I stopped by a retro and atmospheric Japanese sweets shop in front of the grand torii gate of Heian Shrine on my way to Okazaki Park. After visiting Heian Shrine, I purchased my favorite sweet, sosui mochi, from here. I remember being surprised by how delicious it was the first time I tried it. It just melts in your mouth. The soft mochi is coated with kinako powder. It has a refined sweetness and goes perfectly with green tea or hojicha. It's a treat loved by people of all ages. It's sure to be a popular souvenir. The shop also has a tea house, where I enjoyed the milk shiratama kinako. The portion was just right and I finished it all. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal. I will definitely come back again.

Freshly made warabi mochi is served. It is really soft and sticky, and very delicious. I love warabi mochi and have tried it at many places, but the one at Heianden is the most delicious. I want to come back here just to eat it again! That's how much I enjoyed it.

Kyoto brand "Awatagayaki" is the name of pottery that was born in Awata, Kyoto in the early Edo period. Currently, only Hiroto Yasuda in Keage is creating Awatagayaki pottery. The Kyoto specialty "Awatagayaki" mochi uses soy sauce in the dough and red bean paste made from large red beans. It is a summer confection called "ayu". It is thinly baked for a smooth texture. The thinness and softness of the dough are remarkable. The inside double-layered mochi is soft like freshly pounded mochi, yet firm. It has a good chewy texture. It is Kyoto's summer.

We visited with two people and ordered Kuzuzenya and chilled warabimochi. The atmosphere felt like a hidden gem, perhaps because it was tucked away in the left corner of the glass case of sweets. We waited for about 15 minutes, thinking it was taking a long time, but once we started eating, we were satisfied. Everything had a rich flavor, freshly made. The kuzumochi was piping hot, and the center of the warabimochi was still slightly warm. The shop has been around since 1951, relatively new in Kyoto, but it lives up to its reputation of being a sincere and richly flavored shop that is even sold at Takashimaya and Kyoto Station underground. I will definitely come back again.

I purchased it around 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 20, 2023, and had it for takeout. The store was moderately busy when I purchased it, but Saturdays in Okazaki are always crowded. I visited to try Mizuki, since it's May! The reason might also be that the coronavirus situation has calmed down, but it was quite difficult to walk on Okazaki Street. I enjoyed it with coffee when I got home with my wife. The black sugar flavor of Mizuki was subtly delicious compared to the normal one.

I visited Heian Jingu Shrine for the first time in a while and decided to stop by Heianden to buy some souvenirs. I thought about getting warabi mochi, which is famous there. The expiration date was the next day, so I kept it in the fridge and enjoyed it the next day. It cost 950 yen, which I thought was a bit expensive, probably due to the touristy area. However, the kinako (soybean flour) was not only on the surface but also mixed inside, making it sweet and delicious. It was enough for three people, and I was satisfied with the quality.

A popular gift item at this restaurant is the "Awata-yaki". It is perfect for those who enjoy sweet and salty flavors. The chewy dough is filled with sweet red bean paste and lightly coated with soy sauce, providing just the right amount of saltiness. Recommended options include the "Sakura Mame Mochi" and "Hanami Dango". The Sakura Mame Mochi features salted cherry blossoms mixed into the surrounding bean paste dough, creating a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. The Hanami Dango includes a mugwort dumpling with a strong mugwort flavor. If you prefer grass mochi, you will find that the inside red bean paste filling is quite prominent. Overall, this place excels at creating delicious sweet and salty treats.

You can't pass by a delicious-looking Japanese sweets shop. During the first three days of the New Year, you can't eat in, so you have to take the sweets to go. They sell Sosui Mochi in boxes, bags, and even individually. The two pieces of mochi, generously coated with soybean flour, are very soft and smooth. The package mentions ingredients such as Haneju powder, rice syrup, and honey. The mochi was cool, melted in the mouth, and very delicious.

I occasionally pass by the Heian Shrine and decided to stop by a traditional Japanese sweets shop that I had never visited before. Since it is autumn, I chose a chestnut rice cake. Then, I thought it would be a safe bet to try the Heian rice cake, named after the shop. The chestnut rice cake had a sticky texture, which surprised me because I didn't expect such a texture nowadays. The Heian rice cake had roasted wheat flour sprinkled on top, giving it a delicious and fragrant taste.

