My Neighbor Totoro, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Ghibli Studios in 1988, has made its way onto the list of anime classics. The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka City is a must-see pilgrimage site for anime fans.
But what die-hard Ghibli fans want to keep secret is Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory in Setagaya! The shop sells super cute and delicious Totoro cream puffs and cookies. In fact, the snacks produced there are the only ones officially approved by Hayao Miyazaki himself to use the Totoro image!
How to get to the Totoro Cream Puff Factory!
Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory is tucked away in a quiet residential area about a three-minute walk from Setagaya-Daita station on the Odayu Odawara Line. There are plenty of signs along the way, so you’ll be able to find the shop quickly and easily.
Originally a small shop located in Suginami, it moved to its current location surrounded by a beautiful green forest to accommodate its large number of customers. They also opened another shop near Kichijoji Station.
The store is located in a two-storey Western-style building that blends in perfectly with the surrounding greenery and makes it adorably unique, like something out of a fairy tale.
Follow the cute hand-painted Totoro signs and you’ll be on their doorstep in no time. On the first floor there are countless Totoro decorations and even pictures hand-painted by Hayao Miyazaki himself! The cream puffs will certainly catch your eye and you may even want to order one of each type!
Totoro Cream Puffs: 9 Varieties of Cute Custard!
The store offers nine cream puff varieties. Two – custard and chocolate – are sold year-round, and the other flavors feature different seasonal fruits including caramel banana (Jan. - March), strawberry (Jan. - June), matcha (April - June), mango, peach (July - Sept.), chestnut and raspberry cheesecake (Oct. - Dec.).
Creating the familiar Totoro shape for each cream puff is a complicated process, so they can’t be mass-produced. To ensure taste and appearance quality, each is hand made on site. Limited quantities are made fresh every day, so if you don’t want to miss out, it’s best to be there early!
Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory generally sells its wares for take-out, but if you do want to sit down to enjoy your purchase, there’s a small outdoor seating area surrounded by greenery.
The second floor is home to Tolo Coffee & Bakery, operated by different shopkeepers. They sell a variety of breads, drinks, and light food. Their dining space is small and seats are limited, but in every corner you can feel the warmth and coziness of the sun shining through the windows.
If you want to enjoy your Totoro cream puff there, making a reservation and ordering a drink or other food from the coffee shop is recommended.
Each Totoro cream puff is lovingly made by the dessert chef, and because they are hand-made, each Totoro’s expression will be a bit different from the others. Also, each flavor has its own distinguishing decoration. They’re so cute it's almost hard to eat them!
They taste as good as they look! The pastries themselves are made from organic wheat flour produced in Japan and are noticeably crispier than other cream puffs typically found in Japan. This makes for a somewhat layered effect with the softer interior and cream filling. The custard filling is made with Hokkaido cream and uses natural vanilla. Smooth and full of flavor, it’s a classic taste dessert-lovers shouldn’t miss!
Chocolate, the second flavor that is available throughout the year, combines two kinds of cocoa to produce a rich chocolate cream.
The mango cream puffs have a sweet aroma and the fruit and cream filling is unbelievable. No matter when you visit Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory be sure to try that season's special flavors!
In addition to the cute Totoro creme puffs, the shop also sells a variety of homemade cookies that come in a few different sizes. Many of the cookies are shaped like Totoro and the beautiful boxes are decorated with cute illustrations. The perfect gift for a friend or family member!
The Clear Box includes eight cookies. The two Totoro cookies come in chocolate and original - which has a strong creamy aroma but a light taste. The leaf-shaped cookies have a hazelnut aroma and a grainy texture, and the black mushroom-shaped cookies are a combination of chocolate and cashews.
The four-leaf clover variety is bursting with the flavor of walnut and the three-dimensional mushroom-shaped cookie uses egg yolk to give it its distinct yellow hue. The contents of the Clear Box are an interesting combination!
Each of these small cookies has its own uniquely delicious flavor, and you can really sense the care that goes into making them. You’ll be thinking of their delicate taste long after you’ve finished the box!
(August 2023 update: the Small Box (2,650 yen, tax incl.) contains the following: Twin Acorn Pancakes/双子どんぐり (2 pieces) x 2, Crispy Leaf Bites/サクサク葉っぱ (2 pieces) x 2, Walnut Clover/くるみクローバー (2 pieces) x 1, Egg Mushroom/玉子きのこ x 1, Chocolate Mushroom/チョコきのこ x 2, and Friendly Totoro/なかよしトトロ (2 pieces) x 2.
Everyone who comes to Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory will be immersed in a fairy-tale food experience. Remember, the number of Totoro Cream Puffs is limited, as is seating, and it’s a popular shop, so it’s recommended that you make a reservation. Whether you’re a Totoro fan or simply looking for a delicious dessert, you’ll be satisfied and will want to visit again and again!
*Please refer to the official website of 白髭のシュークリーム工房 (Japanese only) for seasonal cream puff and flavors and types.
*The above information was originally written in August 2018, and was updated in August 2023
*Product prices and information are subject to change.
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Shiro-Hige's Cream Puff Factory白髭のシュークリーム工房
- Address 5 Chome-3-1 Daita, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0033
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Nearest Station
・5-minute walk from Setagaya-Daita Station (Odakyu Line)
・7-minute walk from Shimo-Kitazawa Station (Odakyu Line / Keio-Inokashira Line)
・7-minute walk from Shin-Daita Station (Keio-Inokashira Line)
・Hours: 10:30 AM to 7 PM
・Closed: Tuesdays
Written by Yu
- Area
- Category
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.
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