Introducing Anshin

Hello, this is Aikero, a writer for SaruKuma.

Today I’d like to introduce you to a special shop located in Ueki-machi, Kita Ward, Kumamoto City
【Anshin】.
＼Newly opened on June 26, 2025／
This is likely the only specialty allergy-friendly cake shop in Kumamoto!
The cakes and pastries, made by a pastry chef who once suffered from severe allergies herself, contain none of the three major allergens: dairy, eggs, or wheat!
Not only is this a haven for children with allergies, but since everything is plant-based, it’s also perfect for vegans and the health-conscious crowd ♫
There are 2 parking spaces right in front of the shop.
If you’re driving a kei car (light vehicle), please use the spot designated for kei cars.

The road runs right alongside the parking area.
Please be careful when getting children in and out of the car (^^)/
The interior isn’t very spacious, so you may want to consider stroller use depending on the situation.
Lined up in the display case you’ll find sliced cakes, whole cakes, cookies, and crepes celebrating the grand opening.
Every single one is allergy-friendly and made without dairy, eggs, or wheat!

Anshin pastry chef Higuchi

I want children with allergies to experience the joy and excitement of choosing their own favorite cake from the display case.

My children and I, who don’t have any allergies, have always taken for granted the simple act of picking a cake. This was an eye-opening reminder that for some kids, that’s just not their reality.
Let me introduce the lineup (^^)/
The main ingredients used are rice flour, soy products like soy milk and soy whipped cream, and unrefined cane sugar.
Great for those with allergies, vegans, and anyone who’s health-conscious!
The chocolate is made with 62% cacao allergen-free chocolate.

・Strawberry Milk Cake — 840 yen
・Chocolate Cake — 930 yen
・Peach Shortcake — 970 yen (seasonal)
・Blueberry Rare Cheesecake — 850 yen
There are also plenty of whole cakes to choose from.
Reservations are required at least the day before, so feel free to ask if you’re interested (^^)/
Everything except sliced cakes can be frozen, so nationwide shipping is also available.

・Strawberry Milk Cake
4-go (12cm) — 4,400 yen
5-go (15cm) — 5,300 yen
6-go (18cm) — 6,700 yen

・Chocolate Cake (vegan-friendly)
4-go — 4,800 yen
5-go — 6,100 yen
6-go — 7,400 yen

・Nama Gateau Chocolat (vegan-friendly)
4-go — 4,800 yen
5-go — 6,000 yen

・Blueberry Rare Cheesecake
4-go — 4,500 yen
5-go — 5,400 yen
6-go — 6,800 yen

・Soy Sacher (vegan-friendly)
4-go — 4,800 yen
5-go — 6,100 yen
6-go — 7,400 yen

・Seasonal Shortcake (vegan-friendly)
4-go — 4,900 yen
5-go — 6,200 yen
6-go — 7,500 yen
・Nama Gateau Chocolat — Slim Type — 3,500 yen

Pastry chef Higuchi-san wasn’t always a chocolate cake fan.
But at a previous dairy-based confectionery job, she was blown away by the gateau chocolat there, which inspired her to develop her own allergy-friendly version focused on a melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich flavor.There are also several baked treats to enjoy ♪

・Anshin Rusk — 160 yen
・Plain Cookies — 160 yen
・Chocolate Chip Cookies — 180 yen
・Kuma-chan (little bear) — from 350 yen

Born from customers saying “I’ve given up on madeleines because I can’t eat them,” these allergy-friendly madeleines were created especially for them.・Coconut Cookies — 200 yen
・Plain Cookies (gift box) — 850 yen
・Chocolate Chip Cookies (gift box) — 920 yen

・Anshin Crepe — 280 yen
・Anshin Crepe Chocolate — 290 yen

For souvenirs and gifts to friends with allergies, vegans, or the health-conscious, you can shop here with total peace of mind.
Ice packs are free for up to 1 hour.
Insulated bags are also available for purchase, but bringing your own is recommended.

