Popular Panju is Loved by Local People -Nishikawa Panju Store in Otaru-

Nishikawa Panju Store (西川ぱんじゅう店) is a panju store facing Miyako street (都通) in Inaho, Otaru city and was founded in 1965. It is known as the most historical long-established panju store in Otaru. Because it is written as the most tasty in Otaru on a shop sign, they will be confident of their traditional taste.

In fact, the Nishikawa Panju Store is loved by local people very much. I visited here 3 times and at last I was able to visit during opening of the store. It was around 13:00. Preceding visitors who were all local people bought tens of panju. Visitors may not eat long-established taste when the visitors visit around lunchtime. I visited here before around 14:00 and 15:00, but the store has already closed. It close a store as soon as ingredients run out.

The price is JPY 90 per one. The flavor is only sweet bean jam containing whole beans (つぶあん). Both handmade dough and handmade bean jam are additive-free. Because they are careful in using ingredients for panju, it will be popular. When I ordered 2 panju, an owner said "You came again 20 minutes later". Therefore I decided to come again 20 minutes later. 20 minutes later, Panju were baked and I paid JPY 180. I decided to eat at a bench on Miyako street. The owner said, "You will enjoy eating circular part down". Because the circular part is hard crunchy, it will be a bean jam accepter. It was not too sweet, and I enjoyed eating.

A page of Otaru is here