I purchase these every year. I wish for good health! They are small, soft mochi with sweet white bean paste inside. They come in a set of 3 for 500 yen. Lately, they have been selling out quickly, but they sometimes restock. If you want to buy them, make sure to get them as soon as you see them - there is always a long line at Takashimaya.

The Gion Festival this year was blessed with great weather (though it was too hot) and was bustling with people. I brought home some festive sweets from Sanjo Wakasaya, and inside was a package of Chigo Mochi. Each package contained six sticks of soft white mochi. When you bite into it, it's not too sweet or too bland, just right. Despite its small size, it has a presence and leaves you feeling satisfied. It's sure to be appreciated by people from other countries as well.

Since the Taisho era, there has been a famous specialty called "Ichigo mochi" that has remained unchanged except for the packaging. It is said that after a Gion festival event on June 1st in ancient times, the children ate it. Each package contains three sticks in red, white, and yellow colors. It is believed to "ward off evil and invite good fortune." The white miso from Honda Miso Shop is sweetened and matched with the sweet bean paste. Despite being sweet, it has a refreshing taste.

Visited the long-established Japanese confectionery shop "Sanjo Wakasaya" in Sanjo Shopping Street. Established in 1893, this shop has the same roots as "Nijo Wakasaya." Tried the "Ichigo Mochi," a sweet treat shaped like a float from the Gion Festival. I thought it was just a regular mochi, but it turned out to be much tastier than expected. The mochi was soft yet chewy, with a sweet and salty white miso filling inside.

Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets inside the shop, maybe because I arrived at a bad time. The sign outside was also knocked over. Too bad. The owner kindly told me I could eat what I purchased outside. The strawberry mochi I tried for the first time was delicious. Somehow, it felt more uplifting to buy it at Kyoto Station than anywhere else.

I had heard about Gion Chigomochi before. I saw it on Tabelog and was planning to visit someday. This time, I came to Kyoto after the Gion Festival had ended, so I thought there would be no souvenirs related to the festival. I found this shop near Nijo Castle and when I peeked into the window, I was amazed to see a float with Chigomochi on it! It had cute wheels attached and I immediately wanted it. I'll taste it at home, so for now, I needed to figure out how to carry this case all the way back to Gifu. The shop owner suggested I have it held at the Isetan store in Kyoto Station, and I decided to pick it up just before boarding the Shinkansen. When people talk about Kyoto, they mention the Gion Festival. Due to the pandemic, I avoided crowds and didn't visit during the festival, but just having a souvenir made me feel a little happy to experience a taste of the festival. Once the pandemic is over, I would like to see the Gion Festival for myself. I enjoyed it with my family at home. It's a sweet, soft, and melty mochi. It was an elegant Japanese confection that paired perfectly with strong green tea.

On the night of the Shoya-yama day, I wandered around the busy downtown area and went to the food department of a department store. There was a long line for strawberry mochi, but I decided to visit this shop at the east entrance of Sanjo Shopping Street. The exterior had a nice touch of withered feeling, and inside the shop, there were only a few customers, making it a calm place to shop. I quickly bought the strawberry mochi and while I was paying, I noticed blackcurrant-flavored wheat crackers, so I added them to my purchase. When I got home, my family of three each had a piece of the strawberry mochi. It had a simple, soft texture and a mild sweetness. The blackcurrant-flavored wheat crackers had a light texture and would be delicious as a snack with tea, but despite its color, it did not have the tartness of blackcurrant. We gratefully enjoyed them as auspicious items.

Chigo Mochi - 530 yen A famous confectionery from the Gion Festival, called "Gion Chigo Mochi". In the past, during the Gion Festival, on June 1st, there was a procession where young boys received blessings from the shrine and then were treated to mochi dipped in miso sauce and drinks at a tea shop near Yasaka Shrine. It was believed that this mochi could ward off evil and bring good luck, and it became well-known in Kyoto. In the early Taisho period, the second-generation owner of the tea shop, Nyosen, learned about this forgotten mochi and decided to create a new confectionery called Gion Chigo Mochi. It is made by wrapping sweet white miso inside soft mochi, coating it with ice powder, skewering it on bamboo sticks in packs of three, and decorating it with three colorful strips of paper. When you think of the Gion Festival, you think of Gion Chigo Mochi, which comes in packs of three with a fluffy mochi filled with sweet white miso paste.

