★Located near Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. ★The atmosphere has a retro, historical feel. The staff are friendly, provide attentive service, and are kind. ★The taste is incredibly delicious♡ The freshly made inari senbei is so fragrant♡ I want to eat it again!

Fushimi-Momoyama to Fushimi Inari, I thought they were similar in terms of image, but there is actually quite a distance between them. I went there after a long time and was surprised by the huge number of tourists, mostly foreigners. I ended up just buying some senbei (rice crackers) to take home - small foxes, big foxes, 3-piece pack, 5-piece pack, apparently with miso inside. They had high ratings, so I bought some soybean senbei that looked delicious! I got two packs of small foxes, and now I'm going to enjoy them at home. The glossy foxes! After taking one bite, I could tell why they had high ratings - crispy, not too sweet, and great flavor! The miso inside adds depth to the taste. The soybean senbei... I love soybean senbei, and while it's quite common, this one was incredibly delicious! Crispy, lots of beans, and the saltiness is perfect. The foxes come in a box, wrapped in wrapping paper with a handle made of string, making them perfect souvenirs. They have a nice retro feel to them.

Today, I stopped by a rice cracker shop in Fushimi Inari. The shop is called Souhonke Takaradou and is known for its fox-shaped rice crackers, also known as Inari Senbei. The owner was baking rice crackers in a traditional mold outside the shop. Inside, there were various rice crackers displayed, all at affordable prices. I purchased the popular fox-shaped rice crackers and they were delicious. The "Little Fox" rice crackers were stacked in threes, resembling a fox mask. They had a three-dimensional shape and were made with white miso and white sesame, giving them a fragrant sesame flavor. They were slightly sweet, crispy, and had a nice texture. Overall, I enjoyed the popular rice crackers at Fushimi Inari.

After visiting the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, I stopped by here. While waiting at the railroad crossing, a cute fox caught my eye. This place is known for its original fox senbei (rice crackers), established about 85 years ago. I bought the smallest pack of 3 pieces, but they said it was a failed batch. I tried one fox senbei. Even though they called it a failed batch, it was actually really good. The fox senbei here is sweet and fragrant. Each piece is hand-baked by artisans. That's why I got the "failed" piece for free. The simplicity of these snacks is what makes them delicious. And the hand-baked quality is tasty. I couldn't stop eating them. I bought a small fox senbei box of 3 pieces for 400 yen as a souvenir for my colleagues because they were so cute.

After visiting Fushimi Inari Shrine ⛩ and heading towards the station, I came across a shop selling individual fox-shaped senbei (rice crackers). I bought one and tried it for the first time. It had a flavor that I had never tasted before, maybe it was white miso? It was slightly sweet, fragrant, and had a crispy texture, very delicious. I was so impressed that I also bought some to take home! It seems like other senbei shops in the area mimic this shop, even down to the packaging, so be careful not to get confused. The staff at this shop were friendly, and I would love to visit again.

I thought it was a simple snack, but the excellence of the manufacturing process stood out. It was my first time at Fushimi Inari, and this was the first shop I encountered. I had a feeling that I had to stop by on my way back, and I did. On the way back from Fushimi Inari, I saw a craftsman making rice crackers with great care. I was sure that this place would have delicious snacks, so I bought two bags of recommended edamame rice crackers. When I tried them, the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness made them incredibly delicious. Simple yet delicious. Of course, they do not use chemical seasonings or preservatives. Oh, I regret not buying more now. I should have also bought the rice crackers with the face of Inari-san here. They would definitely be cheaper and absolutely delicious compared to those near Fushimi Inari!

Today, I visited the Oiwake Festival for the first time in a while. The weather was nice, but there weren't as many visitors as during the main festival. However, the shops were open, which made me happy. I bought 3 large rice crackers and 4 sets of roasted broad beans. I have confidence in their delicious taste, so I look forward to giving them as souvenirs. I appreciate the usual great customer service. Thank you very much.

