiman Station lets you enjoy it amid the atmospheric townscape. The area around Hachimanbori and Himure Hachimangu Shrine is a popular walking route, well suited to an unhurried stroll with stops at sweet shops.

Practical Travel Notes

• It is often sold still wrapped in bamboo bark, suiting a gift, as a guide. Shelf life varies by product, so check at purchase.
• Being enjoyable chilled or slightly warmed is the charm of the steamed style.
• Around Hachimanbori, within walking distance, gather Himure Hachimangu Shrine, the Kawara Museum, and the Hachimanyama ropeway.
• When opening the bamboo bark, using thread slices it neatly.

A Quick Tip

When opening the bamboo bark, cutting with thread slices it neatly. It is also a welcome gift to bring along.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season: Shops making and selling it as an affordable souvenir are found in many places, so it can be enjoyed all year round (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).
• Main area where it is served: The whole prefecture. In 1998 (Heisei 10) it was selected as a Shiga Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Property under "Shiga's Food Cultural Properties."
• The long-established shop where it originated: Watayo (2-3 Tamaki-cho, Omihachiman City, TEL 0748-32-2610) / open 9:00-18:00. Closed on Tuesdays (open when Tuesday is a public holiday). Parking for 4 cars. Founded in 1863 (Bunkyu 3), the shop kneads sugar and wheat flour into smooth adzuki bean paste made from Tokachi beans and wraps each piece by hand in high-quality bamboo sheath.
• Point to note: In Omi, where agar was hard to come by, steamed yokan using wheat flour as a binder is the mainstream, but in the Shigaraki area "decchi yokan" means a mizu-yokan set with agar (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).

* Opening hours and prices at individual shops vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Our Local Cuisine: Decchi Yokan, Shiga Prefecture"; Watayo official website, "Shop Information" and "Decchi Yokan")

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourist information for Shiga Prefecture together with information published by the individual establishments. Prices, menus and seasons are subject to change, so please check the official information of each establishment for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: From a few hundred yen per bar
• Where to eat it: Japanese confectionery shops and souvenir shops in Omihachiman, and confectioners across the prefecture
• Recommended time of day: During the day. Good as a snack or a small gift
• Avoiding the crowds: An easy-to-buy classic souvenir; popular shops sell out, so go early
• Enjoy it together with: The scent of the bamboo sheath, Hachiman-bori, Himure Hachimangu Shrine, and choji-fu or red konnyaku