The area surrounding Harajuku Station and Omotesando Station in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, is known as the "Harajuku Area" and is one of Japan's premier shopping districts.
Harajuku, in particular, is famous as a trendsetting hub where young people and cutting-edge brands and items gather. It's packed with "kawaii" (cute) foods and items that have gained worldwide attention.
On the other hand, the area around Omotesando Station has a more sophisticated atmosphere, lined with luxury brand shops, making it an area where adults can also enjoy shopping. There are also stylish cafes and restaurants, perfect for taking a break between shopping.
In this article, I, who loves shopping in Harajuku, will introduce you to a recommended store, so please take a look!
If you are interested in "Kawaii" Photogenic Sweets & Eats in Harajuku, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy them as much as possible.
Takashi Nakadomari
Sweets Scene in Harajuku
While Harajuku is famous for fashion, it's also a crowded area with many cafes and restaurants. One characteristic of Harajuku's Takeshita Street is the abundance of easy-to-eat sweets, like buying crepes and eating them while walking.
Recently in Harajuku, stores and sweets that embody "Kawaii" culture - colorful, cute, and photogenic - have become very popular. Among these, STRAWBERRY FETISH, which I'll introduce today, sells very cute sweets perfect for eating while walking. It's an absolute must-visit store for those who love cute things.
Now, let me introduce you to STRAWBERRY FETISH.
What is STRAWBERRY FETISH?
Strawberry Fetish Harajuku is Japan's first permanent specialty store for strawberry candy.
Strawberry candy isn't just strawberry-flavored candy, but fresh strawberries coated in sugar syrup (candy). In Japan, it was traditionally sold at festival stalls and was a treat that could only be enjoyed on special occasions. Strawberry Fetish is a groundbreaking store that allows you to enjoy this special candy anytime. Moreover, they offer strawberry candy that's a cut above what's sold at festival stalls.
The main store is located on Harajuku's Takeshita Street, making it easily accessible. The interior of the store and the appearance of the strawberry candy are very vibrant, characterized by colorful and cute designs. The store itself embodies "Kawaii" culture, and its cuteness has made it a focal point for many tourists.
The strawberry candy I particularly recommend is not only visually appealing but also delicious, which is why I eat it every time I visit Harajuku. Since you can eat it while walking, it's a place I'd definitely like visitors to stop by.
Now, let me tell you more about the strawberry candy that sold over 1.5 million pieces in 2023!
Key Points of STRAWBERRY FETISH
Instagram-worthy Strawberry Candy
source：Official website
Strawberry Fetish Harajuku's strawberry candy is characterized by its beautiful finish, unique to a specialty store. Among their offerings, the "Long Strawberry Candy" is especially striking, with 5 fresh strawberries beautifully skewered, making for an exceptionally gorgeous appearance.
While strawberry candy sold at festival stalls varies in quantity, coating technique, and presentation, often with a handmade feel, this store's strawberry candy has a beautiful glossy finish on the candy-coated fresh strawberries. It truly embodies "Kawaii" culture in its appearance and is perfect for photos and social media posts.
The store interior is also carefully designed, with the "strawberry sofa" at the Takeshita Street store being a perfect spot for taking photos with your strawberry candy. Be sure to take some great pictures!
Dedication to Ingredients and Coating
source：Official website
When you eat it, you'll notice the store's attention to detail in every aspect of the strawberry candy. You can strongly feel their commitment to the quality of the fruit and the careful coating process.
First, they use Japanese-grown fruits that are very fresh and high in sugar content. The exceptionally high-quality strawberries, unique to a specialty store, are more sweet than sour. The perfect combination of strawberry sweetness and candy sweetness is surprisingly well-matched and sure to be addictive.
Next is the coating technique. While the candy for typical strawberry candy is made with sugar and water, Strawberry Fetish Harajuku's candy adjusts the viscosity by mixing granulated sugar and rock sugar. This allows for a thin and perfect coating that breaks with just one bite, allowing you to enjoy a crunchy texture along with the strawberry. I feel this coating brings out the best in the strawberry candy.
Please try this high-quality fruit candy that's been calculated in terms of ingredients, taste, and appearance!
Best Eaten Within 5 Minutes!
The shelf life of Strawberry Fetish Harajuku's strawberry candy is just 5 minutes. This is because the candy coating is very thin and dissolves easily.
To enjoy both the texture of the candy and the juiciness of the fruit, it's recommended to eat it immediately after purchase. You can't even wrap it for takeout, so it's best to enjoy it right at the storefront.
