Hello, fellow travelers!
I’m Binako, a writer for Sarukuma!

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to a wonderful little shop called
“Kouseido”,
located in Musashigaoka-kita, Kikuyo Town, Kikuchi District, Kumamoto Prefecture.

From the outside, it’s hard to tell exactly what kind of shop this is, but trust me — this place is a serious hidden gem!

Inside, the shelves are lined with all sorts of manju (Japanese sweet buns) and traditional confections!

Asobi-gashi (assorted sweets) — 105 yen

Cheese Potato — 120 yen

The prices are incredibly affordable!

The famous Cheese Manju are lined up beautifully!
Price: 110 yen each!

Chocolate Cheese Manju — 110 yen

Matcha Cheese Manju — 110 yen

Sesame Cheese Manju — 110 yen

Almond Cheese Manju — 110 yen

Every flavor is just 110 yen! What a steal!

Autumn Turmeric (Aki Ukon) — 500 yen

I’m so curious about this one… it looks like it would be amazing for your health!

They also have traditional Japanese rice crackers (senbei) and more!

And the best part? The owners — a lovely husband-and-wife duo — are absolutely the kindest people you could ever meet! This is the kind of place where you can really feel the warmth of authentic Japanese hospitality.

Recommended Menu

This time, I tried:

Cheese Manju

Chocolate Cheese Manju

Matcha Cheese Manju

Sesame Cheese Manju

Almond Cheese Manju

First up: The Original Cheese Manju

Just look at that gorgeous golden glaze!

It’s so beautifully shiny and irresistibly delicious-looking!

First, the dough itself is absolutely incredible —
it has this amazing toasted, fragrant aroma!
The plain version lets you fully savor the pure, classic taste of cheese manju.

Next, the Almond version.
The owner enthusiastically recommended this one — “It’s so delicious!” he said with a big smile!

It has a different kind of toasted aroma compared to the plain version,
with almond pieces kneaded right into the dough for a delightful crunch!
The combination of cheese and almonds is a match made in heaven!

Chocolate Cheese Manju

The aroma of rich cocoa hits you right away — this might be the most dessert-like of all the cheese manju!

It’s packed with chocolate, so you really get that full, rich chocolate flavor!
Kids will absolutely love this one!
And believe it or not, chocolate and cheese are a surprisingly amazing combination!

Matcha Cheese Manju!
Oh my, the matcha aroma is incredibly powerful.
It smells absolutely divine — and not in a subtle way either!

Wow! Real Japanese green tea! That’s exactly how it hits you!

Just look at that beautiful cross-section!
When you bite into the dough alone, the matcha aroma drifts gently through your nose,
but combined with the cheese, the matcha flavor becomes even more pronounced and absolutely sensational!
It’s so shockingly delicious that I’m completely hooked!

Sesame Cheese Manju
Generously packed with sesame seeds.
The nutty sesame aroma is so soothing and comforting!

And wow, the cross-section is stunning.
Simply beautiful.

You get the wonderful sesame aroma and flavor along with a satisfying texture.
The nutty combination of cheese and sesame creates a different but equally delicious experience compared to the almond version!

Between the unbelievably tasty cheese manju and the warm-hearted owners,
I left feeling totally relaxed and happy.

The food is amazing, the people are even better — I can’t recommend this place enough!

Please be sure to visit Kouseido on your next trip to Kumamoto!

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Frequently Asked Questions

*Information accurate at time of reporting. Prices and hours may change. Please confirm before visiting.