I visited the tea house "Heianden" in Jingumichi, a famous Kyoto confectionery shop. I arrived after 12 pm on a weekday, and the tea house had just opened so there were no customers inside yet, but many people were coming in to buy traditional sweets. Since the sales staff also took orders for the tea house, I was left waiting for a while without being noticed. I ordered the hot sweet red bean soup for 850 yen. It took some time for them to heat it up after I ordered. Sorry for the wait... The hot sweet red bean soup arrived, be careful it's hot! It was filled with plenty of red beans, very sweet, hot, with chewy rice cakes, and the freshly made sweet soup was thick and delicious. I was so full and satisfied. I want to come back on a cold winter day!

It's the end of September but still hot during the day! I couldn't resist the craving for shaved ice and came across a traditional Japanese confectionery shop that caught my eye. Weak to such shops, I immediately went in. Inside, various Japanese sweets were displayed and the place was crowded with customers looking for them. I wondered where I could eat them. Did I enter the wrong entrance? I looked around and found a curtain hanging at the end with a wooden sign saying "Now Open." I peeked inside and indeed there was a space to eat... It's small! Luckily, it was empty! Looking at the menu, there were tempting options like Zenya and matcha, but I stuck to my initial plan and ordered shaved ice. Since this is a Japanese confectionery shop, I deduced that Kinako and matcha were their specialties, so I ordered the "Uji Kinako Matcha Shiratama." My deduction was correct! What came out was a vibrant "matcha green" shaved ice with large red bean grains for Kinako. Moreover, the red beans were still intact, giving a texture more like eating red beans than "anko" (sweet red bean paste), with a balanced sweetness that wasn't too heavy. The matcha, Kinako, milk, and Shiratama all blended perfectly, making it the best! The portion was generous, and it effectively cooled down my hot body. Next time, I want to try the Kudzu Zenya!

On the way back from the Kyoto City Art Museum, I stopped by a traditional Japanese confectionery shop. I was intrigued by the "Awatayaki" they had. I thought it would be similar to "Ajisai Mochi," but it was completely different. The mochi was sweet and salty with a soy sauce flavor (ﾟωﾟ). The mochi and the red bean paste inside were soft, and each piece was individually wrapped in a package with a cardboard base. I thought that because they were so soft, they wouldn't last long, but surprisingly, they did. It would make a great souvenir. I initially thought the name "Awatayaki" was related to the nearby Awataguchi area, but it is actually named after a type of pottery called "Awatayaki." There was a monument to a potter next to the shop. The "Ayus" are commonly found in many traditional Japanese confectionery shops, but the ones here were larger and had a unique shape with a tightly curled tail. I bought one without red bean paste, just filled with sweet bean paste. Awatayaki @140 each x2, Ayu @210.

On this day, my partner and I went to Kyoto for some errands. The cherry blossoms along the Kamogawa Canal were so beautiful that we decided to have an impromptu hanami! When it comes to hanami, you need dango! We found a traditional Japanese sweets shop nearby and decided to go in. We bought a hanami dango for 150 yen. We sat by the Kamogawa Canal, took off our masks, and enjoyed the dango! The dango was a bit firm, but it was chewy, springy, and delicious. And the price was reasonable too. They say "food is better than flowers," but having dango while enjoying the cherry blossoms was the best! Thank you for the meal.

On my wife's birthday trip to Kyoto, we visited the Atago Shrine and then did some shopping at the nearby Heianden. We bought some Snow Mochi (3 pieces for 1200 yen), which were small white sweet rice cakes with a smooth texture. Inside the chewy sweet potato cake, there was a white bean paste with the richness of eggs, along with finely chopped sticky mochi. The subtle sweetness of the sweet potato cake was delicious. They can be kept for the next day. We also got the Inclined Pound Cake (200 yen), a hand-sized pound cake packed with raisins. The butter and cinnamon flavors paired well with the fruity acidity of the raisins. It can last for about two weeks. Lastly, we tried the Water Arch Financier (200 yen), a thin and moist financier cake with a strong buttery taste. It can also last for about two weeks.

