What kind of souvenirs do you buy when you visit Osaka on vacation?
What do you imagine when you hear the word “Osaka souvenir”?
The following items may come to mind.
Let me give you some examples.
Aoki Shofuan’s Milk Manjuu “Tsukigesho”
Chidoriya Soke’s Mitarashi rice cake
Takomacho’s Takoyaki octopus ball
and so on
These are just a few of the examples listed here.
Other sweets and snacks that make use of Osaka’s famous okonomiyaki pan cakes and takoyaki ocutopus balls.
Osaka limited editions of classic snacks such as Glico’s high-end Pocky and Calbee’s high-end potato chips, etc.
There are so many to choose from that it is hard to know what to buy.
There are several products listed here that I like.
I would like to talk a lot about them, but that would take up too much space.
So this time, I will focus on the products of a famous confectionery store in Osaka.
What is the store?
GOKAN.
If you read the article previously posted,
【My recommendation for sightseeing in Osaka】Let’s take a stroll in the business district “Kitahama” and visit retro architectural structures! ,
it is one of Osaka’s representative confectionery stores.
In addition to cakes and other fresh confections, they also offer a wide variety of baked goods that will last for a long time.
The variety is very large, so it is a lot of fun to choose.
This article is intended for the following people
・Those who want to buy Osaka souvenirs in a slightly different place.
・Those who are looking to buy souvenirs that will please their loved ones such as friends and family members.
・Those who are looking for souvenirs unique to Osaka
This article is only about GOKAN’s products.
Please note that the contents are not suitable for those who are looking for other products.
By reading this article,
you will get a clue to find a great Osaka souvenir for your loved ones.
I hope you will read it to the end.
What is GOKAN?
Let me briefly describe “GOKAN”.
GOKAN is one of Osaka’s leading sweets stores.
The store carries a wide variety of baked goods,
not only cakes, puddings and other fresh confections,
but also financiers, cookies, madeleines, Japanese sponge cakes called “kasutera”, etc., ideal as Osaka souvenirs.
It opened in 2003 (Heisei 15) at the Hankyu Department Store Umeda main store.
The Kitahama main building was opened in 2005 (Heisei 17).
The company continued to open stores in department stores in Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe up to the present.
It is no exaggeration to say that there is now no one in Osaka who does not know about it.
“Gokan” is a very famous confectionery store in Osaka.
Mr. Yoshiaki Asada, who serves as representative director, in one of his interviews,
says the following about his “commitment to Gokan’s popular products”.
・Use domestic materials as much as possible.
・Place the highest priority on taste and do not rely on additives.
・Spare no effort in manual labor, and be creative in its individual packaging.
*For more details, please refer to this article from which the quotation was taken.
Because “Gokan” carries a large selection of products made with actual domestic ingredients,
and does not rely too heavily on additives, we can feel the original taste of the ingredients.
Also, the packaging of each product is very stylish and cute, making it fun to choose.
Just looking at the colorful products makes us happy.
And I don’t even need to explain what happens when you actually eat GOKAN’s products.
Furthermore, imagine what it would be like to give GOKAN products as souvenirs
to someone you love.
You can easily imagine the smiles on the faces of your loved ones.
To make your loved ones smile,
I hope you will choose GOKAN products as souvenirs from Osaka.
In addition to GOKAN stores located in major department stores in Osaka Prefecture,
it is also available at souvenir stores at airports and major JR stations.
Please refer to this page for store locations.
However, if you have time to spare,
By all means Kitahama Honkan to visit the Kitahama Honkan main building.
In the next section, I will tell you why you should visit it.
What kind of place in Kitahama where the main GOKAN building is located?
First, a brief explanation of Kitahama, where GOKAN’s main building is located.
Kitahama is located in the northern part of Chuo Ward, Osaka City.
Numerous companies, especially financial institutions such as banks and securities firms, are located in the area,
It is also known as “Osaka’s financial district.
