A new craft sweets shop, "Itoko no Fruits Butter Sand," is set to open on Friday, May 8, 2026, inside JR Omiya Station at Ecute Omiya (2F inside the ticket gates, south side of the Central Gate). This marks the first Saitama Prefecture location for the brand, which grew out of the popular "Butter no Itoko" lineup.
To mark its Saitama debut, the shop is launching a store-exclusive item: the "Amarin no Berry Berry Butter Sand" — a special butter sandwich featuring "amarin," a premium strawberry variety grown only in Saitama Prefecture.
Amarin no Berry Berry Butter Sand — Ecute Omiya Store Exclusive
Product: Amarin no Berry Berry Butter Sand
Price: ¥1,296 (tax included)
Contents: 4 pieces per box
"Amarin" is a rare, Saitama-only strawberry cultivar prized for its intense sweetness, vibrant ruby color, and rich aroma — sometimes called the "jewel of strawberries." For this product, off-spec amarin berries — those that don't meet market standards for shape, size, color, or surface appearance but retain full flavor — are used to create a lush strawberry jam. That jam is blended with a light milk butter cream made with skim milk, resulting in a gently pink strawberry butter cream. It is sandwiched between moist cookie dough along with tart cranberry fruit pieces, creating a layered balance of sweetness, aroma, and acidity. The rich flavor of amarin lingers from the first bite to the last — a slightly indulgent everyday treat that also makes a fitting souvenir representing Saitama's beloved strawberry.
About "Amarin" — The Premium Saitama Strawberry
The amarin strawberries used in this product come from Mizuno Farm, a Saitama agricultural operation founded in 1970 that has received the Saitama Agricultural Special Award in both 2024 and 2025. Third-generation farmer Yo Mizuno tends to each strawberry with careful attention — harvesting begins at 2:00 AM every day, with sorting and inspection completed by 4:00 AM to ensure the berries ship in peak condition. Rice husks and bran from the farm's own rice paddies are used in soil preparation to maintain a safe and natural growing environment.
Amarin is a variety that Mizuno first encountered six years ago and immediately wanted to grow. It is permitted to be cultivated only within Saitama Prefecture, making it a rare and regionspecific find. Mizuno focuses on drawing out the cultivar's full potential, selecting only berries at peak ripeness. The off-spec fruit — with the same exceptional flavor but shapes or sizes that fall short of market standards — is given a new purpose through products like the Berry Berry Butter Sand, turning what might otherwise go to waste into a treat that reaches someone's hands.
Other Products Available at the Shop
Itoko no Fruits Butter Sand
"Itoko no Fruits Butter Sand" is built on the foundations of "Butter no Itoko," inheriting its approach of using skim milk — a by-product of butter production — and extending that philosophy to include off-spec fruit from local farms. The lineup features moist dough layered with a fluffy skim milk butter cream and fruit.
- Butter no Itoko Raisin Butter Sand
Price: ¥1,296 (tax included) / 4 pieces per box
Torokeru Baked Cake
Also on offer is "Torokeru Baked Cake," made with skim milk slow-cooked into a rich, flowing milk jam that fills the center of each moist cake. Hidden textures include crushed almonds for crunch, a chocolate coating (white chocolate for the milk variety, dark chocolate for the choco variety), and strawberry candy pieces baked into the dough. Each bite releases a generous pour of milk jam from within.
- Milk (3 pieces): ¥972 (tax included)
- Choco (3 pieces): ¥972 (tax included)
- Salt Caramel (3 pieces): ¥972 (tax included)
- Assorted BOX (Milk 3 pieces + Choco 3 pieces): ¥1,944 (tax included)
Opening Campaigns
Several limited-time campaigns are planned to coincide with the Ecute Omiya opening.
"Itoko-chan" Limited Sticker Giveaway (Non-sale Item)
- Period: May 8 (Friday) to May 15 (Friday)
- Condition: Follow the official Instagram (@butter_no_itoko) or official X (@GOODNEWS_nasu)
- Gift: One "Itoko-chan" character limited sticker per person
*Quantities are limited and the offer ends when stock runs out each day.
Free Torokeru Baked Cake (Salt Caramel)
- Period: May 8 (Friday) to May 10 (Sunday)
- Condition: Purchases of ¥2,160 (tax included) or more at the Ecute Omiya store
- Gift: One Torokeru Baked Cake (Salt Caramel)
*Quantities are limited and the offer ends when stock runs out each day.
Butter no Itoko 2-Week Limited Special Sale
From May 8 (Friday) to May 22 (Friday), "Butter no Itoko" products will be on special limited sale at the shop, including flavors that are otherwise only available at select stores or in the Nasu area:
- Butter no Itoko Banana (3 pieces): ¥1,080 — Nasu area exclusive flavor
- Butter no Itoko An Butter (3 pieces): ¥1,080 — Select stores only
- Butter no Itoko THE GOLDEN BOX (Milk / Choco / Salt Caramel / An Butter, 3 pieces each): ¥4,158
*All prices include tax.
Shop Information
Shop Name: Itoko no Fruits Butter Sand Ecute Omiya
Address: Ecute Omiya, 2F Inside Ticket Gates (South side of Central Gate), JR Omiya Station, 630 Nishikicho, Omiya-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM / Sunday and Holidays 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM
Products on sale: Itoko no Fruits Butter Sand / Torokeru Baked Cake
