Kangen Dango is a long-standing establishment in Sanuma, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture, originally founded as a rice shop and transitioning into a dango specialty store over 50 years ago. During a visit to Sendai’s Asaichi Morning Market, we came across their counter and were drawn to their wide selection of dango.
The shop offers a variety of toppings, including zunda, walnut, red bean, black sesame, and even natto. Notably, we later learned that their shrimp mochi (bottom, second from the right in their display) is a regional specialty of Sanuma. It is available both as a single flavour and as part of a tasting set with three other flavours—definitely something to try on our next visit to Sendai.
Kuri Dango (¥350)
For this visit, we opted for one of their seasonal autumn offerings, the kuri dango, featuring whole chestnuts wrapped in mochi, served with a generous coating of mitarashi sauce.
Each box included two pieces of kuri dango. The mitarashi glaze had a sweet and savoury profile with a fragrant, caramelised aroma. Its thick, jelly-like consistency allowed it to cling perfectly to the surface of the dango without dripping, making it easy to eat. The mochi itself was soft and tender, providing a pleasant chew that contrasted beautifully with the firmer, starchier texture of the chestnut. The nutty flavour of the chestnut paired seamlessly with the savoury notes of the sauce, creating a well-balanced combination of textures and flavours with a subtle sweetness.
The quality of the kuri dango impressed us enough to spark interest in trying other items from their menu, particularly their shrimp mochi, on a future trip to Sendai.
Kangen Dango is located at the entrance of Adachi Shōten in the Sendai Morning Market, 4 Chome-3-28 Chūō, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0021, Japan.