This is Sakaisuji, a one-way thoroughfare that runs north-south through Kitahama.
Kitahama has not only office buildings, tower apartments, and accommodations,
but also many old buildings of historical value.
In addition to those introduced this time, there are many other attractive products available
that has both new and modern atmosphere and old and nostalgic atmosphere.
The nearest station is Kitahama Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line and Keihan Main Line.
However, even from Yodoyabashi Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line and Keihan Main Line, located west of Kitahama,
you can walk to Kitahama.
Here I also introduce how to get to GOKAN Kitahama Honkan main building from Yodoyabashi station.
This is exit 1 of Yodoyabashi station of Osaka Metro.
The red arrow is Midosuji.
Proceed in the direction of the yellow arrow.
This is Tosabori Dori street.
Please follow this street towards the yellow arrow.
And then…
you will reach Kitahama.
This is the intersection with Sakaisuji Street.
You can see the Osaka Exchange in front of you.
Proceed in the direction of the yellow arrow.
The pink arrows indicate the hotel.
The Royal Park Canvas Osaka Kitahama
Across Sakaisuji Street from this hotel,
GOKAN Kitahama main building is located.
“Nakanoshima” island is located near Kitahama Station.
Several historical buildings are also located here.
This is the rose garden.
If you want to take a break from the buildings, this is the place for you.
If you are interested in “Kitahama”,
please visit the previously posted article,
【My recommendation for sightseeing in Osaka】Let’s take a stroll in the business district “Kitahama” and visit retro architectural structures!
It will help you.
Now let’s go to GOKAN Kitahama main building.
GOKAN Kitahama Main Building
This is the “Arai Building” where the GOKAN Kitahama main building is located.
Construction was completed in 1922 (Taisho 11) as the Osaka branch of the former Houtoku Bank.
It has been 102 years since it was built (as of 2024 (Reiwa 6)).
It still functions well today.
GOKAN Kitahama main building opened in May 2005.
This is the entrance and exit of GOKAN.
A menu for in-store dining is also available near the entrance.
I hiikun have yet to eat in the restaurant.
Every time I come here, there is a long line and I always give up because I don’t have time.
I am interested in French toast and would definitely like to try it someday.
This is the entrance to the Arai Building.
Access may be prohibited or restricted as this is an office building.
Therefore, I, hiikun, refrained from entering.
I also refrained from photographing the interior of GOKAN.
Photographs were limited to the exterior only.
The GOKAN store is also always crowded with customers.
The first and second floors are vaulted and spacious.
Also, you can see skilled artisans working on the production of sweets
right behind the sales counter for cakes and other fresh confections.
If you are interested in seeing what is inside the restaurant, please make a visit.
Please come and see what is inside for yourselves.
Incidentally, this is what it looks like after dark.
It is beautiful enough in the daytime,
It looks even more beautiful at night.
When you think that you can buy souvenirs and have a meal
in such an old and beautiful building with a lot of history,
doesn’t it lift your spirits?
Also before and after buying souvenirs at GOKAN,
why not take a walk around the area?
As I said in the previous paragraph,
Kitahama has a new, modern atmosphere and an old, nostalgic feel.
that has both new and modern atmosphere and old and nostalgic atmosphere.
If you can spare the time,
please take a stroll in Kitahama.
If you like, you can also read this article,
【My recommendation for sightseeing in Osaka】Let’s take a stroll in the business district “Kitahama” and visit retro architectural structures!
Thank you for your patience.
From the next section, I, hiikun, will introduce GOKAN’s baked goods that I recommend.
I hope you will find this information useful when choosing your Osaka souvenirs.
Baked goods from GOKAN, recommended by hiikun
Now, let me introduce GOKAN’s baked goods that I, hiikun, recommend from here.
I hope you will find this information useful when choosing souvenirs.
It would be nice to choose an assortment of specific sweets.
