ASAKUSA Underground > Taste Thunder Raisers
When Asakusa meets sweets, we find Thunder Raisers.
A Thunder Raiser? What the heck is it? Can you really eat it?
It is called Kaminari Okoshi in Japanese, and looks like tiny popcorn glued and packed in the size of two lumps of sugar.
It is made of rice, in fact, not corn. They steam it and make its paste first. Then, they cut it into minute pieces and pan-fry it. They mix it with sugar, and add peanuts or sesame. Before it gets cold, they cut it or put it into the moulds.
It was very easy to prepare and its ingredients were not difficult to find at all, so Okoshi was a popular snack among the common people. It has a long history, and its origin is dated back to the middle age.
At Asakusa, some smart street vendors came up with a good idea of selling this common sweet as a fortune charm that you can eat. It sold quite well right next to Kaminari-mon gate, where the thunder god is protecting the whole temple. Later, some other vendors had another smart idea. They named it Kaminari Okoshi, and Thunder Raisers earned them more money. Would you like to sell Empire State Burgers or Big Ben Kebab?
Here are the names and addresses of some Kaminari Okoshi sellers. We don't know if they are related to the very first smart vendor.
-Tokiwado Kaminari Okoshi Kaminari-mon Honten
Zip.111-0032, 1-3-2 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3841-5656 Fax. 03-3842-5657
E-mail kaminari@tokiwado.com
Business hours 9:00 to 21:00
No holidays
---The shop is right next to Kaminari-mon gate.
-Sumibi-te-yaki-senbei Ichi-ban-ya
1-31-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3842-5001 Fax. 03-3847-0150
Business hours 9:00 to 19:30
No holidays
---The shop is on Nakamise shopping street.
-Taishin-do Kaminari Okoshi
Zip. 110-0016, 4-28-2 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3832-0005 Fax. 03-3831-3956
Business hours 8:30 to 18:00
Holidays: Sundays (except the last five Sundays of the year)
---Toei Oo-Edo line or Tsukuba Express, Shin-Okachimachi station, A2 exit, three minutesf walk.
They sell their Kaminari Okoshi at the factory, too.
-Taishin-do Factory
Zip. 130-0014, 4-23-11 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3624-8961 Fax. 03-3624-8867
Business hours 8:30 to 17:00
Holidays: Sundays and public holidays
---JR line, Kinshicho station, north exit, 12 minutesf walk.
The other shops make their sweets away from the shops.
This Taishin-do has its factory relatively close to the shop.
Besides, you can buy their fresh Kaminari Okoshi at the factory.
That is all, but hopefully you will understand what it means.
To find out the exact location, use diddlefinger.
The site is your best guide when you work in Tokyo or travel in Japan.
Taste Thunder Raisers
When Asakusa meets sweets, we find Thunder Raisers.A Thunder Raiser? What the heck is it? Can you really eat it?
It is called Kaminari Okoshi in Japanese, and looks like tiny popcorn glued and packed in the size of two lumps of sugar.
It is made of rice, in fact, not corn. They steam it and make its paste first. Then, they cut it into minute pieces and pan-fry it. They mix it with sugar, and add peanuts or sesame. Before it gets cold, they cut it or put it into the moulds.
It was very easy to prepare and its ingredients were not difficult to find at all, so Okoshi was a popular snack among the common people. It has a long history, and its origin is dated back to the middle age.
At Asakusa, some smart street vendors came up with a good idea of selling this common sweet as a fortune charm that you can eat. It sold quite well right next to Kaminari-mon gate, where the thunder god is protecting the whole temple. Later, some other vendors had another smart idea. They named it Kaminari Okoshi, and Thunder Raisers earned them more money. Would you like to sell Empire State Burgers or Big Ben Kebab?
Here are the names and addresses of some Kaminari Okoshi sellers. We don't know if they are related to the very first smart vendor.
-Tokiwado Kaminari Okoshi Kaminari-mon Honten
Zip.111-0032, 1-3-2 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3841-5656 Fax. 03-3842-5657
E-mail kaminari@tokiwado.com
Business hours 9:00 to 21:00
No holidays
---The shop is right next to Kaminari-mon gate.
-Sumibi-te-yaki-senbei Ichi-ban-ya
1-31-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3842-5001 Fax. 03-3847-0150
Business hours 9:00 to 19:30
No holidays
---The shop is on Nakamise shopping street.
-Taishin-do Kaminari Okoshi
Zip. 110-0016, 4-28-2 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3832-0005 Fax. 03-3831-3956
Business hours 8:30 to 18:00
Holidays: Sundays (except the last five Sundays of the year)
---Toei Oo-Edo line or Tsukuba Express, Shin-Okachimachi station, A2 exit, three minutesf walk.
They sell their Kaminari Okoshi at the factory, too.
-Taishin-do Factory
Zip. 130-0014, 4-23-11 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3624-8961 Fax. 03-3624-8867
Business hours 8:30 to 17:00
Holidays: Sundays and public holidays
---JR line, Kinshicho station, north exit, 12 minutesf walk.
The other shops make their sweets away from the shops.
This Taishin-do has its factory relatively close to the shop.
Besides, you can buy their fresh Kaminari Okoshi at the factory.
That is all, but hopefully you will understand what it means.
To find out the exact location, use diddlefinger.
The site is your best guide when you work in Tokyo or travel in Japan.