"Nakatsugawa no Kurikinton LOVER" opens at GRANSTA YAESU, the commercial facility inside JR Tokyo Station, for three days from September 25 (Friday) to September 27 (Sunday), 2026. The pop-up shop marks the 14th installment of "Ji no Mono LOVER," a regional revitalization project produced by JR East Cross Station Development Company. Now in its third year, the fan-favorite event returns with its popular shop-by-shop tasting corner plus an upgraded lineup of sweets to try.
Highlights:
- Back again this year: a buffet-style corner selling 11 varieties of "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton"
- A full-flavor "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton" set bundled with an original Kurikinton Zukan tote bag
- About 20 kinds of chestnut confectionery, including creative kurikinton-inspired sweets
What Is the Regional Brand "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton"?
"Nakatsugawa Kurikinton" is a chestnut sweet made at Japanese confectionery shops in Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture. Each shop's manufacturing and sales period runs from the arrival of the year's new domestic chestnuts through Shunbun no Hi (the Spring Equinox holiday).*
During this season, travelers from across Japan visit Nakatsugawa in search of freshly made kurikinton.
*Sales may end before the season is over at some shops.
*"Nakatsugawa Kurikinton" is a registered trademark of the Nakatsugawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
(1) A Buffet-Style Corner Selling 11 Varieties of "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton"
Although each shop's "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton" looks alike at a glance, tasting them side by side reveals real differences in sweetness and texture from shop to shop. The flavor also shifts subtly with each year's new chestnut harvest and with the time of season, which is part of why people look forward to eating "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton" year after year.
Don't miss this rare chance in the Kanto region to taste and compare "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton" from multiple shops.
Participating Shops and Their Kurikinton
Price: ¥324 each (tax included)
*Quantities are limited; sales end once stock runs out.
Kurikashidokoro Shingendo
Using only carefully selected domestic chestnuts and sugar, this shop draws out the chestnut's simple, natural flavor, finishing each piece by hand with old-fashioned care.
Kurikashidokoro Yamatsu
A smooth, moist kurikinton that concentrates the chestnut's rich flavor. The shop is committed to domestic chestnuts and careful handmade work.
Nitaro
Made with carefully selected chestnuts, including those grown locally in Nakatsugawa. The shop takes pride in every detail of quality, freshness, and technique.
Kurikasho Shichifuku
Made with chestnuts from the shop's own orchard along with carefully selected domestic chestnuts, finished with a refreshing taste that preserves the chestnut's natural flavor and grainy texture.
Okashitsukasa Umezono
A smooth, moist texture paired with the standout bite of large chestnut pieces. An autumn flavor born from Nakatsugawa's rich natural environment.
Matsuba
A smooth mouthfeel and gentle sweetness spread across the palate, offering a simple yet satisfying chestnut flavor.
Okurigashi Shogetsudo
Made with domestic chestnuts, using only chestnuts and sugar as ingredients. Cooked using a traditional method that lets a slight scorch develop, then carefully finished by hand into its signature twisted shape.
Okashidokoro Shin
A kurikinton made by blending Kyushu chestnuts with Nakatsugawa chestnuts. Sugar is kept light to let the chestnut's natural character shine through.
Okashitsukasa Minoya
The chestnut flesh is carefully removed with a bamboo spatula, and the cooking process is fine-tuned to bring out a clean, pure flavor.
Kakinoki
Committed to traditional techniques in pursuit of the chestnut's true flavor, with sweetness kept in check to let that flavor come through while preserving the texture of the chestnut pieces.
Tamaruya Shoten
True to time-honored methods, artisans carefully wrap each piece by hand, resulting in a simple flavor with a bit of chestnut texture left in the mix.
(2) A "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton Illustrated Guide" Tote Bag with the Full-Flavor Set
The ever-popular "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton Full-Flavor Set," featuring all 11 participating shops, is back on sale. This year's set comes with a special tote bag featuring "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton Zukan" (Illustrated Guide), an original illustration in the "chimachimachima-e" style drawn exclusively for this event by food artist Izumi Kamoshida. Advance reservations get priority.
Advance reservations preferred / Ji no Mono LOVER original / Limited quantity
Nakatsugawa Kurikinton Zukan tote bag with full-flavor set: ¥5,000
Advance reservations: September 3 (Thursday) 2:00 PM to September 24 (Thursday) 5:00 PM
Reservation site (JRE MALL Order)
*Priority is given to customers who reserve in advance through JRE MALL Order, so in-store sales may not always be available. When in-store sales are offered, available quantities vary by day and cannot be held. *Advance-reservation items cannot be shipped; pickup is available at the venue only.
(3) About 20 Kinds of Chestnut Confectionery, Including Kurikinton-Inspired Sweets
Building on the chestnut-forward confectionery that proved popular in past years, this year's lineup expands with a wider range of kurikinton arranged products.
Enjoy a creative array of sweets that let you savor the appeal of kurikinton in even more ways.
Sweets That Wrap Kurikinton
Kudzu Mochi × Kurikinton
[Okurigashi Shogetsudo] Kuridzutsumi
A fun pairing of chewy, springy kudzu mochi with smooth kurikinton that carries the chestnut's natural aroma.
