Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store runs an ongoing series called "Only MI," a program that listens closely to customer feedback and rotates through different genres each time.
This time, the food floor turns its focus to Nagano-grown hazelnuts and walnuts — together known as Shinshu Nuts. From September 16 (Wednesday) to September 29 (Tuesday), under a theme chosen in response to customer interest in health-conscious and locally sourced products, around 60 brands are putting their techniques and stories into every nut, transforming them into sweets, bread, prepared dishes, and more.
The fair isn't limited to this two-week run at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store — starting in October, Shinshu nuts will also feature in the store's year-end gift lineup, extending their appeal well beyond the event period.
Period: September 16 (Wed) to September 29 (Tue), 2026
Venue: Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Main Building B1F and Annex B2F, Food Floor
What Customers Are Asking For
According to a customer survey※1 conducted from December 2025 to January 2026, about 40% of respondents named "local production for local consumption" as the product category they most wanted to see more of, followed by around 35% who called for "health-conscious options (low-carb, high-protein, additive-free, and more)." Shinshu nuts travel a short distance from harvest to shelf, and that short food mileage translates directly into freshness. This aligns with the growing interest in low-carb, health-conscious eating and overall wellbeing, and became the starting point for this year's theme.
※1: Survey period: December 2025 to January 2026, web survey (2,876 responses)
The Food Floor Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Is Building
Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store places importance on contributing to the preservation and evolution of Japan's food culture, while carefully listening to customers and responding in ways that exceed their expectations. Each product reflects the stories of its producers and growers, along with close attention to quality. This "Shinshu Nuts" fair, too, grew out of that approach, and continues to shape a food floor distinctly its own.
Tomi City's Walnuts — Japan's Top Walnut-Growing Town
Tomi City in Nagano Prefecture boasts Japan's highest walnut production. It all began when walnut saplings were distributed to households as part of a commemorative project for Emperor Taisho's enthronement ceremony. Walnuts suited Tomi's dry climate and well-draining soil, and the trees gradually became part of daily life there. Alfarm Co., Ltd., a walnut-specialist farm that is rare within the city, was founded nine years ago by Kazuhisa Kobayashi. The farm uses roughly 50% less pesticide than conventional methods and sun-dries its harvest slowly over three to four weeks — a painstaking process that draws out the walnuts' rich aroma and flavor.
The fair also features walnuts from other growers in Tomi City.
〈Cafe Tanaka〉 Shinshu Walnut Caramel Torte, 1 box (3 pieces) ¥1,404 [Limited to 30 per day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
Walnuts and housemade caramel are packed generously into the dough, with a smooth, melting texture as the focus.
〈Kanou Shoujuan Amoya〉 Amo (Shinano Walnut), 1 bar ¥1,512 [Limited to 400] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
A seasonal take on the brand's signature confection "Amo," made with Tanba Dainagon adzuki beans. Its habutae mochi center is kneaded with roasted walnuts and brown sugar for a fragrant, deep flavor.
〈Kou Gyoza〉 Walnut Gyoza, 1 pack (6 pieces) ¥951 [Limited to 15 per day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
A flavorful gyoza made with walnuts grown in Tomi City, packed with the rich taste and texture of pork, vegetables, and walnut.
〈Patisserie Q.B.G.〉 Mitsuhana Financier – Shinshu Walnut and Maple Caramel, 1 piece ¥430 [Limited to 54 per day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
〈Morihachi〉 Walnut Fukusa, 1 piece ¥378 [Limited to 50 per day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
〈Yoshikawa Suisan〉 Walnut-Scented Saikyo-Marinated Black Cod, 1 pack (2 pieces) ¥1,980 [Limited to 10 per day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
Nagano City's Hazelnuts — 12 Years Since a Challenge to Revive Fallow Farmland
Hiroshi Okada (Furusato Nousan Kakou Co., Ltd.), who moved from working as a pastry chef to an executive role at a confectionery-equipment importer and later a planner for regional sixth-industry projects, drew inspiration from a snow-covered hazelnut orchard he saw in Piedmont, Italy. Twelve years ago he planted 110 saplings, marking the start of the project. Compared with apples or grapes, hazelnuts require less labor at harvest time, making them approachable even for older farmers, and Nagano City has thrown its support behind the crop as a way to put fallow farmland to use and cultivate new growers. Nagano's now-iconic apples, too, trace back to saplings planted by earlier generations more than a century ago. With the hope of leaving a new local specialty for Nagano City a hundred years from now, the project has continued, and the area under cultivation — supported by a sapling subsidy program launched in fiscal 2024 alongside trial fields — has now grown to around 17 hectares.
〈Noix de Beurre〉 Freshly Baked Financier (Nagano-Grown Hazelnut), 1 piece ¥465 (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
Hazelnut-scented dough is topped with Nagano-grown hazelnuts, delivering a crisp texture and fragrant flavor.
〈Eitaro Souhonpo〉 Hanjo Dango Kanomi, 1 stick ¥378 [Limited to 50 per day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
A special an made by blending white bean paste with hazelnut paste, dusted with espresso powder. Enjoy the balance of sweetness and bitterness.
〈Tentatsu〉 Sea Urchin and Hazelnut Butter, 1 jar (35g) ¥3,564 [Limited to 20] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
A generous amount of milky butter and salted sea urchin is combined with finely crushed hazelnuts, concentrating both aroma and richness.
〈CLUB HARIE〉 Kugelbaum (Hazelnut & Walnut), 1 piece ¥841 (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store special sale)
〈Kasho Hanami〉 Hazelnut Shirasagi-ho, 1 piece ¥211 [While supplies last each day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
〈Garibaldi〉 Hazelnut and Seafood Pasta, 1 serving ¥1,404 [Limited to 5 per day] (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store exclusive)
■Shinshu Nuts Overview
Period: September 16 (Wed) to September 29 (Tue), 2026
Venue: Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Main Building B1F and Annex B2F, Food Floor
Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Gourmet Information
※All prices include tax.
※Standard (10%) and reduced (8%) tax rates are both in use.
※Quantities are limited for some products, so please understand if items sell out.
※Images are for illustration purposes.
