1. A purin specialty shop that focuses on Yamagata

Kaminoyama Onsen has a long history, dating back over 560 years since it first opened.

Yamagata Pudding, the prefecture’s first purin specialty store, is located in a corner of the hot spring district called Hayama Onsen.

Since its opening in 2018, sweets lovers from inside and outside the prefecture have been visiting after hearing about its reputation.

The store is located across the street from Nihon no Yado Koyo, a hot spring inn that represents Hayama Onsen, and the parking lot is spacious.

Yamagata Prefecture is known as the fruit kingdom because of its thriving fruit-growing industry.

Yamagata Pudding was born from the desire to create sweets using the prefecture’s abundant fruits.

In line with this philosophy, they aim to promote the deliciousness of Yamagata fruits both within and outside the prefecture through their purin.

As soon as you enter the shop, you will see a showcase displaying the fresh fruits used as ingredients.

When you look at the accompanying product descriptions, they all look so delicious that it’s hard to choose.

There is a café inside the store, where you can enjoy purin that can only be eaten here!

The introduction will be later…

The café space is large enough to seat about 15 people.

You can spend a comfortable time in a natural and calming atmosphere.

2. You'll be enchanted by the cute lineup!

There are six different kinds of colorful purin available at all times, including seasonal varieties.

From plain treats to those made with seasonal fruits, each one is carefully handmade.

The fruit is carefully selected from various regions, with pastry chef Takashi Niino visiting producers within the prefecture to talk to them and select only those that he is satisfied with.

By dealing directly with producers, they are not only able to receive high-quality fruit, but they also sometimes get product development ideas from the producers, such as, “Perhaps this fruit would also be good.”

These purin are filled with the desire of the producers and pastry chefs to “convey the deliciousness of fruit through purin.”

Now, let’s take a look at some of the products.

・Chocolate Strawberry [seasonal]

The sweet and sour taste of Higashine strawberries and the sweetness of chocolate.

It’s the ultimate combination that will make you want to eat it again and again.

・Fresh cherries [seasonal]

Speaking of Yamagata fruits, this is it!

The purin is topped with compote cherries and cherry mousse.

・Melon [seasonal]

Made with sand dune melon from Shonai.

The mellow aroma of melon, the flavor of the yogurt sauce, and the sweetness of the purin are a perfect marriage.

The moment you put it in your mouth, you can’t help but smile.

・Peach [seasonal]

A juicy and delicious purin made with plenty of fresh Kaminoyama peaches.

There is almond sauce between the peach and the purin.

・Seasonal limited edition purin

Other limited-edition seasonal products line the showcases, including Obanazawa watermelon, Mt. Gassan plateau blueberries, Kaminoyama La France pears, local apples, Shine Muscat grapes, and wine purin in collaboration with a local Kaminoyama winery.

Seasonal items vary depending on the fruit, but on average they are only available for about a month.

For that reason, many customers visit in search of the purin that can only be eaten during that season.

You’ll want to try all of them.

・Hot spring egg purin [limited quantity]

There is also a unique purin made in limited quantities that is inspired by Kaminoyama Onsen.
It has a very cute appearance, resembling a hot spring egg.

The white part is made from milk jelly, and when you put a spoon into the yolk and break it, a thick, rich sauce overflows.

・Try it! Strawberry purin

We decided to have the takeout pudding specially at the café.

The staff member brought us strawberry purin made with Tochiotome strawberries grown in the prefecture.

Depending on the season, you can also enjoy other varieties such as “Otomegokoro” and “Strawberry Princess.”

The strawberries coated in jelly are large and have a slightly sour taste.

Beneath the strawberries are two layers of sour strawberry sauce and thick purin.
An exquisite balance of sweetness that doesn’t overwhelm the sweetness of the strawberries themselves.

As you eat it, the deliciousness keeps coming.

The price of each product varies depending on the type, ranging from 421 yen to 518 yen.
You can also purchase them from the online shop , so why not check out the seasonal items as well?

3. The secret to deliciousness is carefully selected ingredients and reliable techniques

This purin is so simple yet so profound.

The milk and eggs that determine the flavor are also produced within the prefecture.

There is no compromise in the selection of materials or manufacturing process.

The milk used is Yamabe Milk produced in the prefecture.

This rich-tasting milk is made from raw milk from healthy cows raised on safe feed, and is processed to preserve its nutrients and flavor.

The eggs, which can be said to be the lifeblood of the purin, are safflower eggs coming from chicken raised on safflower, the flower of Yamagata Prefecture.

The vibrant yolk color and rich flavor are what make Yamagata Purin so delicious.

By steaming them slowly at low temperature for a long period of time, a smooth and rich purin is created.

Using carefully selected ingredients, this one-of-a-kind purin is created thanks to the skills of pastry chef Niino, who trained at Michelin-star restaurants and famous patisseries in France.

Niino’s attitude of searching for ingredients from Yamagata, working closely with them, and pursuing the deliciousness of Yamagata every day as he works on making pudding has resulted in the creation of this exquisite purin.

4. Café menu that can only be enjoyed here

・Yamagata Fresh Purin [Best before 10 minutes] [Limited to 20 servings per day]

The currently popular Yamagata Fresh Purin with a 10-minute shelf life is 880 yen (drink set: 1,210 yen)

The freshly made Yamagata Fresh Purin can only be enjoyed on the spot and is a menu item offered exclusively at the café.
Just hearing the words “Best before date: 10 minutes” and “Limited to 20 servings per day” gets you excited.

I asked with a faint hope, but it was already sold out.
Apparently they sell out in no time at all, both from checked-out guests and those who arrive just for the purin.

“I was inspired by rice with raw egg on top. I wanted people to enjoy the taste of freshly made purin while mixing in the egg yolk when eating.”

The interesting thing about this is that the person eating the purin is what completes it.

Listening to Mr. Niino’s story, my curiosity about what it tastes like grows.

Many happy comments have been received, such as, “I wanted to try it at least once as a memory of my trip.”

・Fresh caramel purin

Another popular café menu item is the fresh caramel purin.

This is a limited item available from 14:00 onwards.

Fresh caramel purin 594 yen (drink set 924 yen)

It is a cold, rich purin topped with plenty of fresh cream and served with piping hot fresh caramel sauce.

It’s best to eat it before the caramel sauce hardens!

The mildly sweet fresh cream and bitter caramel sauce bring out the flavor of the purin.
It’s the ultimate combination that you’ll want to repeat over and over again.

・Seasonal café menu

They also have cute café menus that change with the season!

・Cherry blossoms in full bloom! Yozakura Fresh Purin [seasonal limited edition]

・Moon Rabbit inspired by moonlit nights

A purin like this would be a shame to eat it.

In conclusion…

Yamagata Pudding’s product information is posted on Twitter and Instagram.

I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of purin will be sold in the future.

Why not add Yamagata Pudding to your next sightseeing destination?