Yokan × Kurikinton
[Okurigashi Shogetsudo] Omotase Yokan (Kurikinton)
Kurikinton tucked inside a yokan made with Hokkaido-grown azuki beans.
Dorayaki × Kurikinton
[Okurigashi Shogetsudo] Kurikinton Dorayaki
Smoothly finished kurikinton wrapped in a soft dorayaki pancake.
Koshian × Kurikinton
[Kurikasho Shichifuku] Fukuguri
Kurikinton wrapped in smooth koshian made from Hokkaido Tokachi azuki beans, then gently steamed.
Pie × Kurikinton
[Kakinoki] Kurikinton Pie
Kurikinton wrapped in flaky pastry and baked, a new sweet that fuses Japanese and Western flavors.
Shokupan × Kurikinton
[Chicory Village] Kurikinton Nama Shokupan (one loaf)
A luxurious loaf packed with local Nakatsugawa "kurikinton." The bread itself is made with the yudane method, giving it a moist, chewy texture and a gentle sweetness.
Kurikinton Arranged Products
[Nitaro] Kurisennen
Kurikinton rolled thin and baked for a crisp, fragrant bite.
[Okurigashi Shogetsudo] Kurikinton Purin
Kurikinton transformed into a rich, silky-smooth pudding.
[Kakinoki] Shidekobushi
A baked confection made by generously using kurikinton paste along with fresh cream, butter, and egg for a Western-style finish.
Original Zine "Kuri Meguri Techo" and a Tourism Booth
The event also offers ways to learn more about "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton" and about the Higashi-Mino region of Gifu Prefecture, where Nakatsugawa City is located.
Original Event Zine "Kuri Meguri Techo" Handed Out
Highlights:
- Introduces the shops and makers behind "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton"
- Includes a "Higashi-Mino One-Day Trip to Meet Your Favorites" map, curated by the Ji no Mono LOVER team after visiting the region in person
Food artist Izumi Kamoshida created the original zine and the "Nakatsugawa no Kurikinton Zukan" tote bag design.
An artist who specializes in depicting food, using Copic markers and colored pencils to capture food culture and the thoughts behind the people who make it; her body of work now totals more than 10,000 pieces. Known for expression grounded in careful, hands-on research, she has partnered with more than 100 companies and government bodies. Beyond in-store art and advertising, she has recently focused on regional collaboration and product development built around the concept of "merchandise born from art."
Instagram: @izumi_chuchu
https://www.instagram.com/izumi_chuchu/
Tourism PR Booth
A booth will display Mino ware, a specialty of the Higashi-Mino region of Gifu Prefecture where Nakatsugawa City is located, along with tourism pamphlets and panels introducing recommended spots across the region's six cities and one town.
Event Overview
Name: Nakatsugawa no Kurikinton LOVER
Dates: September 25 (Friday) to 27 (Sunday), 2026, 3 days
Venue: GRANSTA YAESU, B1F outside the ticket gates at JR Tokyo Station (in front of GODIVA café Tokyo)
Access: A short walk from the Yaesu Underground Central ticket gate
Hours: September 25 (Fri) 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM; September 26 (Sat) and 27 (Sun) 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
*Scene from last year's event.
Map:
Organizers: JR East Cross Station Development Company, Higashi-Mino Historical Road Council, Nakatsugawa City
Cooperation: Nakatsugawa Tourism Association
Promoting the Appeal of Gifu's Higashi-Mino Region
Through "Nakatsugawa Kurikinton," the event also promotes tourism to Gifu Prefecture's Higashi-Mino region, home to Nakatsugawa City.
What to Love About the Higashi-Mino Region
- Home to eight post towns along the Nakasendo, where visitors can enjoy a historic townscape and the rich nature along the old route
- Site of "Mino ware," a pottery tradition with more than 1,300 years of history and Japan's largest ceramics-producing region
- The "mountain castles of Higashi-Mino" (the ruins of Iwamura Castle, Naegi Castle, and Mino Kanayama Castle), part of today's mountain-castle boom, offer truly spectacular views
- Preserves a distinctive, long-standing food culture that includes dishes such as gohei-mochi and kurikinton
Introducing Higashi-Mino's Six Cities and One Town
About "Ji no Mono LOVER," a Project That Turns Favorite Local Things into Regional Fandom
Produced by JR-CROSS, "Ji no Mono LOVER" is a series of pop-up shops themed around a specific "region" paired with its "food culture," connecting visitors and local communities through the station.
Using the powerful touchpoint of ekinaka (in-station) locations across JR East's greater Tokyo network, the project goes beyond simply selling regional products, aiming instead to build genuine emotional attachment and turn visitors into fans of each region.
Ji no Mono LOVER official Instagram:
Follow along for news on Ji no Mono LOVER and Machiai regional revitalization events, plus other good things happening in the regions featured.
@jinomono.lover
https://www.instagram.com/jinomono.lover/
*Images are for illustrative purposes only.
*All prices include tax.
*The information in this article is current as of the release date and may change.
