Akebono

In a residential neighbourhood in Tokumaru, Itabashi City, Akebono is a takeaway shop known for handmade Japanese sweets that have been enjoyed for years. Its unpretentious storefront displays dango, manju and seasonal rice-flour confections, all with a simple, inviting appearance.

The skewered dango are an appealing place to start: they are reasonably priced and easy to pick up. Mitarashi dango are grilled until fragrant and coated in a gently sweet-and-savoury glaze, with a pleasantly chewy texture. Walnut dango, coated in bean paste and topped with walnuts, are another popular staple, pairing straightforward sweetness with a nutty flavour.

One of the shop’s signature sweets is Ume no Sato, a distinctive manju wrapped around a whole plum. Its refreshing plum flavour sits comfortably alongside the sweetness of the bean paste. Small but memorable, it also makes a welcome gift. Other offerings include miso and tea manju, sweets made with chestnuts, and seasonal Japanese confections such as kashiwa mochi and sakura mochi in spring.

Regulars come for more than sweets: inari sushi and sekihan are also popular. Picking up these savoury items alongside dango makes the shop a useful everyday stop for lunch or an addition to dinner.

The bill is calculated in the old-fashioned way on an abacus, and payment is cash only. The sweets are made without unnecessary additives, so they are best enjoyed on the day you buy them.