Kasho Fugetsu (菓匠風月), a wagashi shop based in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, will make its first appearance at Isetan Shinjuku from Wednesday, October 7 to Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The shop joins "Drowning in Chestnuts: 7 Days" (栗に溺れる 7日間), an event held on the Main Building's Basement 1 floor that shines a light on the challenges facing Japan's chestnut-growing regions: aging growers, a shortage of successors, and aging chestnut trees.
The chestnuts Kasho Fugetsu uses are "Iinuma chestnuts" (飯沼栗), grown by the "ikkyu ikka" (一毬一果) method, in which only one or two nuts are allowed to ripen in each burr. Iinuma chestnuts are registered under Japan's national Geographical Indication (GI) protection system, and only eight farms in Japan grow them. On Saturday, October 10, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, the head of the growers' cooperative will visit the sales floor. Kasho Fugetsu will offer 12 items in total, including Manyokan Hitachi (万羊羹 常陸), priced at ¥16,200 (tax included) per bar.
Meet the Person Who Grows the Chestnuts on October 10
"Drowning in Chestnuts: 7 Days" at Isetan Shinjuku is an event that supports the producers of Japanese chestnuts by highlighting the problems their growing regions face.
Kasho Fugetsu buys Iinuma chestnuts at a fixed price from the Iinuma Chestnut Cooperative (飯沼栗組合), the growers' cooperative. By helping people learn about both the Iinuma chestnut and Manyokan, the two sides continue to raise the value of each other's brands.
On Saturday, October 10, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, the cooperative's head, Kazuhiko Taguchi (田口一彦), will be at the event venue. Visitors can ask the grower directly:
- Why only one nut per burr?
- Why keep doing it when fewer nuts means a smaller harvest?
- How many years does it take for a chestnut tree to bear fruit?
Kasho Fugetsu sees this kind of face-to-face conversation between maker and buyer, on a department store sales floor, as the shortest path to passing Japanese chestnut-growing regions on to the next generation.
Only 8 Farms in Japan Grow "Ikkyu Ikka" Iinuma Chestnuts
A chestnut burr normally holds three nuts. Iinuma chestnuts, grown in Ibaraki Town, Higashiibaraki District, Ibaraki Prefecture, are deliberately limited to one nut per burr.
In ordinary farming, a higher yield means more income. Iinuma chestnuts work the other way around: reducing the number of nuts lowers the harvest. Even so, the growers' cooperative has achieved larger nuts without reducing yield, and the chestnuts have been rated as top-grade in the market. Cold storage raises their sugar content without lowering quality, and the chestnuts go through three stages of sorting before shipment.
In recognition of these efforts, Iinuma chestnuts were registered under Japan's Geographical Indication (GI) protection system on June 23, 2017 (registration No. 38). Only eight farms in Japan grow them.
The Challenges Facing Japan's Chestnut-Growing Regions
Japan's chestnut-growing regions face aging growers, a shortage of successors, and aging chestnut trees. Even when growers put in the effort, it does not always show up in the price.
Kasho Fugetsu has been making Manyokan as one answer to this problem:
- When the sweets become known, the chestnuts become known.
- When the chestnuts become known, they earn a fair price.
- When they earn a fair price, growers can hand their orchards down to the next generation.
Manyokan Hitachi, a ¥16,200 Chestnut Steamed Yokan
Manyokan Hitachi (万羊羹 常陸), the flagship of Kasho Fugetsu, uses Iinuma chestnuts generously, so that chestnuts appear wherever the bar is cut. It is a chestnut steamed yokan priced at ¥16,200 (tax included) per bar. It has also won a silver award in the gourmet and food category of Pentawards, an international packaging design award.
Another Chestnut: Kasama, Japan's Largest Chestnut-Growing Area
Kasho Fugetsu also uses Kasama chestnuts (笠間栗) from Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Kasama City ranks first in Japan for both chestnut cultivation area and number of farm operations (according to the Kasama City official website). The large temperature difference between day and night, along with volcanic-ash soil that has excellent water retention and aeration, produces fragrant chestnuts.
