Sumiyoshi, in front of Kawasaki Daishi’s gate since 1917: fresh kuzumochi at its café, half price for eat-in on the 20th and 21st of each month
Published
Translated from Japanese. If anything differs, the Japanese version is correct.
Key points 30-second read
- Founded in 1917, this Japanese sweets shop has stood in front of Kawasaki Daishi’s main gate for over 100 years and is now run by the fifth generation. Its specialty is triangular kuzumochi.
- You can eat freshly made kuzumochi at the café next to the shop. On the 20th and 21st of every month, temple fair days, eat-in kuzumochi is half price.
- It is a 5-minute walk from Kawasaki-Daishi Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line. There is also a shop in Kawasaki Azalea, the underground mall at Kawasaki Station.
Image: Kawasaki Daishi Sanmonmae Sumiyoshi official website
Why we picked it: Founded in 1917, it has stood in front of Kawasaki Daishi’s gate for more than 100 years. The shop says its kuzumochi is certified as a Kawasaki specialty product.
A sweets shop founded in 1917 before Kawasaki Daishi's gate
A Japanese sweets shop in front of the main gate of Kawasaki Daishi temple. According to its official website, it was founded in 1917 and has done business in front of the gate for more than 100 years. The current head is the fifth generation.
Its specialty is kuzumochi, a sweet made by fermenting wheat starch. The shop says it uses no additives and keeps to traditional methods. The triangle shape has long been said to mean purification and warding off bad luck, and the yellow wrapping carries the wish to "bring happiness."
The Oshimeshi pick: kuzumochi in the café, ¥500
In 2025, the shop entered its eat-in kuzumochi (¥500) in "#Kawasaki Oshi-Meshi," a Kawasaki City campaign for local restaurants. According to the shop’s entry, the chewy kuzumochi is eaten with fragrant roasted soybean flour and house-made black sugar syrup. The kuzumochi is certified as a Kawasaki specialty product and has long been a favorite souvenir of Kawasaki Daishi, which draws about 3 million visitors at New Year.
The official website says you can enjoy the "freshly made taste" at the modern Japanese-style café next to the shop. On the 20th and 21st of every month, the temple’s fair days, eat-in kuzumochi is half price.
Two more Sumiyoshi shops
Besides the shop in front of the gate, Sumiyoshi has two more.
| Shop | Hours | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Sanmonmae Sumiyoshi (shop and café) | 8:30–17:00 | 4-47 Daishi-machi, Kawasaki Ward |
| Coffee house Mochijin Sumiyoshi (餅陣住吉) | 9:00–16:30 | 4-45 Daishi-machi, Kawasaki Ward |
| Kawasaki Azalea shop | 10:00–21:00 | 26-2 Ekimae-honcho, Kawasaki Ward |
All shops close on irregular days. At Mochijin Sumiyoshi, the "kuzumochi sundae," kuzumochi with Mother Farm soft-serve ice cream, is described as popular. The Azalea shop at Kawasaki Station is easy to drop by from Saiwai Ward.
5 minutes' walk from Kawasaki Daishi Station
The shop in front of the gate is a 5-minute walk from Kawasaki-Daishi Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line. From Saiwai Ward, change to the Daishi Line at Keikyu Kawasaki Station. Hours may change, so check the official website or Instagram (@daishikuzumochi) before you go.
Restaurant info
| Name | Kawasaki Daishi Sanmonmae Sumiyoshi (川崎大師 山門前 住吉) |
|---|---|
| Address | 神奈川県川崎市川崎区大師町4-47 |
| Nearest station | 5 min walk from Kawasaki-Daishi Sta. (Keikyu Daishi Line) |
| Hours | 8:30–17:00 |
| Closed | Irregular |
| Budget | Under ¥1,000 |
| Official | kuzumochi.com |
Please check the restaurant’s official information for the latest details (as of Oct 16, 2026).
Your Saiwai rank goes up with each place you visit. Tap again to undo.
Sources
- 山門前 住吉について（株式会社住吉）
- 店舗案内・会社概要（株式会社住吉）
- #かわさき推しメシ2025 エントリー No.33 喫茶 久寿餅（川崎大師 山門前 喫茶住吉）（かわさきAKINAI AWARD）
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