However, to make a assortment box of a variety of sweets, you can also choose one of your favorite sweets as shown in the photo above.
*Photograph is an example.
Let’s take a look.
Ehmon sabre
This is “Emon* Sable”. *good thing in English.
This cookie is baked with Japanese black soybeans
kneaded into the dough made from domestic flour, butter, eggs, sugar, etc.
It has a slightly sweet and crunchy texture.
Perhaps because it contains black beans, it has a moderately salty taste, which makes me feel like eating it many times.
I feel as if I ate a rice cracker.
Lemon Cake of Gokan Lemon San
This is “Lemon Cake of Gokan: Lemon San”, meaning lemon shining in English.
Very difficult kanji characters are used in the product name.
In short, it is lemon cake.
The unique rugby ball-like shape is cute when viewed from above.
The lemon-flavored icing covering the cake is not too sweet.
The lemon and honey flavored cake batter goes perfect with the lemon-flavored icing.
Black bean madeleines “Emon”
This is “Emon,” a black bean madeleine.
This sweet is baked with a dough made of domestic rice flour, wheat flour, etc. and filled with large black beans.
Look at these large black beans!
Actually, I, hiikun, do not like black beans that much.
That is why I have been avoiding purchasing this product for a long time.
However, I took the plunge and bought it this time.
Eat and be amazed!
I never thought that black beans and madeleines would go so well together.
I should have realized how good these madeleines were earlier.
GOKAN has several products made with black beans.
I would like to try other black bean sweets if I have a chance.
Gokan Aemon 5pcs. Black Bean Madeleines
Gokan Aemon 10pcs. Black Bean Madeleines
Gokan Aemon 20pcs. Black Bean Madeleines
Eemon Sanbokan
This is “Emon Sanpokan”.
Sanpokan is one of the varieties of tangerines native to Wakayama Prefecture.
Sanbokan citrus soaked in wine is kneaded into a buttery dough and baked to perfection.
It is packed with the pulp of Sanbokan citrus.
It goes very well with the buttery dough.
Please refer to this page for details.
Kazairo Ichigo (Wind-colored strawberry)
This is “Kazairo Ichigo (Wind-colored Strawberry).
A savory, moist dough with strawberry jam in the center.
This strawberry jam is excellent.
The true flavor of strawberries is brought to life.
You can feel the sweetness from the strawberries well,
not by seasonings and additives
Caution!
This product is available for a limited time only.
Unfortunately, at the time of posting this article,
this product may no longer be available.
I regret that I should not have introduced it to you earlier.
Please ask the store for more details.
financier
The classic baked pastry “financier” is an absolute must.
It is a plain and chocolate financier.
Moist on the inside and crisp on the outside.
It is moderately sweet, buttery and very tasty.
Nonoichi
This is “Honoichi”.
Cookie dough is poured into the dough of monaka* and baked. *a type of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) consisting of an azuki sweet bean paste sandwiched between two thin mochi wafers. ” Honoichi” doesn’t contain azuki sweet bean paste inside. Instead of the bean paset, it contains a cookie.
The dough for monaka is made from mochi rice produced in Hokuriku region.
The cookie dough is made from rice flour made from Koshihikari rice grown in Niigata Prefecture.
The more you chew, the more you can taste the rice.
It is completely different from the “Emon Sable” introduced earlier.
I hope you will experience the unique crunchy texture.
Honoichi Kanao
This is “Honoichi Kanao”.
It is the chocolate flavor of the “Honoichi” introduced just before.
The taste of the rice, the most important characteristic of Honoichi, is well maintained.
The cocoa flavor also works well.
Rice and cacao are in good harmony.
Chocolate chips add an extra crunchy texture.
Rice baumkuchen, Gokanjyumaki
This is a rice baumkuchen “Gokanjumaki”.
This product is baked using rare and valuable sugar such as “Awa Wasanbon Sugar”
made from sugar cane produced in Tokushima and Kagawa Prefectures and
rice flour made from domestic rice.