On the way to the art museum, I found a shop that sells Kyoto-style sweets like snow mochi and sakura petal mochi. Inside the shop, there is a small cafe where you can take a break. I purchased snow mochi, bean mochi, and sakura petal mochi, all of which are perfect for tea time and have a Kyoto-like taste. Especially the sakura petal mochi, which is a traditional sweet for the first tea ceremony of the year, caught my interest. Although I was a bit skeptical about a burdock root sweet, it turned out to be elegant and delicious, with a subtle hint of burdock root adding a nice touch.

On the sixth day of the New Year trip, the writer visited a shop they had passed by before but never paid attention to. They decided to trust their intuition and bought seasonal limited edition chestnut yokan and warabi mochi. The warabi mochi had a soft and chewy texture with a hint of kinako flavor, while the yokan had chunks of chestnut and a perfect balance of sweetness. Overall, both were delicious and the writer would definitely visit the shop again next time they visit Heian Shrine.

Snow mochi and matcha set with bean mochi. Snow mochi consists of egg yolk paste, sweet potato paste, and sweetened mashed sweet potatoes. The texture is slightly rough and sticky. The sweetness is quite mild. The bean mochi has red bean paste filling. The sweetness is also mild. The mochi part has a firm texture. The ingredients are not bad, but the texture and taste of the filling are lacking compared to other Kyoto confectionery shops. The matcha is delicious as usual.

Went on a casual trip to Kyoto with my wife. Visited the main store of Heianden, where we had received delicious mochi before. [Summary] Mame Daifuku [6 pieces] 800 yen (usually 1080 yen) These are round daifuku balls with a diameter of about 40mm. They have a chewy mochi outer layer filled with well-cooked, chunky sweet beans and a slightly salty red bean paste with just the right amount of sweetness. They are not too sweet, and the combination of mochi, beans, and slightly salty red bean paste is perfect. Best consumed on the day of purchase. Chestnut Uiro [2 pieces] 300 yen Each piece is about 45x45mm in size and 25mm thick, with a white layer of uiro at the bottom and a chestnut sweet stew on top. It has a strong chewiness, and the texture is not too sticky. The chestnut uiro is not overly sweet, but the outline is firm. Best consumed on the day of purchase. Awatayaki [5 pieces] 700 yen These are round mochi cakes with a diameter of about 40mm and a thickness of less than 10mm. They have a toasted, fragrant soy sauce mochi aroma. Inside the chewy mochi, there is a densely packed, slightly chunky red bean paste with a mild sweetness and a subtle saltiness and soy sauce aroma that complement each other well. They are not too sweet and are very delicious. Best consumed within two weeks. Sosuimochi [5 pieces] 700 yen A repeat purchase. The fluffy mochi is truly delicious. Best consumed within two weeks.

Freshly made warabi mochi and chestnut yokan have a gentle taste. I have been relying on this place when visiting Heian Jingu Shrine since my student days. The souvenir wagashi (Japanese sweets) are also reasonably priced, which is much appreciated. The popular items like nerikiri tend to sell out quickly, so it's better to visit early in the day.

Today, when I went to the area near Heian Shrine, I stopped by a traditional Japanese confectionery shop. Kyogashi-shi Heianden Established in 1951. The shop is located on the road leading to the main gate of Heian Shrine. They also have a tea house attached to the shop. Inside the shop, there were various traditional Japanese sweets with origins related to Heian Shrine. They mainly sell set products for souvenirs, but you can also purchase individual items. This time, I bought three different sweets to take home. - Heian Manju (steamed bun) A steamed bun made with a castella-like dough. It was priced at 110 yen per piece and is designated as a "Kyoto Gourmet Selection" product, available for purchase at Kyoto Station's souvenir shop as well. It had a moist texture with a sweet yolk filling inside, perfect to enjoy with tea. - Heian Den Sablé A sablé cookie shaped like the "Shibi" tile at the top of Heian Shrine's roof. It had a buttery flavor and a crispy texture. - Shibi Sablé A matcha-flavored version of the Heian Den Sablé. It is made using premium Kyoto matcha (Uji matcha), giving it a rich and deep taste, perfect for adults. I enjoyed all three sweets, and since they were all priced in the 100 yen range, it was easy to indulge in them.