Taiyaki(鯛焼き) in Sugamo Togenuki JIZO Avenue.

I could see many things in each shops at Shopping Street of Sugamo Togenuki JIZO Avenue. I want to introduce some. These are “Taiyaki(鯛焼き)“,”Rice Cracker(Senbei 煎餅)” “Zouri(草履)” “Setta(雪駄)” “Geta(下駄)” “Chanchanko(ちゃんちゃんこ)” “Kanreki-costume(還暦衣装)” and “Shio-Daifuku(塩大福)”.

Taiyaki-Takoyaki-Tobiyasu

Tobiyasu-Shouten(飛安商店) in Sugamo.

taiyaki
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Fish-Shaped Iron Mold

What is Taiyaki?
Taiyaki is a fish-shaped cake/snack filled with azuki sweet red bean paste. During the street fair and festivals, you’ll see it being cooked on a fish-shaped iron mold. Why fish? The original taiyaki iron mold was round and the mold was for (still is) making Imagawayaki, which is the same as Taiyaki but with a circular shape. Back in Meiji-era (1868 – 1912), Tai (sea bream) was considered a very expensive fish and only eaten for special celebrations. Though unclear which sweet shops actually started the trend, they decided to change the snack from its circular shape mold to the sea bream shape mold, and the sea-bream-shaped cake was born and became a huge hit. Tai means “sea bream” and yaki means “grilled/baked”, hence that’s the origin of taiyaki.
Source of a Quote Just One Cookbook

Just One Cookbook is a very informative site!
Please check it out if you want to try cooking it.

Recently some Taiyaki shop’s is filling other ingredients like custard, chocolate, cheese, maccha, or sweet potato and so on.
Let’s try it if you like sweets!

There is such a sad and nostalgic song about “Taiyaki”. This song “Swim! Taiyaki kun (Oyoge Taiyaki Kun)” was released in 1975 and became a megahit.
It’s Japan’s number one selling song. Have you had the chance to listen to this song before?

Oyoge Taiyaki kun. およげたいやきくん

Swim!Taiyaki-Kun in English.

Swim!Taiyaki-Kun.
Lyrics

Day after day I was waiting to be fried.
I always tried to run away and hide.
One morning I said, “I want to be free”.
I left the fish store and went to the sea.
Swimming in the ocean felt so fine.
Golden water filled me with sunshine.
Even though my belly was full of bean jam.
I felt as light as air and happy as I swam.
Even though my belly was full of bean jam.
I felt as light as air and happy as I swam.

Day after day and now all I do is play.
I live in an old ship under the bay.
Sometimes sharks tease me, but I don’t care.
I swim fast till they can’t find me anywhere.
I’m so hungry from swimming all day long.
My tired body needs food to be strong.
Thought I saw a shrimp so I jumped from my nook.
But I was fooled – it was just a fishing hook.
Thought I saw a shrimp so I jumped from my nook
But I was fooled – it was just a fishing hook.

Twisting, turning – but I can’t get free.
The fisherman now is laughing at me.
I’m pulling hard but this hook is really stuck.
I can’t do anything, so I’m out of luck.

I’m just a Taiyaki – This is my fate.
A little burnt Taiyaki, ready for the plate.
This hungry man wants something to munch.
Taiyaki, I’m so tasty – I will be his lunch.

Read more…
★Rice Cracker(Senbei 煎餅)　
★Zouri(草履)　
★Setta(雪駄)　
★Geta(下駄)　
★Chanchanko(ちゃんちゃんこ)　
★Kanreki(還暦)　
★Shio-Daifuku(塩大福)