This is a white miso senbei in the shape of a fox mask. It is a rare type of miso senbei in the Kansai region. The senbei is baked in the shape of a three-dimensional mask, so it has varying thickness, smooth and rough textures, and a fun unevenness from being slightly overcooked in some parts. It comes in a box with three large fox masks for 540 yen or three small fox masks for 390 yen, wrapped in red paper with a retro feel. The price also adds to the retro charm. This snack brings back memories of the Showa era when I went on a day trip with my mother to Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu Temple. My mother, who rarely splurged on souvenirs, spent nearly 10,000 yen on these senbei and got scolded by my father later. I wonder what else she bought that was more expensive than these cheap senbei? Incense maybe? Tea perhaps?

May 2021 Kyoto souvenir #3 A friend who visited a popular Chinese restaurant in Kyoto and then went to Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine gave me a souvenir from a well-established senbei (rice cracker) shop called "Hokudoku" on the approach to the shrine. It's a pack of 3 small kitsune (fox) senbei for 390 yen. The shop offers various types of Inari senbei, with the most popular being the "Suzu" shaped like a bell, which is famous as the root of fortune cookies. However, the specialty is the "Kitsune Senbei" shaped like a fox mask, which is said to be the messenger of the Inari god. They use a special iron mold to hand-bake each senbei individually. The one I received was the "Small Kitsune," but it doesn't really look cute like a little fox (sweat). Made with simple ingredients like white miso, wheat flour, white sugar, and white sesame, the senbei is quite hard and crispy, with a simple and nostalgic taste. By the way, the song "Kogitsune" that I used to sing as a child is actually a German folk song. The lyrics of the Japanese song are about a cute little fox, but the original German lyrics are quite different and somewhat scary. I tried to put the senbei on my dog Cocoa's head by making a mask out of the ear part, but he got scared and kept running away. I wanted to take a cute picture (proud parent). The complimentary "Corn Senbei" that came with it was really delicious and I liked it a lot. Thank you for the meal! (●^o^●)

After having lunch at Saika in Toji Temple, I decided to stop by Fushimi Inari, which I haven't visited in a while. It's a tradition in my family to visit Ishikiri Kenjinja and Fushimi Inari Taisha every New Year's Eve to New Year's Day, and we always used to buy Inari Senbei when we visited Fushimi. So, after visiting Fushimi Inari, I decided to buy some Senbei at Takaragado. The fox Senbei and bell Senbei with omikuji seem to be popular. This time, I bought the bell Senbei for myself. As a bonus, I also received some Senbei from Fly Bins. I enjoyed them at home right away - they are made with white miso, flour, sugar, and white sesame. The white miso flavor is strong, with a gentle sweetness and a nice sesame aroma. It's a taste that brings back memories. The Fly Bins Senbei was also very delicious. Thank you for the meal! By the way, the result of the omikuji was, well, see the image... (Clearly, it's a "bad luck" fortune, but oh well!)

I had Kitsune-san's senbei for the first time in a long time. I bought a small box just to try it out while sending Mizumaru mochi to my daughter. I received an extra piece as a service, so I tried it (^-^) I think it's been about 50 years since I last had it. When I was a child, we always had these at home, but I used to think, "Not this again..." Now that I tried it after so long, it's delicious! ♡

On Sunday at 10:40, I went to Takarado to look for Kitsune-san's rice crackers. Inside the store, there were various rice crackers lined up in bags. I was tempted by the selection, but I stuck to my original plan and bought 3 pieces of Kitsune Ko for 390 yen. They come in a box, so there is no worry about them breaking, and they are perfect for taking home. The shopkeeper kindly gave us a slightly damaged Kitsune-san rice cracker as a service. (My daughter immediately took it.) It's nice to receive something like this. We brewed some tea at home and enjoyed the subtly seasoned, simple Kitsune rice crackers. Thank you for the meal.

It was my first visit. This is a senbei (rice cracker) specialty store located in Fushimi Inari, Kyoto. The shop is located on the way to the main shrine of Fushimi Inari Shrine from Fushimi Inari Station. I stopped by on my way back from visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha. It was pouring rain that day, and despite the noise about COVID, the place was crowded with all Asian customers. I purchased the "Ko Kitsune 5 pieces" which are senbei in the shape of a fox's face, a specialty loved as a souvenir for a long time. The senbei contains white miso. I received a sample of a failed product when I made my purchase, and I ate it on the spot. When I tried it, it had a crispy texture with the scent of wheat flour, and the flavor of white miso spread afterwards. This is delicious. It's a taste that becomes addictive. I would like to stop by again when I come back here.

