Kasanaya Okinohata カサナヤ沖端 (Yanagawa, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

Yanagawa City  (柳川市) is a peaceful and historic town in Fukuoka Prefecture known for its picturesque canals and “donkobune” boat rides.

And Okinohata (沖端), one of the most scenic and culturally rich parts of the city, is where time slows down, and history flows as gently as the canals that wind through the neighborhood. 

Since Okinohata is literally in the backyard of our hotel, we couldn’t resist heading there to soak in the vibe. Quaint shops line the narrow streets, many of them selling fresh local produce, crafts, and specialties unique to the area. But what really caught our attention was a little gem tucked in between the city's iconic unagi eel restaurants — a cozy snack shop called Kasanaya Okinohata (カサナヤ沖端).

Kasanaya Okinohata keeps its focus razor-sharp with a menu of just four items but every one of them punches above its weight in flavor and flair.

Mutuyaki (220 yen) — A whimsical twist on the classic taiyaki (鯛焼き), the mutuyaki is cooked in a blowfish-shaped mold rather than a sea bream. Its golden, waffle-like batter is lightly crisped on the outside and pillowy soft inside.

One can choose from four fillings: red bean paste, custard, chestnut, and a savory ham and mayo. Being a sweet tooth myself, I went with the custard option. The crust was nice and spongy while the custard cream was smooth with a mild sweetness. The overall experience was a delightful one although I won't mind a little more sweetness in the custard. 

All in all, it’s the kind of snack that makes you smile even before the first bite.

Shrimp cracker 🦐 (700 yen) — For an Instagram-worthy bite, look no further than this shrimp cracker. The freshly made cracker arrives piping hot and fanned out across a wire rack. 

It takes about 6–8 minutes to make, but the anticipation only added to the experience especially for little nugget, who could barely contain his excitement watching it come to life.

The texture was crispy and airy with bright flavors of shrimp and umami that came mostly from two large prawns as toppings. It was our first time trying freshly made shrimp crackers, and honestly, I thought 700 yen for something this fresh and eye-catching was a total steal!

With our snacks in hand, we found a quiet spot by the canal to take in the scenery while we munched away. For under 1,000 yen, we've feasted on two hand-crafted, high-quality snacks under the late morning sun. Kasanaya Okinohata isn’t a place you stumble upon in guidebooks, but it’s exactly the kind of little treasure that makes traveling in Japan so magical.

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: ￥￥

Address: 34 Okinohatamachi, Yanagawa, Fukuoka 832-0065, Japan

Tel: +81 (0)80-3956-9329

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 4:30pm (Thu - Tue)