Hamadaya

Hamadaya is located in the Ito District in the Northern region of Wakayama prefecture.  It is a shop that sells the sesame tofu that Mount Kōya is known for. Hamadaya first opened around the year 1880 when the second son(Yoshibe) of a trader in Kudoyama made his way to Mount Kōya.  At first, regular tofu was made to be used in the making of the Kōya tofu eaten at the Mount Kōya temples.  However, around 1950, when they stopped making Kōya tofu at the temples, Hamadaya began making sesame tofu. Sesame seeds are peeled and only the insides are used, giving the white tofu a mild yet deep sesame flavor.  To express gratitude towards the temple visitors, the heart sutra and Daishi Gohogo are chanted during production.  Sesame tofu can be eaten at the shop or as takeout. Each one is 300 yen and can be eaten with either wasabi and soy sauce, or with Wasanbon sugar.