When I visited Fushimi Inari Taisha for a prayer, I wanted to take a photo with this fox-shaped Inari senbei in front of the Torii gate, so I arrived at 8:30 in the morning. I bought 3 packs of small fox senbei for 390 yen each as souvenirs, and also bought one separately. They carefully wrapped the 3-pack senbei for souvenirs, and the staff was very kind and helpful. The Inari senbei has a shelf life of 4 months, but it does not contain any preservatives, so you can enjoy it with peace of mind. The simple and comforting taste shows why it has been loved for many years. This shop has become a must-visit place for me whenever I visit Fushimi Inari Taisha in the future.

This is a long-established senbei (rice cracker) shop located on the approach to Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I stopped by on my way back from visiting Fushimi Inari. Half of the shutter was down, so I thought they might be closing early that day, but when I called out to them, they kindly sold me some senbei. Their signature product is miso senbei in the shape of a fox's face. I thought it would make a perfect souvenir, so I bought some to take home. They offer both large and small sizes, and even the small size is quite big, so I opted for that. It comes in a box of 5 pieces, wrapped in paper and tied with a string. It's rare to see this kind of traditional packaging nowadays, which added to the charm of the souvenir. This made me quite happy. When I actually brought it as a souvenir, everyone used the fox senbei as a mask for photos, and it was a hit. It was a joy to see them happy. The senbei itself has a simple and nostalgic taste that makes you want to keep eating. The slightly savory aroma of miso is pleasant and delicious. If you visit Fushimi Inari, I recommend trying the miso senbei in addition to the inari sushi.

Fushimi Inari Taisha, the head store of Takaragendo in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto. The small fox senbei [3 pieces] were delicious and crispy, with a hint of warmth from being hand-baked. They also gave us cracked senbei as a service. #Takaragendo #HeadStoreTakaragendo #FushimiInari #OriginOfInariSenbei #JapaneseSweets #Senbei #SenbeiWithSmallFox #Sweets #KyotoSweets #KyotoGourmet #KyotoFoodTour #SweetsGuy #LovePlantsGuy #LoveSun #AIUEO #Let'sEatAtLoveSunInKyoto #LovePlantsGuySweets

Boxed senbei comes in a set of 3 to a reasonable price, making it a nice little souvenir. It's light and easy to carry, but can be a bit bulky. It can last for 4 months, which is great. I bought two sets of the smallest 3-piece boxes and one freshly baked piece for snacking on the go. I think one piece was 120 yen each? It's just a short walk to Fushimi Inari, so I'll enjoy these on the way. The crispy senbei is slightly sweet and delicious. It's fun to take pictures and enjoy them while browsing through souvenir shops. I feel like the boxed ones were a better deal compared to the shops further back.

Image blog ⇒ "http://kouji328.blog59.fc2.com/blog-entry-4227.html" A day trip to Kyoto sightseeing with my husband. We started by having morning ramen at Shinpukusaikan, and then the sightseeing began. As part of a JTB tour with a free city bus ticket, our first stop was Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. After getting off the bus stop, we turned left and crossed the railroad crossing at Keihan Fushimi Inari Station, then on the right side, we found the original store of Inari Senbei, "Sohondoya Hokyokudo". This senbei shop sells its products to passing tourists. Established in the early Showa period, it stands out from the newly built shiny Japanese sweets shops with its traditional style. As we walked by, we saw them hand-baking senbei, and at that time, they were making a large quantity of "bell senbei" (5 pieces for 450 yen) with fortune slips inside. Displayed on the sidewalk were the popular "fox face-shaped senbei". They come in different sizes: small fox (3 pieces for 390 yen/5 pieces for 600 yen) and large fox (3 pieces for 540 yen/5 pieces for 900 yen). I ordered the small fox (3 pieces) and before receiving them, a woman in her thirties? offered me a sample of burnt senbei, saying, "It's a bit burnt, but please try it". A B-grade item with burnt edges? Yet freshly made, slightly warm, and delicious. I received the "small fox 3 pieces" in a small red paper-wrapped box with a loop handle. The next day, we visited Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Shimogamo Shrine, and several other places in the city. Inside the box were three layers of fox face senbei. They were lighter than regular senbei, less than half the weight. I thought all senbei were similar, but these were clearly a grade higher. When I broke one open, the aroma and light texture were quite unique. The key flavors seemed to be white miso and sesame. The burnt senbei sample I received was thick and fairly ordinary, but this Inari senbei was undeniably delicious. A must-have souvenir to buy while visiting the shrine? However, by the time we finished our visit and returned to the bus stop, there was quite a crowd. It might be safer to buy the "fox face senbei" at Hokyokudo before visiting the shrine in the morning. Overall, the atmosphere and service of the shop were rated 78 points.

