In 2014, a novel dessert was first introduced to the Japanese market. Located in Yamanashi Prefecture, the shop Kinseiken had the ambitious idea of serving “water you can eat.” After numerous attempts the previous year, they have finally perfected the formula for their newest offering, which they called mizu shingen mochi. By then it was only a matter of time until the rest of the world discovered the delicious treat, and when it eventually did, the English-speaking part of the world dubbed it the “raindrop cake.”
This aesthetically pleasing and refreshing treat was one of the things featured in an episode of NHK’s Cool Japan, an episode that I happened to participate in and enjoyed immensely. Through it, I was able to talk to the staff who prepare these cakes as well as witness first-hand the hard work that goes with it. The ingenuity and dedication that the workers at the shop displayed left me with such an impact that it would be a shame not to recount and share the experience. Here’s what I found out.
What is a raindrop cake?
The raindrop cake is a Japanese dessert that derives its name from its appearance. Shaped like a water drop, mizu shingen mochi is made of water and agar and served with kinako soybean powder and brown sugar syrup.
The desert was first introduced to the public by Kinseiken, a wagashi or traditional Japanese dessert shop based in the town of Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture. While other shops in and outside Japan have replicated the dessert since its conception in 2014, very few (perhaps none) have managed to reproduce the quality of the original. Kinseiken’s raindrop cake is smooth, translucent, and glides with ease. It holds its form but is delicate enough that a spoon goes through it without using much force; it’s a lot softer than the jello it is usually compared to.
What does a raindrop cake taste like?
Quite frankly, like water—clean, fresh mineral water that is. And that’s what makes it delicious. The whole concept of the raindrop cake revolves around turning one of Hokuto’s best assets into a dessert that people from around the country would come to get a taste of, and that best asset happens to be clean water from the Japanese Alps.
Once the staff of Kinseiken identified their key ingredient, they thought of how to leverage it best. Their idea: edible water, and by “edible” they don’t mean “potable,” but rather “water you can eat.” To achieve this, they made several attempts to perfect the process—from the ratio of ingredients to how they are mixed, to the exact temperature they must be kept in. When I was there, I was told that if they so as much bump the tray holding the raindrop cakes, the batch will be scrapped because the additional air that the contact produced will not result in the perfect shape. Everything is calibrated carefully so that the resulting product is at its best taste and form.
Traditional Japanese desserts or wagashi have always had a refined, subtle taste, unlike Western desserts which tend to be rich, thick, and sweet. While mizu shingen mochi is a recent creation, it embodies the fundamentals of wagashi. While it can be enjoyed with the stronger flavors od kinako powder and brown sugar syrup, its biggest appeals lie in the freshness of its main ingredient and its unique texture; it’s a refreshing treat that highlights and pays respect to nature and its bounties.
How long does a raindrop cake last?
Kinseiken’s official answer is 30 minutes. Beyond this, the cake will lose its form, and water will begin seeping through. During the shoot, the director I was with did a time-lapse to see what happens, and while the cake still looked edible past the mark, it also began collapsing.
Because of this, the raindrop cake can only be eaten on site. Visitors from all over Japan line up as early as 8 a.m. to get a numbered ticket and come back again around noon to avail of the dessert. The raindrop cake is also only available on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays of the summer months, usually from June to September.
Is the raindrop cake worth the visit?
One may be lead to think, why travel all the way to a remote part of Japan for a dessert that tastes like water? Isn’t this just an overhyped fad?
Well, not quite. And this is where I think half the genius of this product lies. You see, the product is not the cake alone but the whole experience. You can’t really get the raindrop cake without going deep into Yamanashi, so along the way, you get to enjoy the fleeting summer season, the lush nature of Yamanashi and the many other local delicacies in surrounding areas. By selling the raindrop cake, Kinseiken doesn’t profit alone, it helps revitalize the economy of surrounding areas. It’s ecotourism. It’s marketing with a heart.
How to Get to Kinseiken
Kinseiken Daigahara
Business Hours: 09:00 to 18:00, closed on Thursdays
Google Maps URL
Official Website (Japanese Only)
Take the Azusa 33 Limited Express from Shinjuku Station and get off at Nirasaki Station. Get on a bus heading to Shimokyoraishi (下教来石) and get off at Daigahara-ue. (台ヶ原上). Kinseiken is a 3-minute walk from there.
How to Buy a Raindrop Cake
Distribution of Tickets
The staff distributes numbered tickets as early as 7 a.m. This isn’t hard to miss as there is almost always a queue right outside the shop. Only one ticket is given per group, and you will need to say how many people your group has. Each individual can only buy up to one raindrop cake.
Claiming Your Raindrop Cake
When you can claim your raindrop cake depends on the number of ticket you acquire. For example, people with tickets numbered 1 to 50 can claim their cakes as early as 09:00. It’s best to arrive 20 minutes before the scheduled time as the staff may usher people in earlier than expected.
The staff calls out numbers in batches. For example, they would say, “Numbers 1 to 10, please line up.” Once your number is called, you can line up to get inside the distribution area. The queue will lead to a cash register, after which you can hand out the payment and claim your cake, which comes with green tea.
There is a small rest area within the grounds where you can eat the cake. As shown in the photo above, this area is not very appealing. They do have a small table covered in a red cloth where you can place the tray and take photos of beautiful dessert.
If you want to try your luck, you can avoid the queue by dropping by the shop after lunchtime, maybe around 1 pm. If there are still cakes available, you can buy directly from the register without a numbered ticket. We were there for a long time, so when the crowd thinned out, lining up got easier. I remember the cameraman was quite happy there were some left so he was able to buy one for himself. I wouldn’t wholly recommend doing this, however. Some of the people we interviewed mentioned that the first time they tried to buy the raindrop cake, it was sold out by the time they arrived.
