Asakusa, Tokyo, is a charming district known for its traditional atmosphere and bustling downtown streets. At its heart stands “Funawa Honten” (hereafter referred to as “Funawa”), a beloved Japanese confectionery shop founded in 1902.
Famous for its signature imoyōkan (a traditional jellied dessert made from sweet potatoes), Funawa offers a delightful variety of simple yet flavorful wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) and other desserts that emphasize the natural taste of their ingredients.
The main shop also houses a café, making it an ideal spot to relax during a sightseeing stroll.
Here’s an introduction to the delectable world of Funawa, a must-visit destination when in Asakusa.
Enjoy classic sweets in Funawa’s relaxing café atmosphere
The main shop of Funawa is conveniently located about eight minutes on foot from Asakusa Station, at the intersection of Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street and Orange Street.
The first floor offers a variety of sweets and confections perfect as souvenirs. You can also order soft-serve ice cream for takeaway.
First-floor storefront of Funawa’s main shop
The second and third floors serve as a café where visitors can comfortably enjoy Funawa’s renowned wagashi and other desserts. You can access these floors by the classic spiral staircase or take the elevator.
Second-floor café at Funawa’s main shop
Inside, the retro-modern interior offers a calm retreat—a hidden gem amidst Asakusa’s lively streets.
Discover the deliciousness of anko at a historic wagashi shop
One beloved staple since Funawa’s founding is the “Sweet bean paste balls” (“anko-dama” in Japanese) which highlights the pure taste of anko (sweet bean paste). These small balls are coated in agar.
Their popularity is enhanced by the convenience of being able to order as many as you want, starting with a single piece, often paired with a beverage.
“あんこ玉,” Sweet bean paste balls, 130 JPY each (tax included)
Available in six flavors: “azuki beans,” “white kidney beans” (shiroingenmame, meaning “white beans” in Japanese), “green tea” (matcha in Japanese), “strawberry,” “coffee,” and “mandarin orange.” While the “azuki beans” variant uses smooth red bean paste, the others use bean paste made from white beans.
The colorful appearance often leads customers to mistake them for chocolates.
Though centered on anko, each flavor offers a refined sweetness that encourages another bite—no wonder they’re long-time favorites.
Seasonal flavors are also available for takeaway, so don’t miss checking them out during your visit.
“抹茶あんみつ,” Matcha anmitsu 1,000 JPY (tax included)
Matcha sweets are immensely popular worldwide, and Funawa’s “Matcha Anmitsu” is a particularly beloved choice.
This delightful dessert features matcha-flavored agar, matcha bean paste, red peas, fresh fruits, and gyūhi (soft rice cake), all drizzled generously with matcha-infused white syrup.
The bitter notes of matcha balanced by sweet syrup create a delicious harmony with diverse textures that keep each bite exciting.
A creative twist on classic Funawa sweets at the café
Funawa’s “Sweet potato bar” (imoyokan in Japanese) is undoubtedly their signature sweet, renowned since its founding.
Although yōkan is a jellied dessert usually made with red bean paste, imoyokan is made from sweet potatoes, sugar, and a pinch of salt, providing a simple, wholesome sweetness.
“焼芋ようかんセット,” Baked sweet potato bar set 1,200 JPY (tax included)
In addition to their signature sweet, the café’s “Baked sweet potato bar set” is particularly popular. It includes their imoyokan, but grilled on three sides, a monaka (a confection featuring a sweet filling, usually bean paste, sandwiched between rice flour wafers), vanilla ice cream, and matcha tea.
Baked sweet potato bar
Enjoying it with butter gives it a delightful sweet-potato-pie-like flavor!
Monaka
The monaka in the set comes generously filled with Funawa’s signature anko—your choice of chunky or smooth.
Matcha
Matcha is a distinctive Japanese green tea made by whisking finely ground tea leaves with hot water using a bamboo whisk called a chasen. This preparation method aerates the tea, creating a soft texture and mellowing the natural bitterness of matcha. Matcha pairs excellently with traditional Japanese sweets.
At the café space of Funawa Honten, you can also request matcha served chilled during hot weather.
Enjoy Funawa’s popular takeaway treats on lively Nakamise Street
Near the main shop, Funawa Nakamise Shop No. 3 offers sweets you can hold in one hand, ideal for strolling.
“芋ようかんソフトクリーム,” Imoyokan soft serve 400 JPY (tax included)
This creamy soft serve combines Funawa’s famous imoyokan with vanilla ice cream, topped with a sweet potato cracker called “Koganeiro no Imo Kinka.”
“芋バターどら焼き,” Sweet potato butter dorayaki 380 JPY (tax included)
Funawa Nakamise Shop No. 3 offers three types of dorayaki (a confection of sweet red bean paste sandwiched between two small pancakes), including “Sweet potato butter dorayaki” (imo batā dorayaki in Japanese). This treat combines smooth sweet potato paste with creamy butter, perfectly balancing subtle sweetness, buttery saltiness, and moist dorayaki pancakes.
“舟月どら焼き,” Funatsuki Dorayaki 380 JPY (tax included)
“Funatsuki Dorayaki,” on the other hand, features thick dorayaki pancakes generously filled with chunky red bean paste and Funawa’s famous imoyokan. The delightful combination highlights Funawa’s mastery in sweets.
Funawa Honten’s exterior
Whether savoring traditional sweets at the main shop or grabbing a treat on Nakamise Street, Funawa offers a delightful experience. Why not enjoy both for the full Asakusa sweets tour?
Immerse yourself in vibrant Asakusa and discover Japan’s exceptional wagashi.
Information
| Store name | 舟和 本店 Funawa Honten |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-22-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
|
| Access |
Asakusa Station 4-min walk from Exit 3
Asakusa Station 4-min walk from Exit A1
|
| Phone number | 03-3842-2781 |
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Payment |
|
| Hours | 1st floor retail: 10:00-19:00 2nd & 3rd floor cafe: 10:00-19:00（last order 18:30） |
| Closed | None Unscheduled holidays |
| Seating | Mon–Fri: 29 table seats Sat, Sun & nat’l holidays: 62 table seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://funawa.jp/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of July 2025.