Unlike festival stall strawberry candy, Strawberry Fetish Harajuku's candy is chilled, which is another unique feature. However, especially during hot seasons, you need to be conscious of eating it quickly before it melts. As time passes, the candy tends to drip, so caution is needed when eating.
While it's tempting to get caught up in taking photos, don't forget to eat it while it's delicious. Please enjoy this carefully crafted taste on the spot.
Seasonal Fruit Candies Too
source：Tabelog
While strawberry candy is the most popular at Strawberry Fetish Harajuku, they also offer candies made with other fruits.
The standard grape candy uses large, seedless Kyoho grapes, highlighting the sweetness of the fruit. When you bite into it, the juice bursts out, and its acidity perfectly matches the sweet candy. It's exquisite along with the strawberry, so please give it a try.
As a limited-time offer, they sometimes sell Shine Muscat candy. It consists of 4 sweet Shine Muscat grapes coated in candy, and it's also a popular item. If you see it, please give it a try.
They also regularly sell strawberry-grape candy (green) that includes muscat grapes. For those who like muscat, the juicy and mildly sweet muscat candy is also recommended.
All the fruits at Strawberry Fetish Harajuku are fresh and very sweet, using high-quality fresh fruits. Compared to festival fruit candy, the fruit flavor and coating quality are on a different level. Please try various types and find your favorite fruit candy!
Recommended Menu at STRAWBERRY FETISH
Short Strawberry Candy
source：Tabelog
For those who want to enjoy both strawberry and grape candy, the "Strawberry-Grape Candy" is perfect. Strawberry and grape candies are alternately skewered, allowing you to enjoy the deliciousness of both at once.
This menu comes in two varieties, where you can choose between Kyoho grape candy or muscat candy for the grape part. Both the sweet and sour strawberry candy and the juicy grape candy pair perfectly with the sweet and crispy candy coating.
While there are many strawberry candy fans, there are also many voices saying they prefer grape candy. Therefore, for those who can't choose between the two, this strawberry-grape candy is recommended. It's very cost-effective as you can enjoy both flavors at the same time.
Strawberry-Grape Candy
source：Tabelog
For those who want to enjoy both strawberry and grape candy, the "Strawberry-Grape Candy" is perfect. Strawberry and grape candies are alternately skewered, allowing you to enjoy the deliciousness of both at once.
This menu comes in two varieties, where you can choose between Kyoho grape candy or muscat candy for the grape part. Both the sweet and sour strawberry candy and the juicy grape candy pair perfectly with the sweet and crispy candy coating.
While there are many strawberry candy fans, there are also many voices saying they prefer grape candy. Therefore, for those who can't choose between the two, this strawberry-grape candy is recommended. It's very cost-effective as you can enjoy both flavors at the same time.
Condensed Milk Topping
source：Tabelog
Strawberry Fetish Harajuku offers various types of toppings. Specifically, they have condensed milk, cocoa condensed milk, matcha condensed milk, tiramisu, cheesecake, and matcha tart toppings, allowing you to enjoy strawberry candy in new ways.
Among these, the most recommended is condensed milk, which pairs perfectly with strawberries. Strawberry Fetish Harajuku's strawberries are very sweet, and adding the milky sweetness of condensed milk to the sweet candy further enhances the mellow sweetness. The slight acidity unique to strawberry fruit is well-balanced by the condensed milk, deepening the flavor.
Also, condensed milk pairs excellently with grape candy. The sweetness of Kyoho or muscat grapes perfectly matches the mellow condensed milk, allowing you to enjoy a new deliciousness. Please try adding condensed milk topping to your strawberry or grape candy to enjoy the best taste.
Access to STRAWBERRY FETISH
Strawberry Fetish has three stores in Harajuku, but here I'll introduce how to get to the "Strawberry Fetish Harajuku Takeshita Street Main Store".
First, exit from the "Harajuku Station Takeshita Exit", and you'll see Takeshita Street stretching straight ahead. Cross the pedestrian crossing and enter Takeshita Street. Continue straight along the street. After walking for about 2 minutes from Harajuku Station, you'll see the Strawberry Fetish store on your right.
On the second floor is "TOTTI CANDY FACTORY", a sister store selling giant colorful cotton candy, which can also serve as a landmark.
Strawberry Fetish Harajuku Takeshita Street Main Store
Address: 1-16-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Please take this opportunity to visit Strawberry Fetish and enjoy delicious strawberry candy!
Basic Information for STRAWBERRY FETISH
Business Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00, Sat/Sun/Holidays 9:30-20:00
Closed: Irregular
Phone: 03-6434-7837
Official Website
Official Instagram