This wonderful traditional Japanese style tea and confectionery restaurant stands on the banks of Omihachiman Canal near Himure Shrine. It is housed in a beautiful old wooden building. Inside you will find tables and seating of beautiful old wood. Seasonal flower arrangements add color and life to the welcoming atmosphere. Your refreshments will be presented on earthy and beautiful Japanese pottery. I ate soft jelly-like warabi mochi flavored with dark sugar and dusted with Kinako (ground toasted soy beans mixed with a little sugar.) I also ordered matcha, strong, rich and bitter. It's like an espresso version of green tea. Both were delicious!
This store has been selling exquisite traditional Japanese sweets for over a hundred years! 'Tane' is 'seed' in Japanese, and the business began selling seeds and seedlings, but changed into a confectionery store in 1872. The business grew steadily, and added Club Harie and other businesses to their group. Today they have stores in many places throughout Japan, and you can buy Taneya sweets in Shinsaibashi, Umeda, Ginza, Yokohama, Nara, Kobe and many other places.
The company also has a website, and you can shop for their sweets on the internet. Unfortunately it is only in Japanese.
Although you can buy Taneya sweets in many places, do pay a visit to the original shop on the banks of Omihachiman Canal if you possibly can. The cafe is open for lunch from 11:00 to 15:00, and for tea and sweets from 9:00 to 17:00. You can also purchase the traditional sweets to take away with you. If you do so, you are sure to be delighted with the elegant packaging too. Sweets from Taneya would make a lovely gift for someone special.
Visiting the original store in Omihachiman means you can also take in the sights of this charming town. A stroll along the canal is great in every season - it's so beautiful! There are tourist boats too, if you fancy cruising along the canal instead of walking. The Roof Tile Museum is a fascinating place, and Himure Hachiman-gu Shrine and the cable car to Mount Hachiman are nearby.
