Ganso Nisshodo

Ganso Nisshodo's history begins with founder Noboru Nagashima entering apprenticeship at a Japanese sweets shop at age 5 — and walking the craftsman path while accumulating hardships. In Showa 12 — together with his wife Aki — opened a small Japanese sweets shop in Nikko (former Imaichi City) — naming it "Nisshodo" with the wish "for business to grow like the rising sun."

At founding — yokan making was patience-requiring work — using water drawn from a well, and kneading each bar by hand. This yokan technique and the craftsman sense of leveraging materials — over 70 years later — are still inherited unchanged. The sincere stance was evaluated — and eventually — came to be known as the Japanese sweets shop serving Nikko Toshogu offerings.

The signature product "Kinunishiki" — a famous sweet that won the Grand Prize at the National Confectionery Exhibition and was certified as a Nikko Toshogu offering. A Japanese-Western fusion sweet — sandwiching carefully-selected azuki bean paste in dough baked fluffy using domestic wheat flour — characterized as its name suggests by "silk"-like smooth mouthfeel and deep sweetness. Even now — celebrating 40 years since release — has become a long-seller loved by many people.

Meanwhile — what gave form to the founder's words "tradition is a continuous innovation" — "Nikko Rusk." Using French bread baked by skilled Japanese sweet craftsmen — within the crisp light texture unique to rusks — sealing the gentle commitment of Japanese sweet making. With flavor development familiar to wide generations — like maple, sugar, and chocolate — has become a hit product with cumulative sales exceeding 1 million units.

Currently — in addition to traditional Japanese sweets like "Kinunishiki," yokan, and kintsuba — also birthing new products incorporating Nikko-likeness and playfulness one after another: Nikko Rusk, Three Monkeys Monaka, and Yuba Arare. Also through store development accompanying lifestyle — like TENTO chocolate, NIKKO RUSK CAFE, and Utsunomiya's COCONOJI MARCHE — proposing new encounters not bound by the "long-established Japanese sweets shop" image.

In 2025 — the new online shop "Nisshodo Official Online Shop" opened — together with the conventional online store — arranged an environment for more convenient nationwide shopping. Going forward — Ganso Nisshodo — with the policy of "learning from the past, knowing the new" — will continue sweet making where Nikko's history and culture breathe.

Founded in 1937 — a long-established Japanese sweets shop handling Nikko Toshogu offerings

Founder Noboru Nagashima — went into apprenticeship at a Japanese sweets shop from a young age — polished his skills — and in Showa 12 — together with his wife Aki — opened a small Japanese sweets shop in Nikko City (former Imaichi City). Naming it "Nisshodo" — embedding his own name "Noboru (rising)" and the wish "for business to grow like the rising sun." The technique that started from yokan — drawing well water and kneading by hand each bar — is still inherited by craftsmen — now birthing famous sweets representing Nikko: like the Nikko Toshogu offering "Kinunishiki."

Nikko Toshogu offering "Kinunishiki" — grand-prize-winning signature sweet

"Kinunishiki" — winning the Grand Prize at the National Confectionery Exhibition and certified as a Nikko Toshogu offering — is a Japanese-Western fusion dorayaki-style sweet — layering fluffy-baked dough and carefully-selected azuki bean paste. With aromatic dough using domestic wheat flour, and moderately sweet tsubuan in harmony — moist texture and elegant sweetness spread. Continuing to be loved for over 40 years since release — still chosen for Oseibo, New Year greetings, and souvenirs — a symbolic item of Nisshodo.

"Tradition is a continuous innovation" — craftsman technique inherited in Nikko Rusk

With the founder's words "tradition is a continuous innovation" in the heart — what was born from new challenge — "Nikko Rusk." Slicing exclusive French bread baked with Tochigi milk and delicious water — finishing rusks with the careful sense of Japanese sweet craftsmen — characterized by crisp light texture and gentle sweetness. With abundant variations like maple, sugar, chocolate, and strawberry chocolate — has become a popular product with cumulative sales exceeding 1 million units.

Three Monkeys Monaka and Yuba Arare — sweet making leveraging Nikko motifs

Also developing many products leveraging Nikko's scenery and culture: "Nikko Aoi Three Monkeys Monaka" — motifed on the Toshogu-familiar "See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil"; and "Nikko Yuba Arare" — kneading Nikko specialty yuba into the dough. Of course the fun as a tourism souvenir — committing to sweet making that lets you take home "Nikko memories."

Ganso Nisshodo's world expanding in Nikko, Utsunomiya, and online

At physical stores — you can enjoy Nisshodo's sweets under each concept: the chocolate shop "TENTO chocolate" in Kami-Hatsuishi-cho, Nikko City; "NIKKO RUSK CAFE" in Miyuki-cho; and "COCONOJI MARCHE" in front of Utsunomiya Station. Also performing nationwide shipping through the official online shop and former online store — even those who haven't visited Nikko can easily taste Nisshodo's sweets.