Matto

Visitor recommendations

Matto, in Ishikawa Prefecture, has a nostalgic, unhurried feel to it. If you visit, one thing worth seeking out is a taste that's been loved here for a long time.

About a 10-minute walk from JR Matto Station is Enpachi (圓八), known for its ankoromochi — mochi wrapped in sweet red bean paste. One bite and the paste's gentle sweetness spreads through your mouth around the soft rice cake. Enpachi has made this ankoromochi since it opened in 1737 (Genbun 2), and it's been a local favorite ever since. It's made with azuki beans from Hokkaido, glutinous rice grown at the foot of Mt. Haku, and spring water flowing down from the mountain — ingredients chosen to let their natural flavor come through.

Even the bamboo-bark wrapping has a plain, warm feel to it. Rather than dressing things up, Enpachi has kept its traditional form — and there's a kind of honesty in that, one that feels rooted in this place. A legend even says a tengu once passed down the recipe, adding a sense of history to every bite.

Walk through Matto, pause for a moment, and try a sweet that's tied to the land here. That quiet kind of moment might be one of the best reasons to visit.