Anshin Recommended Menu

The seasonal peach cake caught my eye, but since this was my first visit, I went with the classics!
The Anshin Crepe must be eaten the same day, since it’s made with rice flour.
The Strawberry Milk Cake is a mousse-style cake.
The base is a rice flour sponge.
Unlike the typical fluffy sponge texture, it’s denser with a slightly chewy mochi-like quality.
The lightly sweetened soy cream barely tastes like soy milk at all — even when you focus on it, you can hardly tell. lol
If anything, it’s lighter than dairy whipped cream, so even people who don’t love overly sweet desserts will enjoy it.
The mousse layer is also subtly sweet, with a lovely strawberry flavor ♫
This cake was already a hit through the online shop before the storefront even opened (*’ω’*)
What really surprised me was this Chocolate Cake.
Unlike the strawberry cake’s sponge, this one has the same fluffy lightness as a wheat-flour sponge.
The chocolate cream is light and airy.
Even knowing it’s plant-based, the flavor and texture are practically indistinguishable from a regular chocolate cake — truly impressive.
Kids who couldn’t eat chocolate cake before will definitely be thrilled.
Anshin Crepe Chocolate.
The slightly thick crepe wrapper has a chewy, mochi-like texture, and inside is plenty of rich chocolate cream ♫
Kuma-chan (little bear) madeleines.
Due to the nature of rice flour, please store them at room temperature or freeze them — not in the fridge.

Rice flour sweets often have a distinct gritty or grainy texture that can feel quite different from wheat-based treats if you’re used to those.
I’ve tried various rice flour sweets before, and honestly, some of them weren’t to my liking texture-wise.

But these madeleines were beautifully moist, with hardly any of that grittiness I usually struggle with — they were really easy to enjoy!
They have a slightly oily feel, but since it’s vegetable oil, it’s light and not unpleasant at all.
The subtle hint of lemon and that touch of mochi-like chewiness add a lovely accent ♫
The sweet, toasty aroma of cookies baking in the shop drew me in, and I couldn’t resist picking up the Coconut Cookies.
Made with plenty of coconut oil, they’re more nutritious than your average cookie ♫
They have a satisfying crisp snap, and the coconut flavor isn’t overpowering, making them a perfect treat for kids (*’ω’*)

Anshin’s Story

This is Higuchi-san, the owner and pastry chef of Anshin.
“A pastry chef who used to have severe allergies” — wait, what does that even mean? You’re probably wondering, right?

Aikero

Was there something specific that inspired you to become a pastry chef — handling eggs and dairy that are essential to cake-making — despite having severe allergies yourself?

When I was in 2nd grade, I had an allergic reaction to an “allergy-friendly” cake — caused by dairy hidden in the chocolate plate decoration. I felt that wasn’t truly allergy-friendly, it was irresponsible, and I just couldn’t trust it.
That’s when I decided — if no one else will, I’ll make safe and reliable cakes myself! That was the moment I knew I wanted to become a pastry chef.

Anshin Higuchi-san

Aikero

That sounds incredibly tough.
But pursuing a pastry chef career while also living with allergies must have come with enormous challenges, right?

I was undergoing oral immunotherapy (food challenge testing) for years.
Then, when I was 18 and choosing my career path, my allergies miraculously cleared up — and I was just barely able to enroll in pastry school.
Even if my allergies hadn’t gone away, I never would have given up on becoming a pastry chef. I would have studied at a natural sweets school and trained another way.

Anshin Higuchi-san

Aikero

The fact that you never gave up on your dream — no matter the circumstances — really speaks to your unwavering mission of making safe and delicious cakes for everyone.
Kids’ dreams change all the time, so holding onto a dream and actually making it real is truly remarkable.
And “a pastry chef who once had severe allergies” — that’s such a powerful presence. It opens up new options and gives real hope to children struggling with allergies today!

Having allergies isn’t a reason to give up — there are so many other paths forward.
If I can become a source of hope for children struggling with allergies, that would mean the world to me.

Anshin Higuchi-san

Allergy-friendly cakes are becoming more common these days.
But Higuchi-san shared that she’s been disappointed by cakes that look beautiful but fall flat in flavor.

“I don’t want anyone to feel the way I did. I only sell what I personally find delicious — with full confidence.”

Because she once lived with severe allergies herself, this pastry chef truly understands the feelings of children with dietary restrictions and the worries of their parents.
Her kitchen never brings in dairy, eggs, or wheat, so there’s zero risk of cross-contamination.

The joy of choosing your own cake, delicious allergy-friendly desserts, and expanded options for those with food allergies — you’ll find all of that here at 〈Anshin〉!

This is a cake shop we wholeheartedly recommend to everyone struggling with allergies — come visit, and taste it for yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of reporting. Prices and business hours are subject to change. Please verify before visiting.