This is the first time I have had sweets made with wasanbon.
The dough has a modest and elegant sweetness, with a hint of rice flavor.
The icing covering the dough is just the right amount of sweetness.
Please refer to this page for details.
???
First, please take a look at this photo.
What do you think this is?
The box looks like a rice ball.
Of course, it doesn’t have rice balls.
I will give you 5 seconds to think about it.
5
4
3
2
1
Now let’s take a look inside the box.
Inside is a sponge cake.
This is “Gokan Mamma”, a butter sponge cake made from rice flour.
The moment you open it, you will smell the aroma of sponge cake.
It whets the appetite.
A wooden knife is also available.
This is helpful when eating outside.
Now let’s eat.
Itadakimasu!
Compared to sponge cakes made with flour,
it is very light and tasty.
Miso* is used as a secret ingredient. *a paste made from fermented soy beans with some ingredients such as salt, rice etc. It can be used for making “miso soup”.
The moment you put it in your mouth, the savory aroma of rice and miso will fill your mouth.
I ate it up in no time.
It really satisfies me.
Thank you for the meal. Gochisousamadesita!
I ate up the rest the next day.
You can buy this product
only at the Kitahama main building and
at the online store on the official GOKAN website.
If you are planning to buy it in the online store,
please refer to this page.
This is a product that you should definitely buy when you visit the Kitahama main building.
extra (special) edition
In this section, I would like to introduce one of my favorite products, not related to souvenirs.
If you read the article previously posted,
【My recommendation for sightseeing in Osaka】Let’s take a stroll in the business district “Kitahama” and visit retro architectural structures! ,
do you recognize this photo?
This is a product I purchased at the GOKAN Kitahama main building, where I stopped while strolling in Kitahama.
In my last article, I did not reveal the contents.
I said, “When I post an article about GOKAN, I reveal what’s inside.”
As I declared, here are the items in the box.
This is the Higashi Yokobori River.
It is located further east from the Kitahama intersection.
A walking trail and rest areas are provided along the river.
Thank you for your patience.
Now, let’s open the box.
Inside is a delicious cream puff.
Once a day from 17:00 on weekdays (from 14:00 on weekends and holidays),
these cream puffs are sold only at the Kitahama main building.
Moreover, the sale will be limited and will end as soon as the cream puffs are gone.
I was lucky enough to see them on sale when I visited the store and was able to purchase them by chance.
They are round and cute looking.
Then, I will have them. Itadakimasu!
The inside is filled with custard cream.
Both the dough and cream are not too sweet.
It was light and very tasty.
Now, let’s have a second one.
This one is also filled with custard cream.
They really satisfied me.
Thank you for the meal. Gochisousamadesita!
That day was for taking pictures of retro buildings in the Kitahama neighborhood.
I went around for a long time.
I was so tired that my legs felt like sticks.
But while I was eating the delicious cream puffs,
the view of the river in front of me was very soothing to my body and soul.
summary
This time, I have shown GOKAN products that are suitable as Osaka souvenirs.
How were they?
With the exception of the cream puff pastry introduced at the end,
I have proposed mainly products that all last relatively long.
I was very satisfied with them because they were all delicious.
I understand clearly how much importance is placed on the taste of the ingredients.
In addition to those introduced this time, there are many other attractive products available
at the GOKAN Kitahama main building located in Kitahama,
a charming place that has both new and modern atmosphere and old and nostalgic atmosphere.
To bring smiles to the faces of those who are important to you,
If you are traveling to Osaka, be sure to stop by the Kitahama Honkan main building
and find nice souvenirs.
If you are not sure which one to buy,
you may want to buy one single item and sample it.
Although each product lasts longer, the expiration date varies.
For more details, please refer to the expiration date on the box or bag of each product.
If you have any questions about prices, limited time offerings, etc., please ask the store directly.
Thank you very much for reading to the end.
See you in the next article.
