An Open, Airy Café Overlooking Tea Fields

Suwaen Gokan Cafe Main Store

Tabiiro’s picks: signature dishes

An interactive menu item cooked to your preferred doneness

Dango grilled over charcoal until fragrant

A close-up view as it browns on the tabletop grill

The confectionery shop's craftsmanship shines through in the chewy texture

Grill-Your-Own "Honki no Dango" on a Tabletop Charcoal Grill

"Honki no Dango" is an interactive menu item featuring dango (rice dumplings) made entirely from Koshihikari rice grown in Tamba-Sasayama by Suwaen's president. Guests grill the dumplings themselves over a tabletop charcoal grill, watching them turn golden brown as their aroma develops and the rice's natural, gentle sweetness comes through. Being able to grill each dumpling to their preferred doneness is part of the appeal. Served with house-made mitarashi sauce (sweet soy glaze) and chunky sweet red bean paste made from Tamba Dainagon azuki beans slowly cooked by skilled artisans, the dumplings offer different levels of sweetness and textures. The set also includes a choice of three teas grown on Suwaen's own plantation: "Matcha-iri Karigane," "Hojicha" (roasted green tea), or "Suwamidori." Of these, "Suwamidori" contains a higher proportion of tea leaves than stems, giving it a characteristic sencha flavor and a clean finish that pairs well with the delicate taste of the dango.

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  Dango Made from Rice They Grow Themselves

  "Honki no Dango" is made with Tamba-Sasayama Koshihikari rice grown by Suwaen, steamed and pounded more than 450 times with a wooden mallet. Every step, from cultivation and steaming to pounding, moisture content, and temperature, is finely controlled to achieve a chewy texture. The chunky sweet red bean paste is made with Tamba-Sasayama Dainagon azuki beans. Grilling the dango over tabletop charcoal brings out its roasted aroma and the rice's gentle sweetness. From growing the rice to the final preparation, considerable time and effort go into "Honki no Dango."

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  House-Made Flavors Combining Soy Sauce and Wagashi-Making Techniques

  Both the mitarashi sauce and chunky sweet red bean paste served with the dango are house-made. The mitarashi sauce has been refined through years of development, with ingredients selected using the expertise of specialists in soy sauce and wagashi. Considerable time, experimentation, and accumulated knowledge have gone into the recipe. The accompaniments receive the same attention as the dango itself, with each flavor balanced to complement it.

Popular pairings

A wide range of toppings for finding a favorite combination

A smooth, freshly made texture, finished after ordering

The nutty aroma enhanced by Kyokurosu kinako and kuromitsu

Homemade matcha syrup and chunky red bean paste add changing layers of flavor

"Tororin Nama Warabi Mochi"

"Tororin Nama Warabi Mochi" is prepared fresh to order by boiling the warabi mochi at a high temperature, then immediately plunging it into ice water. Building on Suwaen's longtime recipe for warabi mochi coated in kinako (roasted soybean flour), this version has an exceptionally soft, smooth texture unique to freshly prepared warabi mochi, along with a pleasantly cool sensation as it goes down. The serving temperature is adjusted with the seasons, with a gentler temperature in winter. Toppings include Kyokurosu kinako and kuromitsu (Japanese dark sugar syrup), both popular even before the café opened, as well as house-made matcha syrup and chunky sweet red bean paste made from "Tamba-Sasayama Dainagon Azuki" beans. The set also comes with a choice of three varieties of tea grown on Suwaen's own plantation.

Must-try signature dish

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  Reservation-Only "Honki no Obachi Nama Warabi Mochi"

  Available to just one party per day by reservation only, "Honki no Obachi Nama Warabi Mochi" is an interactive dessert served in a large bowl approximately 60–70cm in diameter. A generous portion of "Tororin Nama Warabi Mochi" can be freely combined with house-made matcha syrup, hojicha espuma, chunky sweet red bean paste made with "Tamba-Sasayama Dainagon Azuki Beans," kinako, and chestnuts. The serving is enough for about four people, making it suitable for sharing with family or friends, or enjoying as a special treat.

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  "Kuri Pie" Rich with Tamba Chestnuts

  "Kuri Pie" is a popular confection made with Tamba chestnuts grown on Suwaen's own farm. After the hard outer shells are removed, the chestnuts are candied with their inner skins intact, soaked in rum for two days, wrapped in rich egg-yolk bean paste blended with Japanese butter, and baked in a fragrant pie crust. The chestnut flavor is layered with the richness of the bean paste and the toasted notes of the pastry, bringing Japanese and Western flavors together. Popular both as a personal treat and as a gift, it is a specialty with many repeat customers.

Restaurant highlights

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  The vivid green of kukicha filling the teapot

  A Choice of Three Varieties of Homegrown Tea

  The set includes a choice of three estate-grown teas: "Suwamidori," "Hojicha," or "Matcha Karigane." "Suwamidori" is made primarily from native-variety tea leaves and has a light aroma and refreshing flavor. "Hojicha" is made by roasting stems from high-quality first-flush tea, giving it a fragrant, characteristic flavor. "Matcha Karigane" blends high-quality sencha stem tea with matcha, combining the rich flavor of matcha with a smooth, slightly thick mouthfeel. Choosing a tea to complement the sweets is part of the enjoyment.

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  A selection of gifts for someone special

  Tamba Specialties to Take Home or Give as Gifts

  The shop offers popular sweets such as warabi mochi (soft, chewy Japanese starch sweets) and dango (rice dumplings) for takeout, as well as nationwide shipping of Tamba tea from its own plantation and a variety of Japanese and Western-style sweets. One particularly popular item is "Kuri Pai," made with chestnuts grown on Suwaen's own farm, flavored with rum, and wrapped in fragrant pastry with sweet bean paste enriched with egg yolk. A popular gift for midsummer and the year-end and New Year holidays, it comes in boxes of 4, 6, 10, or 15, making it easy to choose according to the recipient, occasion, or number of people. These offerings make it possible to savor the shop's specialties at home or share the flavors of Tamba-Sasayama with loved ones.

Interior

Expansive tea fields through large windows

Counter seating for tea and sweets

A cafe space with Japanese touches throughout

Table seating for the whole family

Japanese sweets amid expansive surroundings

Originally focused on retail, the store has been renovated into a Japanese-style space that also serves as a café. Beyond the large windows, the historic Tamba tea fields stretch across the landscape. In May, when the new tea season begins, fresh leaves turn the fields vivid green, while the scenery changes with each season. Tea can be enjoyed by the window overlooking the fields, offering a quiet break from the pace of everyday life. Surrounded by the natural scenery of Tamba's tea-growing area, the café provides a calm setting to unwind.

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  Tamba Tea and Japanese and Western Sweets Available In-Store

  The retail area near the entrance offers Tamba tea grown on Suwaen's own farm, along with Japanese and Western sweets. Popular items such as "Kuri Pie," warabi mochi, and dango are also available for takeout. The flavors discovered at the café can be enjoyed again at home, taken back as a reminder of the trip, or given as gifts. After visiting the café, a wide selection of products can be browsed at a leisurely pace.

From the Tabiiro Editorial Team

"Suwaen Gokan Cafe Main Store" is run by the son of Suwaen's owner. His desire to help revitalize the local Tamba-Sasayama area through the café is reflected in every aspect of the space. Surrounded by tea fields and mountains, the setting offers a respite from the bustle of city life and encourages a deeper appreciation of the experience at hand through all five senses. Menu items such as "Honki no Dango" are made with considerable time and effort, giving another reason to visit.