Dorayama, the dorayaki specialty shop in Tokyo's Monzen-Nakacho, has added "Kurikuri Waguri Dora" to its monthly-changing "Shun Dora" (seasonal dorayaki) lineup. The chestnut-filled dorayaki is on sale for August only. Some of the shop's items are currently sold out.
A Taste of Early Autumn: A Chestnut Dorayaki for August Only
August still brings plenty of heat, but in the world of wagashi, ingredients of autumn are already starting to appear. Through its Shun Dora series, Dorayama offers a different dorayaki each month, built around whatever ingredient is in season, so customers can feel the changes of the year through the shop's dorayaki.
This time's "Kurikuri Waguri Dora" layers chestnut in three different forms, so that chestnut lovers can enjoy its gentle flavor from the first bite to the last.
- A smooth white bean paste made from tebo beans
- A gently flavored domestic chestnut paste
- A whole chestnut with its inner skin left on, for a satisfying bite
The smooth paste, the gentle aroma, and the slightly crumbly texture come together, so the chestnut flavor carries through every bite of this filling dorayaki.
The carefully simmered white bean paste is combined with domestic chestnut paste, then mixed with hearty chestnut for extra texture. It's sandwiched between fluffy dorayaki skins that a craftsperson hand-bakes one at a time each morning, letting the natural aroma and gentle sweetness of the chestnut come through fully.
Product Details
- Name: Kurikuri Waguri Dora
- Price: 460 yen (tax included)
- Sale period: August 1 (Saturday) to August 31 (Monday), 2026
- Availability: Limited quantities each day; sales end once the day's stock runs out
- Main ingredients: Domestic chestnut paste, chestnut with inner skin, white bean paste (some ingredients from Japan)
- Where to buy: Dorayama's Monzen-Nakacho main store, and at special event sales (availability varies by venue)
The Four Secrets Behind Dorayama's Dorayaki, an Offering Dedicated to Tomioka Hachiman Shrine
In 2024, Dorayama's "Kuro Dora" (black dorayaki) was dedicated to Tomioka Hachiman Shrine. Aiming to make Japan's most delicious dorayaki, the shop blends traditional wagashi techniques with methods borrowed from Western confectionery, and its dorayaki reflect four key points of care and craftsmanship.
Hand-baked on a copper plate
Each dorayaki skin is hand-baked one at a time on a copper plate at the storefront every morning. The shop is committed to handmade dorayaki, sparing no effort in the pursuit of flavor.
A meringue-based batter
By separating the egg yolks and whites and beating the whites into a meringue, the batter takes in just the right amount of air, producing a soft, fluffy skin.
A new take on the traditional equal-parts recipe
The traditional recipe for dorayaki skin uses equal parts egg, flour, and sugar, known as "san-do-wari." Dorayama refined this through thousands of trials to develop its own improved ratio, called "shin-san-do-wari."
A slightly salted chunky red bean paste
Made with azuki beans from Tokachi, Hokkaido, and lightly sweetened with white sugar, the paste is finished with a touch of salt and carefully cooked so the texture of the beans still comes through.
Fluffy Dorayaki Skin, Hand-Baked Each Morning
Dorayama's dorayaki are hand-baked one by one on a copper plate by a craftsperson every morning. The result is a fluffy, light texture that brings together traditional wagashi craftsmanship with touches of Western confectionery technique. Warming a dorayaki in the microwave for about 10 seconds makes the skin even fluffier and brings out more of the chestnut aroma.
Dorayama aims to make dorayaki that people want to eat again and again, as part of everyday life, while still capturing the feeling of each season.
About Monzen-Nakacho Dorayaki Dorayama
Dorayama opened its first shop in June 2022, just steps from Monzen-Nakacho Station, in a renovated ground-floor space inside an older apartment building that keeps a touch of its retro character. Building on dorayaki's long-loved place in Japanese food culture, the shop keeps its traditional wagashi-making methods while adding touches of Western confectionery, hand-baking each dorayaki one at a time for a classic yet distinctive, lightly sweetened, fluffy dorayaki. Dorayama sources many of its ingredients domestically, choosing them carefully for flavor.
Store name: Monzen-Nakacho Dorayaki Dorayama, Monzen-Nakacho Main Store
Address: Hiiragi Building 1F, 2-6-9 Monzen-Nakacho, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0048
Access: A short walk from Monzen-Nakacho Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line (in the back alley behind the MUFG Bank building)
Hours: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (may close early once sold out)
Closed: No regular closing days (may be reservation-sales only during event periods)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dorayama_jp/?hl=ja
Official reservation site: https://dorayama.take-eats.jp
