Eichin - Castella Cakes (100 Kobudo Kata Challenge)

Recently the design for this year's 100 Kobudo Kata Challenge has been released and it is highlighting small businesses in Shuri that may have been affected by the fire at Shuri Castle that happened in October 2019.

I decided to take the afternoon while I can and go on my own little tour of each of the places, some of which I hadn't been to yet and so it seemed like it would be a good afternoon. 

This little shop was number two in my afternoon T-Shirt tour, but had to be blog number one in my 'write up about each one' because it was for sure the underdog and the best part of the day for me in the line up of places. 

Eichin is owned and run by my karate senpai Manabu and his wife. 

It was the first time I had been there since it opened (which was long overdue) I was welcomed like family and invited into their beautiful little garden and house, the garden is also spectacular with all kinds of herbs and vegetables growing. 

Manabu was one of the first Senpai's I met in the Arakaki dojo and we rarely get to train together because of family, work and other life commitments but to see what a wonderful little shop he has created using local, fresh ingredients is inspiring for my own ventures one day. 

The base idea of this shop is little bite sized Castella cake- that is the plain option.

It is made with no preservatives or additives so it is reccomended to eat within 3 - 4 days from buying. 

Then there are flavour options- 

The apple and cinnamon were my favourite for sure- fresh pieces of apple in the cake and coated in cinnamon. 

There is lemon, kinako (soy bean powder) with traditional Okinawan sweets on the inside (from James' wife's sweet shop-Jahana Kippan), purple sweet potato, sweet red bean paste and seasonal options. 

There is also the plain option with the 12 Chinese Zodiacs printed on them. 

This is because there is the 12 zodiac animals enshrined at the four temples in shuri, these are the snacks to eat on the pilgrimage to the 12 animals. I think that will be another blog pretty soon (and I'll be sure to take some zodiac snacks along with me on the pilgrimage). 

I was so pleasantly surprised with how good the simplicity of these makes them. 

For sure I'll be gifting these as presents to people. 

Prices range from about 300 yen for a one person treat, to 1600 yen for a gift box. 

Website - www.a-chin.com 

Phone- 098-886-5889

Address- 1-36 Shuri, Gibo-cho, Naha, Okinawa. (about ten minute walk from Gibo Monorail Station)