Konnichiwa!
In 2025, we did a very last minute trip to Kyushu, the south westernmost of Japan’s four main islands, known for its volcanoes, hot springs, food and warm weather. We rented a car and toured the province over a two week period. While chocolate isn’t exactly a traditional treat enjoyed in Kyushu, we found a few interesting options along the way. See Part 1 for the first 6.
Chocolate Chocolate at Bakery Nasan: In Fukuoka, in the Hakata neighbourhood, this local bakery is a great spot to grab breakfast or a quick snack. You take a tray when you enter, carefully place any baked goods you like the look of on your tray and then pay at the cash. There is a small area to eat or you can get them to take away. We ate a lot of these “Chocolate chocolate” (what my translation app suggests these characters say), a chocolate bun with chocolate chips. Obviously, a complete breakfast…
Chocolate dango: There are several covered shopping streets in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka. We found that they were always worth a wonder through, not just to escape rain or sun, but because they are full of good food and shops! The Kawabata Shopping Arcade in Hakata in Fukuoka has a stand that sells these chocolate mochi, perfectly paired with these strawberries.
The Kakazaka Chocolat at Patisserie Roku: This little cake is one of their signature cakes and winner of some very serious looking awards. It is made with 78% dark chocolate and lasts a month in the beautiful box they package it in for you, if you want to take it back home after your travels. This pastry shop also makes fresh cream puffs that can be filled with all sorts of fillings, including chocolate, right on the spot. If you needed more reasons to visit Kurokawa Onsen town…
Chocolate Potato Chips Royce is a chocolate company from the northern Hokkaido region, so nowhere close to Kyushu. But we found these crispy potato chips coated in milk chocolate at the airport. I image they sell buckets of them. The combination may at first sound weird, but the flavours really do work well together.
Hiyoki cakes: Hiyoki, meaning baby chick in Japanese, are little baby chick shaped sponge cakes told everywhere in Fukuoka. The recipe is over 100 years old and although often mistaken for a specialty of Tokyo, is proudly from Kyushu. Although not usually chocolate flavoured, they do sell limited edition chocolate or chocolate coated Hiyoko. If you find one, let me know!
Chiffon cake at Ganko Tofu in Sagara: On our drive, we passed this amazing little tofu shop which makes tofu using Japanese soy and the high quality water Kawabe River. They even have a vending machine so the locals can get their tofu fix at all hours of the night. But they don’t just sell tofu, they also have a range of other products using soy, including these addictively light and fluffy chiffon cakes.
For more chocolates we enjoyed in Kyushu, in particular at bean to bar chocolate shops and well known chocolatiers, visit Ultimate Hot Chocolate.
Giselle
Chief Chocolate Sipper
www.ultimatehotchocolate.com, on insta @ultimatehotchoc and stay tuned for my new book coming out, The World of Chocolate, later this year!