Kameju Dorayaki: Asakusa’s Famous Fluffy Pancake-Style Japanese Sweet

Asakusa is one of Japan’s most famous sightseeing districts. Because visitors come from every corner of the world, it also offers an enormous variety of souvenirs.

One product that has remained consistently popular is the dorayaki from Kameju.

Local residents regard it as an exceptionally reliable choice: when given as a present or brought along as a small gift, it almost always earns comments about how delicious it was.

This time I visited Kameju myself, bought both varieties of dorayaki, and put together a full report.

Kameju Dorayaki

Kameju is the Asakusa dorayaki shop that nearly always has a line outside. Production is limited to 3,000 pieces per day, and weekends are said to be particularly crowded, so I decided to visit on a weekday morning.

I arrived at 10:40 on a Tuesday. Around ten people were already waiting outside.

Daifuku mochi and other Japanese sweets are displayed near the entrance.

If you want something other than dorayaki, it appears that you can speak to a member of staff and make your purchase without joining the main line.

An attendant eventually invited us inside.

I thought my turn had arrived surprisingly smoothly, only to discover another long line inside the shop. It had been completely hidden from view outdoors.

There are two kinds of dorayaki, one filled with dark azuki bean paste and the other with white bean paste. Both cost ¥360.

It helps to decide how many dark and how many white dorayaki you want while standing in line, so you do not have to make a rushed decision at the counter.

The shop is takeout-only, and five members of staff take orders individually, so the line moves quickly. I completed my purchase safely after waiting for around thirty minutes.

Gift boxes cost extra. This simple boxed package costs ¥200.

Adding Kameju’s full wrapping paper brings the packaging charge to ¥300.

Even the ¥200 option is finished with an elegant black gift band, so it still looks luxurious.

I had the dorayaki for our own household placed in a paper bag.

The shelf life is three days.

The dorayaki are extremely soft, so if you plan to carry them around for any length of time, paying for a protective box is probably the safest choice.

What did Kameju Dorayaki taste like?

First, I tried the standard dark azuki bean paste variety.

It is extraordinarily fluffy.

I had never before tasted a dorayaki whose cake was this delicious even on its own.

The chunky azuki bean paste is moist and rich, with an elegant sweetness that fills the mouth with happiness.

Just as people say, this feels less like conventional dorayaki and more like an exceptionally fluffy pancake.

It overturns the old-fashioned idea that dorayaki is mainly a sweet for older people. In fact, I noticed several groups of young customers in the line.

Next, I tried the white bean paste variety.

The white bean paste is mellow and delicious too.

Eating it together with the fluffy cake creates an irresistible milky sensation in the mouth.

Because the pancake-like cake has a slightly Western character, I personally felt that it may pair even more naturally with white bean paste.

Both varieties are so good that choosing between them is difficult. If you are undecided, buying both dark and white is clearly the best answer.

You may have to stand in line, but this is a true Asakusa specialty. Anyone receiving it as a souvenir is likely to be surprised by how delicious it is.

Highly recommended. Thank you for the meal!

For sightseeing information about Asakusa, the following site is also useful before and during your visit.

Asakusa Kanko no Otomo: Recommended Sightseeing Spots in Asakusa

Kameju Dorayaki Product Info, Expiration Date, Manufacturer