※This article was published at March 2015.※
You wouldn’t imagine what sugar, starch syrup, flour and eggs can do! Find out at Kobe’s Motomachi Arcade.
Kobe, an idyllic port town, is located approximate twenty minutes from Osaka.
There are direct buses from Kansai International Airport (KIX), the hub airport of Western Japan.
Running through the centre of town are several arcades.
Today, let me take you on a journey along the fun Motomachi Arcade (元町商店街, Motomachi-shotengai)!
Oh! What’s this mysterious looking shop?
After a few minutes of collecting the courage to do so, I set foot into the narrow, dark shop.
Posters look like they’ve come from the 1950s (they probably have); amazingly, a letter from President J.F. Kennedy (1970s) occupies the wall.
At the end of the store is a quaint, small counter.
Behind it, an elderly woman sits selling today’s star: Castella.
So, what’s the history of Castella?
Castella, a type of sponge cake, came all the way from Portugal, brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th Century.
(As an aside, they also brought guns, tobacco and pumpkins!)
Castella was a popular snack among the globetrotting Portuguese, as it can be preserved for a long time.
Over time, the tastes evolved to suit Japanese preferences.
My impression is that it’s slightly plain by itself, but is delicious when complemented with a hot cup of tea.
By the way, this shop dates back from 1864 (when Japan opened its ports to the world after 300 years of being a closed nation)!
Also, the shop owners are elderly, so call out for them (loudly) if they’re not at the counter!
Map:
You wouldn’t imagine what sugar, starch syrup, flour and eggs can do! Find out at Kobe’s Motomachi Arcade.
Kobe, an idyllic port town, is located approximate twenty minutes from Osaka.
There are direct buses from Kansai International Airport (KIX), the hub airport of Western Japan.
Running through the centre of town are several arcades.
Today, let me take you on a journey along the fun Motomachi Arcade (元町商店街, Motomachi-shotengai)!
Oh! What’s this mysterious looking shop?
After a few minutes of collecting the courage to do so, I set foot into the narrow, dark shop.
Posters look like they’ve come from the 1950s (they probably have); amazingly, a letter from President J.F. Kennedy (1970s) occupies the wall.
At the end of the store is a quaint, small counter.
Behind it, an elderly woman sits selling today’s star: Castella.
So, what’s the history of Castella?
Castella, a type of sponge cake, came all the way from Portugal, brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th Century.
(As an aside, they also brought guns, tobacco and pumpkins!)
Castella was a popular snack among the globetrotting Portuguese, as it can be preserved for a long time.
Over time, the tastes evolved to suit Japanese preferences.
My impression is that it’s slightly plain by itself, but is delicious when complemented with a hot cup of tea.
By the way, this shop dates back from 1864 (when Japan opened its ports to the world after 300 years of being a closed nation)!
Also, the shop owners are elderly, so call out for them (loudly) if they’re not at the counter!
Map:
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