Dumplings made with a simple blend that lets you enjoy the flavor of the ingredients
We’d like to introduce you to a truly delicious, special dango shop.
“Dango-ya Mori” is a dango shop that doesn’t use animal products or additives, and instead values the flavor of the ingredients.
Eye-catching sign
Due to this commitment, their best-by date is the same day. While it’s easy to extend the expiration date by increasing the amount of sugar or using additives or preservatives, Dango-ya Mori is a little different. They simply want customers to enjoy their delicious food while it’s still delicious. Their passion is palpable. Their dangos sell out every day, earning them a reputation loved by people of all ages and genders.
The display case featured six flavors: red bean paste, walnut, zunda, sesame, pineapple, and soy sauce, as well as a limited-time cherry blossom bean paste. (At the time of this interview) They can be purchased individually. Each dango is individually wrapped, making them a great takeaway or souvenir. A pack of six is also available, allowing you to enjoy all the flavors.
Individually wrapped dango
Also available in a pack of six
I tried the owner’s recommended zunda and walnut flavors.
(The photo was taken again at home.)
Vibrantly colored zunda bean paste
The zunda bean paste is a simple blend of edamame, sugar, and salt, with minimal sugar, allowing you to enjoy the flavor of the ingredients. The grains are intentionally left coarse to allow for a rich texture, allowing the edamame flavor to spread with each bite and a sweetness that goes beyond sugar alone. The appearance of the bean paste reveals its high moisture content, indicating the generous use of edamame. Its vibrant green color sparkles in the light.
Dangoya Morisan’s dango is characterized by its smooth texture, no matter the flavor. Unlike grilled dango or other dango, these dango are not sticky, making them safe for children and the elderly to enjoy.
Satisfying Walnut Paste
Our walnut pastry is made with only walnuts, tofu, sugar, soy sauce, and salt. It’s rich yet gentle in flavor. The addition of tofu gives it a moist, rich flavor. Each bun is satisfyingly filling, making it a must-try.
Each flavor is generously spread with about 1.5 times the amount of bean paste on both sides of the dumpling, and each one is made by hand.
Seasonal bean paste is also regularly sold, so be sure to check out their Instagram for updates. They also actively participate in events, so it seems likely that more and more people will enjoy their treats in the future.
They also pay special attention to the quality of their dumplings, using joshinko (rice flour) for the dough, which gives them a crisp, smooth texture. While joshinko rice flour dumplings typically harden when chilled, their special manufacturing process prevents them from hardening even when refrigerated.
The striking cylindrical dango are called itokiri dango and are apparently a popular shape in Tohoku. Using itokiri dango allows for a generous amount of bean paste to be placed on top, resulting in a non-sticky texture and a chewy dango.
They also sell white dango, which don’t have any bean paste on top. These can be used in an endless number of ways, depending on how you arrange them. You could make them into kinako mochi, or spread them with tomato sauce and top with bacon, onion and cheese and bake them in the oven like pizza, or add them to a kimchi hotpot…just thinking about it sounds delicious.
Rice dumplings were always at the center of family gatherings.
Owner Mori-san is originally from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Whenever he visited his grandparents in Hiraizumi, Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture, his grandparents would always buy him some dango from a nearby dango shop and wait for him. He shared that mochi (rice cakes) are a standard hospitality dish in Ichinoseki, and he had many opportunities to eat them.
Mori-san has vivid childhood memories of happy family gatherings after dinner, where he would share Japanese and Western sweets, snacks, fruit, ice cream, and more. When he moved to Tokyo at age 30 and returned home, he chose the dango he remembers fondly as a treat for family gatherings, and he realized once again that delicious dango brings smiles to the faces of his family and brings joy to moments of happiness. While he longed to share his delicious dango with friends, colleagues, and even more people in Tokyo, he felt frustrated that Sendai dango would become too hard to transport to Tokyo and that he couldn’t preserve its flavor. He started his business with the desire to allow more people to enjoy truly delicious dango. After opening his Tokyo store, it quickly became a hot topic and has become a popular shop that sells out every day.
Mori-san said he would be happy if these dangos become a part of family gatherings. He also hopes that they will bring comfort to those who are raising children or working hard every day, and that they will bring happiness to those who eat them. Please enjoy these dangos, which are filled with the owner’s passion for each skewer.
Supervisor / Recommender
- Nutritionist
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After graduating from junior college with a nutritionist degree, I joined a food manufacturer.
I was primarily responsible for developing prepared foods. My experience included developing prepared breads, proposing restaurant menus, and launching new production lines. I was responsible for commercializing a wide variety of menu items, including tomato sauce fillings, hamburger steaks, menchi-katsu (minced meat cutlets), and restaurant-grade soups.
I left my job when I got married and am now a mother of two.
I've always loved food, and while working for a company, I would visit various restaurants as part of my market research.
Even now, I always check out any restaurants that look delicious. I'm confident in the taste buds I developed through product development.
I'll be providing you with information on many restaurants, with the motto of "delicious and fun"!
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