After passing the beginning of spring, I visited the annual Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. This year, instead of aiming for the mountaintop of Inariyama, I visited the main hall to pay my respects. When I was a student (47 years ago), I stayed at the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine's assembly hall with a senior from my laboratory (who was from Nara) when we went on a pottery tour of Gojozaka in Kyoto. I think the cost was 300 yen per night (large hall, room only) back then. The building remains the same as it was at that time. This time, I was fortunate enough to watch a sacred dance at the Kagura Hall located on the south side of the main hall. Amidst the performance of Gagaku music, shrine maidens in white robes, scarlet hakama, sashes, and headdresses moved solemnly with sliding steps while performing the sacred dance. I was captivated by their beauty, especially when the sashes looked like transparent wings when they spread their hands. In that moment, I caught a glimpse of the excellent aesthetic sense of the Japanese people who practiced Shinto. It was amazing!!! (No photography allowed) Instead of taking the main approach, I took the Mikosai Road (back approach), crossed the railroad crossing of the JR Nara Line, and stopped at a quaint shop called "Hogyokudo" on the left just before the Keihan Main Line's Fushimi Inari Station. The shop owner seemed to be sitting in the parlor in front of a hearth on the left side of the shop, flipping over the mold for "Inari Senbei" while baking the senbei. Just as a fox-shaped senbei was being baked, the owner skillfully used scissors to trim its outline. There were various senbei in bags placed in a glass case in front of the shop. "Which of these senbei is the traditional one?" I asked. "This one made with white miso in the dough is the original 'Inari Senbei'. This fox-shaped one is also made with the same ingredients," a lady with a baby tied to her back kindly answered. "In that case, I'll take a bag of this." (There was only one in the glass case) Back in Tokyo, when I gave this souvenir to my mother, she said, "Oh, this 'Inari Senbei' is nostalgic. It reminded me of the days before the war when they used to bake them in front of the shop." My mother, who was born in Tokyo, lost her father at a young age (9 years old) and had to create her own family register to inherit the family estate. She was raised in Kyoto where her grandparents lived. Since there were few sweet treats before the war, eating this simple senbei was a great pleasure for her. When you break it into small pieces and put it in your mouth, the scent of baked wheat flour and the simple sweetness spread. Delicious!!! "I wish you had bought more." Touched by the nostalgic taste, my mother immediately placed a large order over the phone. (Thanks to the blessings of Inari, business will prosper).

Located on the street in front of the station, away from the main path of Fushimi Inari Taisha, is a rice cracker shop. There are several shops around Fushimi Inari that sell rice crackers shaped like fox faces, but "Hokudoku" is the oldest and still hand-bakes each one. I tried the sweet rice cracker and found it delicious, but this time I chose the large fox-shaped rice cracker. It costs 540 yen for 3 pieces, which may seem pricey for a rice cracker, but it is actually quite delicious. It has a strong soy sauce aroma and a crispy texture with just the right thickness. The flavor is enhanced by the addition of white miso, giving it a subtle sweetness that is not from sugar. It tastes similar to mitarashi, but more refined. I finished one piece in no time. This is really delicious. I underestimated souvenir snacks in tourist areas, but this rice cracker was unexpectedly tasty!