In addition to publishing the book "The 62nd Yokozuna Onokuni's National Sweets Tour," Shibatayama has also appeared in numerous media outlets and is affectionately known as the "Sweets Master."

With the desire to "let people know the joy of food through sweets," he has been spreading the appeal of sweets for over a quarter century, and has eaten over 1,000 sweets! Currently, he enjoys receiving sweets delivered to his room almost every day.

We wanted to have such a master try some of COREDO Muromachi's popular sweets, so we visited the Ryogoku Kokugikan with eight carefully selected items.

The owner, who has been to COREDO Muromachi many times, said, "This is famous, right? The main store is in Niigata... I've been interested in this, but haven't been able to buy it yet." He has already marked down several sweets!

The staff quickly introduces the products and then it's time to start tasting them.

"They're all delicious and unique. It's hard to choose the best one," she said, appearing to like them all as she finished all eight dishes in no time! We received an honest review of each dish.

So, what will be the result of the "COREDO Muromachi Sweets Ranking" decided by the master Shibatayama?

The winner was the popular "Kuri Senbon" from Nagoya's Montblanc specialty store "KURIN." Montblanc is topped with a generous amount of thin, thread-like Japanese chestnut paste, making it a visually gorgeous treat.

The Japanese chestnut paste is made using the best Japanese chestnuts selected from across the country that year. Hidden underneath is the Japanese sweet "Daifuku".

Although it is Montblanc, Kurisenbon also has elements of Japanese sweets. The owner is very excited, saying, "This is interesting. I'm excited to try it, wondering what it will taste like."

"Yes, yes, this is delicious! The Japanese chestnut paste brings out the great taste of the chestnut itself. The cream inside the daifuku is very smooth and has a great texture. Best of all, it's Montblanc, but it has a chewy texture which is new and I really like it."

- If you were to compare it to a winning move in sumo?

"I think it's tsukidashi! I like the soft cream and the texture of the mochi that encases it. It's mochi, so it's called tsukidashi."

*Thrusting...A technique in which you thrust strongly with the palm of your hand at your opponent's chest or shoulders, pushing them out of the ring to win.

The next product to be selected as Ozeki was "Kyokanze," a masterpiece by TSURUYA YOSHINOBU, a long-established Japanese confectionery shop in Kyoto founded in 1803.

Kyokanze is known for its roll cake-like appearance, with sweet bean paste rolled up in murasame rice cake. Its cross section is said to represent the beautiful ripples of water at the Kanze Well, a well in a shrine near the main store.

"There are many types of bean paste, such as red bean paste, white bean paste, whole bean paste, smooth bean paste, etc. The taste changes completely depending on which bean paste you use."

The master's family is a farming family, and since he was a child he loved oshiruko and yokan made from red beans grown at home, so he has a strong attachment to red bean paste.

"You'd expect the taste of a long-established Japanese sweets shop. The red bean paste is moist, and the minced meat paste is very tender. Both have a strong red bean flavor and a pleasant texture. They have a very refined taste, and are perfect to pair with Japanese tea."

- If you were to compare it to a winning move in sumo?

"Maybe it's Makiotoshi (rolling over). It's called Makiotoshi because it looks like red bean paste is rolled up in red bean paste. It's a straightforward analogy (laughs)."

* Maki Otoshi: A technique in which you use the opponent's recoil to grab the opponent's mawashi without grabbing it, grab the opponent's body with your leading hand, roll him up and twist him to the side to win.

Nihonbashi Imoya Kinjiro is a specialty sweet potato snack store that was founded in 1952 by Shibuya Foods Co., Ltd., a long-established sweet potato confectionery manufacturer in Kochi Prefecture.

The hugely popular "Freshly Fried Imo Kenpi" is only made using olive oil at COREDO Muromachi store, and only the ones fried in the in-store workshop on the day are on display.

"It has a crunchy, crispy texture and the gentle sweetness of the potato. As fried sweets deteriorate over time as the oil oxidizes, they are best when freshly fried. It's rare to have the opportunity to eat freshly fried imokenpi, so it's a real luxury."

- These sweet potato chips are made using "Kinjiro Oil," a blend of olive oil.

"Maybe that's why. It's sweet potato chips, but it has a rather refined taste. I recommend trying them freshly fried! It's worth going to Nihonbashi just to buy some for this texture and flavor."

- If you were to compare it to a winning move in sumo?

"Tsuri-dashi (※)! It may seem a little heavy because it's made from deep-fried potatoes, but it's actually light and crispy. The name Tsuri-dashi is perfect, as it brings to mind the image of a sleek sumo wrestler lifting up a heavy opponent."

*Tsuri-dashi...A technique in which you pull both mawashi poles together, use your hips to lift your opponent's body from in front of you and throw him out of the ring to win.

"Canelé de CHIANTI" will be located in a section of "@Kitchen NIHONBASHI" on the 2nd floor of COREDO Muromachi 2.

This is a canelé specialty store run by Chef Kawamata Makoto of the Michelin-listed Italian restaurant Atelier CHIANTI.

The most attractive thing about Canelé de CHIANTI's canelés is the variety of flavors. All of them are original flavors created by Chef Kawamata. This time, we picked out four flavors from the 18 in total: plain, matcha, banana, and Saikyo miso.

- This is your first miso-flavored canelé. What do you think of it?

"You're right, it's miso! The sweet and salty Saikyo miso tastes just right. The densely packed dough is delicious. The cream on top smells of miso too, and you can really feel the care that went into making it. Also, canelés are a difficult dessert to bake just right. They can't be too fluffy like a sponge, but on the other hand, they can't be too hard. In that sense, Canelé de CHIANTI's canelés have an exquisitely soft elasticity that is wonderful."

- How would you describe it in sumo terms?

"It's like a canelé's entrance into the ring! It might be interesting to compare different flavors and decide which "Canelé de CHIANTI's Canelé" is the winner."

* Dohyo-iri: A ceremony held in the ring by sumo wrestlers of the juryo and above ranks (sekitori).

Kakuozan Fruit Daifuku Benten is a fruit daifuku specialty store that originated in Aichi Prefecture. Based on the concept of "a daifuku that feels more fruity than fruit", the photogenic and impressive fruit daifuku are popular among young people.

Benten is particular about using seasonal fruits delivered directly from the market and the "golden ratio of white bean paste and gyuhi" that brings out the best in them.

"This is habutae mochi. The mochi is steamed and then kneaded, so it stays soft even after a while," says the master, noticing the attention to detail that goes into Benten's gyuhi after a bite.

"Daifuku and fruit is actually a difficult combination because the sourness of the fruit clashes with the sweetness of the white bean paste. For example, with strawberries, a sour and firm texture goes well with cake, but with fruit daifuku, the sweetness, aroma and freshness of the strawberry go well. In that respect, Benzaiten's selection of fruits is outstanding. They all taste delicious while making the most of the individual characteristics of the fruit."

- If you were to compare it to a winning move in sumo?

"This is extrusion. Fresh fruit comes out from the elegant habutae mochi. That's right, it's like pushing it out from the center!"

*Oshidashi...A technique in which one or both hands are put in a hasuzure (a position where the thumb and four fingers are spread out in a Y shape) and placed under the opponent's armpit or chest, pushing him out of the ring to win.