Kasama chestnuts are valued not for rarity, as Iinuma chestnuts are, but for their fluffy, gentle sweetness. Because both are made into the same kind of chestnut steamed yokan, the Manyokan Tasting Set (¥3,780, tax included) lets you compare the two purely on the difference in ingredients.
Products on Sale (12 Items)
Quantities are limited, and items may sell out.
Manyokan Hitachi (万羊羹 常陸)
The top item in Kasho Fugetsu's lineup, made with plenty of Iinuma chestnuts so that chestnuts appear wherever it is cut. Winner of a Pentawards silver award.
- Price: ¥16,200 (tax included)
- Weight: 550 g
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
- Where to buy: Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, Basement 1, Food Collection / online shop
Manyokan Hitachi Half (万羊羹 常陸 ハーフ)
A half-bar size of Manyokan Hitachi.
- Price: ¥7,560 (tax included)
- Weight: 260 g
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
Manyokan Iinuma (万羊羹 飯沼)
A chestnut steamed yokan made with GI-registered Iinuma chestnuts.
- Price: ¥8,100 (tax included)
- Weight: 500 g
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
Manyokan Kasama (万羊羹 笠間)
A chestnut steamed yokan made with chestnuts from Kasama City, Japan's largest chestnut-growing area.
- Price: ¥4,860 (tax included)
- Weight: 400 g
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
Manyokan Tasting Set, Iinuma and Kasama (万羊羹 食べ比べセット)
Both Iinuma and Kasama chestnut yokan in one set.
- Price: ¥3,780 (tax included)
- Weight: 120 g each
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
Manyokan Iinuma Small (万羊羹 飯沼小)
A small-bar version of the Iinuma chestnut yokan, in an easy-to-handle size.
- Price: ¥2,376 (tax included)
- Weight: 120 g
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
Chestnut Steamed Yokan Small (栗蒸し羊羹 小)
A small-bar version of the Kasama chestnut yokan. It is the most affordable item in this lineup.
- Price: ¥1,188 (tax included)
- Weight: 120 g
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
Manyokan Iinuma MEIMEI (万羊羹飯沼 MEIMEI)
The photo shows the pack of 3. Single pieces are also available.
- Price: ¥756 per piece / ¥2,484 for a pack of 3 (tax included)
- Weight: 45 g per piece
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
Everyday Chestnut Steamed Yokan (いつもの栗蒸し羊羹)
The photo shows the pack of 5. Single pieces are also available.
- Price: ¥432 per piece / ¥1,404 for a pack of 3 / ¥2,484 for a pack of 5 (tax included)
- Weight: 45 g per piece
- Shelf life: 60 days from the manufacturing date
- Allergen: wheat
A Word From Koichi Fujita (藤田浩一), Representative Director
"There are only eight farms in Japan growing Iinuma chestnuts. Only one nut per burr, and the more effort goes in, the lower the harvest. The reason they have kept going is that there were people who understood the value and bought them.
When I heard that Isetan Shinjuku had planned an event to support the producers of Japanese chestnuts, I thought we should ask the person who actually grows them to come. On October 10, the head of the cooperative will be on the sales floor. Instead of talking about the sweets, please talk with the person who grows the chestnuts.
When the sweets become known, the chestnuts become known. When the chestnuts become known, they earn a fair price. When they earn a fair price, growers can hand their orchards down to the next generation. We see our sweets-making as a means to that end."
Event Details
- Event name: Drowning in Chestnuts: 7 Days (栗に溺れる 7日間)
- Venue: Isetan Shinjuku, Main Building, Basement 1, Food Collection
- Dates: Wednesday, October 7 to Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Grower appearance: Saturday, October 10, 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM (head of the Iinuma chestnut growers' cooperative)
- Items on sale: the 12 items listed above
- This is Kasho Fugetsu's first time exhibiting at Isetan Shinjuku.
- Official website: https://www.kasho-fugetsu.net/
- Online shop: https://shop.kasho-fugetsu.net/
