Kobe – The sweets capital of Japan. The Rokko area of Kobe has recently seen an increase in new sweets shops, and is therefore attracting even more attention than ever from sweets lovers. With its lovely exterior and rich flavors, the name of one shop in particular is on everyone’s lips!
 
Opened in 2013 in a residential area down a side road off Kobe’s main street, the shop is called BonBonROCKett.

For this article, I decided to head all the way to Kobe from my place in Okayama to check it out.

Tasty Flavors & Design

The outer wall by the entrance is adorned with ivy.

The first thing that awaits you inside the shop is a display of numerous round and delicate-looking butter sandwiches. They almost look like luxurious bars of French soap.

A New Wave Of Sweets

The sables are made and baked in the traditional, original French way in the kitchen out back. A wonderfully delicious aroma fills the rooms. In fact it’s so pleasant that I could easily have drunk several cups of tea accompanied by just that scent alone.

The small-sized oven gives the sables an even browning, and the cookies are all branded with a “B” – the shop’s initial.

The moment you put it in your mouth, the sandwich tastes incredible. The soft butter cream and the crisp cookies go perfectly together. And even though the butter cream is rich, it doesn’t feel heavy or too much, and the sweetness is also well balanced. The cookies do not seem to absorb moisture from the well-prepared cream, so you can really take your time and enjoy the sandwich.

The butter sandwiches at BonBonROCKett are called “creamy sandies”, a testament to the owner’s dedication in developing new kinds of sweets.

Another secret to their success is the sheer number of flavors they’ve created. They offer more than 100 different kinds, including rum-raisin, matcha-azuki, chocolate-cassis, pistachio, cheesecake and more. They always have about 20 flavors on display in the shop.

The carefully baked sandwiches are individually hand-wrapped in aluminium foil. The great design makes them perfect as presents, and anyone would be ecstatic to receive such a lovely gift. When White Day approaches, men on their way home from work line up in large numbers outside to get their hands on a couple of creamy sandies for their loved ones. Kobe gentlemen at their finest!

Cookies Filled With Love

I asked the owner, Mr. Endo, why he decided to start making butter sandwiches. He explained that from the first time he tasted French-style butter sandwiches at college, he was moved by their amazing taste, so he wanted to make them himself. The more he makes, the more he grows fond of them, and he thinks he is able to convey his devotion to his customers.
 
The “ROCK” in the name BonBonROCKett symbolizes the fact that his butter sandwiches will “rock your heart”.
 
Come to BonBonROCKett and try their delicious creamy sandies, and surely you will also get to know the many-layered sweets scene of Kobe.
 
BonBonROCKett
Address: 3-1-16 Miyayamacho, Nada, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture (Stera Rokko, 1st floor)
Open: 11:00 – 19:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays
Tel: 078-200-6576
http://www.bonbonrockett.com
 
Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Eri Hatano