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Best of Hiroshima; search or filter for all 11
Fukuyama, Hiroshima / Japan
Kaihara is a Fukuyama denim manufacturer whose roots date to 1893. It developed Japan’s first rope-dyeing machine for denim in 1970 and now integrates dyeing, weaving and finishing within its denim-production system.
Best for Japanese rope-dyed denim from a vertically integrated Fukuyama mill
Kure, Hiroshima / Japan
Sailor traces its name to a chance encounter: in 1911, Kyugoro Sakata was introduced to the fountain pen by a visiting British sailor, and the pen so impressed him that he and his brother built a company around it in Hiroshima the same year.
Best for Japanese gold-nib fountain pens from the maker that pioneered cartridge
Sailor traces its name to a chance encounter: in 1911, Kyugoro Sakata was introduced to the fountain pen by a visiting British sailor, and the pen so impressed him that he and his brother built a company around it in Hiroshima the same year. The company went on to produce the first fountain pen with a gold nib made in Japan, became the first Japanese manufacturer of ballpoint pens in 1948, invented cartridge-ink technology in 1954 (releasing it publicly in 1958), and developed 21-karat gold nibs in the 1960s — a run of firsts that put a small Hiroshima workshop at the center of Japan's writing-instrument industry.
Production has stayed rooted in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, through more than a century of the company's history; Sailor's head office itself moved back to Kure in April 2021 after decades based in Tokyo, and the company marked a rebuilt Hiroshima factory facility with a ceremony in October 2022. Sailor is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange today, manufacturing fountain pens (the 1911 and Pro Gear lines among them), ballpoints, dip pens, mechanical pencils, and its own bottled inks.
The gold nib remains the house's signature: Sailor grinds and tunes its own nibs in-house, in widths and shapes (including its distinctive angled Naginata-style cuts) not commonly offered by Western makers, and the company's "where to buy" network of authorized dealers spans Japan and international pen specialists.
Kumano, Hiroshima
Chikuhodo hand-assembles cosmetic, medical and painting brushes in Kumano, working with fibers such as Kazan squirrel, silver fox and Japanese mink. Alongside its own retail series the company runs an OEM operation, and each brush is finished by hand in Japan.
Best for Luxury handmade cosmetic brushes
Miyajima, Hiroshima
Fujiiya has made momiji manju since 1925, and its smooth strained red-bean version is registered as one of Hiroshima City's brand products. The maker sells through directly run shops in Miyajima and Hiroshima and offers a sweets-making experience on the island.
Best for Strained red-bean momiji manju and sweets-making
Kumano, Hiroshima
Founded in Kumano in 1974, Hakuhodo makes roughly 500,000 brushes a month entirely in its own Hiroshima Prefecture workshops, spanning makeup, calligraphy, nihonga and watercolor lines. The firm's craft earned the first Japan Monodzukuri Grand Award Prime Minister's Prize in 2005, as recorded in Hakuhodo's company history, and its brushes are built around undyed, uncut hair tips rather than trimmed bristles.
Best for Handmade makeup and calligraphy brushes
Kumano, Hiroshima
Established in 1869, this Kumano-cho manufacturer makes calligraphy brushes, nihonga painting brushes, makeup brushes and writing accessories under its KUMANO label. Its head office sits at 4-7-24 Nakamizo in Kumano-cho, with a retail outlet in central Hiroshima.
Best for Calligraphy and painting brushes
Miyajima, Hiroshima
Set on Miyajima's main shopping street about ten minutes from the pier, Kakiya serves an oyster-only menu of grilled, raw, fried and rice dishes sourced from local growers. Listed in the Michelin Guide for the Hiroshima area, it also runs a sister cafe and cocktail bar nearby.
Best for Grilled Hiroshima oysters
Kumano, Hiroshima
Established in Kumano Town in July 1990, Koyudo produces around 3,500 calligraphy brushes, 200 painting brushes and 300 makeup brushes, including its animal-shaped and fluffy fan brushes. The company runs a headquarters and makeup-brush workshop-shop in Hiroshima plus a Tokyo branch, and sells directly through its own online store.
Best for Kumano calligraphy and makeup brushes
Miyajima, Hiroshima
Momijido is the Miyajima confectioner credited with creating Age-momiji, a deep-fried momiji manju on a stick served hot from its Omotesando shops. The company makes classic baked maple-leaf cakes alongside the fried version and its momiji-shaped nut snacks.
Best for Age-momiji fried maple cakes
Hiroshima
Nishikido opened in Hiroshima City in 1951, six years after the atomic bombing, and later developed Nama-momiji, a soft mochi-skinned version of the maple-leaf cake that became a national seller. The maker offers fillings from red bean to chocolate and matcha along with allergen-friendly options, and its sweets were served at the 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit.
Best for Nama-momiji cakes with red bean, chocolate and matcha fillings
Miyajima, Hiroshima
A long-established Miyajima confectioner, Yamada-ya bakes momiji manju and is known for Toyoka, a chewy maple-leaf cake wrapped in a thin skin around chunky adzuki bean paste. The company runs its own directly operated shops around Hiroshima and offers hands-on baking sessions at its Miyajima main store.
Best for Momiji manju and Toyoka cakes
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