Kurataya

For the chance to taste how each sweet-potato variety differs in sweetness and texture, pot-baked sweet potatoes, slowly cooked through, are an excellent choice. Silk Sweet sweet potatoes, including ones grown in Niigata Prefecture, can be so juicy that syrup seeps into the paper bag. Their smooth, never-dry texture pairs with fragrant skin and a rich, sticky sweetness. Depending on the season, the selection may also include rarer varieties such as Amerika-imo, Pumpkin Kintoki and Anno imo, making it possible to compare their distinctive flavors.

A signature alongside the baked sweet potatoes, sweet-potato yokan stands out for its simple, earthy flavor and clean sweetness. A set that includes vivid purple sweet potato is a treat for the eyes, too. Enjoy it with tea, or warm it slightly and add butter to bring out a richer depth. The display case also features treats that cross the line between Japanese and Western styles, from daigaku-imo—crisp and fragrant outside, tender within—to sweet-potato tarts and sweet-potato cakes.

Kurataya, in Toshima, Kita City, is open during the day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays—a convenient stop for a gift or a snack while out exploring. Cashless payments are also widely supported, including PayPay, d-Barai and transport IC cards.