Search for the ultimate "Yakiimo"! A report on visiting three specialty stores in one day

The season for delicious hot yakiimo has arrived! The carefully crafted yakiimo from specialty stores offers a high-quality taste. With confidence that you can eat as much as you want, I visited three yakiimo specialty stores in Sagamihara City, Atsugi City, and Yamato City in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Sagamihara City, baking sweet potatoes slowly in a dedicated pot for 2 hours at "Tsuboyaki Imo Marusen"

The first place I checked out was "Tsuboyaki Imo Marusen," located in the Minami Ward of Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s a sweet potato specialty store that I have visited several times since it’s close to a friend’s house. The store also offers dedicated parking in front.

Nearby, there are large parks like Sagamihara Park and Asamizoko Park, which makes it convenient to stop by while walking my beloved dog.

The sweet potatoes at Marusen are said to be baked for 2 hours in a dedicated pot using carefully selected potatoes that match the season, enhancing their sweetness and aroma. In addition to various types of sweet potatoes like "Beniharuka" and "Naruto Kintoki," they also offer sweets such as "Pudding," "Imo Chips," and "Sweet Potato." The stylish interior includes an eat-in space, allowing customers to enjoy freshly baked sweet potatoes on-site.

What I purchased this time was "Beniharuka" (100g / 250 yen). I chose a smaller size sweet potato, but there were also ones of about double that size in the pot. The sweet potato was overflowing with syrup, looking delicious from the get-go.

The freshly bought sweet potato was so hot that it was difficult to hold with bare hands. Eagerly, I took a bite, and it was sweet! The texture was surprisingly moist, resembling a naturally luxurious dessert.

This flavor might be hard to replicate at home or while camping. The ability to enjoy the moist texture all the way through the sweet potato adds to the satisfaction and makes it delicious.

Tsuboyaki Imo Marusen
Address: 3092 Shimomizo, Minami Ward, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Business Hours: 11:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays *Open on Saturdays only on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of the month.

Atsugi City Original Recipe's Fluffy Texture "Oimo ya MELISSA"

Next, we stopped by "Oimo ya MELISSA," located in Asahi Town, Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It's a convenient location, just a 6-minute walk from Hon-Atsugi Station (south exit) on the Odakyu Line. The baked sweet potatoes are characterized by their original cooking method, taking more than 2 hours to bake thoroughly.

The shop also displays a lantern that says "Baked Sweet Potatoes," which draws everyone in like a magnet.

There were about 5 types of baked sweet potatoes available, but this time I purchased the staff-recommended "Beni Azuma" (100g / 180 yen). It’s a baked sweet potato that allows you to enjoy a fluffy texture, so my expectations were high even before tasting it.

When I broke it in half, the inside was a bright yellow with a relatively smooth texture. When I tasted it, the flavor of traditional baked sweet potatoes spread across my palate. I thought to myself, "I prefer baked sweet potatoes that are sticky and full of syrup," but this simple and fluffy type allows you to enjoy the true taste of sweet potatoes directly!

It's easy to understand why there are strong fans of the fluffy type when you eat this. The sweetness is modest and refined, and I could eat as much as I want without getting bored.

Oimo ya MELISSA
Address: 1-33-7 Asahi Town, Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Business Hours: 12:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Closed on: Mondays (open on holidays)

In Yamato City, the most popular is the sticky Asahi Kanjuro from "Yakiimo Specialty Store Akina"

The last stop was "Yakiimo Specialty Store Akina," marked by a cute illustration. I had eaten the sweet potatoes here before and was so moved by the deliciousness that I revisited. It's a 2-minute walk from Odakyu Line Minami-Rinkan Station (West Exit). There is a dedicated parking space for one car, making it easy to access.

The sweet potatoes are made using a special method that cooks them slowly at low temperatures, bringing out the sweetness to the limit. The retro atmosphere reminiscent of the Showa era and the eat-in space are also features.

When I entered the shop, I was welcomed by the owner with a lovely smile. The lineup for the day included "Asahi Kanjuro," a brand of sweet potato from Ibaraki, "2025 Silk," a new sweet potato, "Kuri Kaguya," which has a sweetness reminiscent of Japanese chestnuts, and frozen "Amahazuki." There is a rich variety of sweet potato sizes! The very kind owner showed me the sweet potatoes on display while providing careful advice, making it easy to choose.

This time, I got the most popular "Asahi Kanjuro" (small size 400 yen). As the catchphrase says, "Aged exquisite sweetness," a large amount of syrup is oozing from the baked sweet potato.

When I broke it in half, just as you see! It's generally sticky, and the shiny cross-section gleams like a jewel. The dense sweetness spreads like a dessert, and I enjoyed a melting, blissful texture. I've eaten many sticky sweet potatoes before, but the quality at "Yakiimo Specialty Store Akina" is exceptional. I've only had the sweet potatoes, but according to reviews, the desserts are also of high quality. Next time, I definitely want to try the burnt caramel sweet potato brulee.

Yakiimo Specialty Store Akina
Address: 2-10-16 Minamikamka, Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Business Hours: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Closed on: Monday, Tuesday

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