Nostalgic flavor (*´∀`) I want to eat it when I want, which is grateful. Although it's not at the Gion Festival, I can still enjoy it. At Shinodaya, you can have coffee as a set, but there are few seats and a high percentage of women, so this time I got it to go! The unchanged taste is comforting. Thank you for the meal. m(_ _)m

I purchased this delicious mochi confectionery at Kawayanagi-an in Ginza Mitsukoshi. I love this mochi snack so much that I thought I had already reviewed it. When I checked, I realized I hadn't. I find the corner where regional specialty sweets are gathered in department stores very convenient. I wanted to eat some delicious sweets as I was starting to catch a cold, so I bought the Ichigo Mochi without hesitation. It was beautifully written with the initials, probably meaning to ward off bad luck and invite good fortune. The famous Ichigo Mochi with a cute shop name decoration. This delicate mochi confectionery filled with red bean paste on a skewer is elegant. I thought I would definitely visit next time I go to Kyoto and enjoy it in the store.

During the Gion Festival, limited edition chigo mochi is sold. Since you can't eat the yaku-yoke chimaki, why not bring home these chigo mochi that you can enjoy? They come in a package of two, arranged in a box shaped like a hoko float for a nice presentation. This specialty item is released every year and there were long lines at the department stores.

I purchased the Gion Ichigo Mochi for 400 yen at Mitsukoshi, as it had just arrived that day. Each mochi is individually wrapped, and when you remove the packaging, you will find a strawberry mochi coated with mochi powder. The mochi powder prevents it from sticking to the wrapping paper. Upon tasting it, I found the sweet bean paste to be quite sweet. The balance, including the white miso inside, felt a bit off to me as the sweetness of the bean paste was overpowering. The flavor of the white miso was good though. This mochi can last for about a week even at room temperature, which made me appreciate the effort put into ensuring its preservation. I believe that the experience of eating it on-site might change my evaluation of it.

On Saturday at 13:20, we had lunch at Gaien Itadaki-do after wandering around the shopping street and then stopped by Sanjo Wakasaya. We ordered a set of Chigo-mochi, which was around 700 yen. My daughter had matcha, and I had coffee. The matcha seemed slightly more expensive (if I remember correctly). Sitting by the window facing Horikawa Street, we leisurely enjoyed the Chigo-mochi while watching the people passing by. The surface had a gentle texture of ice mochi, with a coconut-like taste that I had never experienced before. The smooth melting of the sweet bean paste was comforting, and I realized that this mochi has been enjoyed by people in Kyoto for a long time. I would love to visit again when I'm in the area. Thank you for the delicious meal.

After checking out of the hotel, I walked to the World Heritage Site, Nijo Castle. I wandered through the nightingale floors and explored the magnificent Ninomaru Palace, a national treasure. I also strolled through the rainy garden. Later, as I walked along Horikawa Street, I came across a charming traditional Japanese sweets shop at the corner where Sanjo Street intersects with an arcade. This shop, established in the 26th year of the Meiji era, caught my eye. As it turns out, they specialize in their original "Gion Chigomochi." The Gion Festival in Kyoto is one of Japan's three major festivals. This year, due to the impact of the coronavirus, the procession of floats was canceled, an unprecedented situation. Normally, the festival would be bustling with people and excitement. This year, my niece gave me a talisman in the shape of a chimaki (rice cake wrapped in bamboo leaves) to hang at the entrance for protection, as it was the only item available at Yasaka Shrine. It seems that this sweet resembles the shape of the chimaki. I entered the shop by sliding open the glass door, and there was a friendly female staff member inside. In front of her, various sweets were displayed in the showcase. The shop had a stylish counter facing the main street, rather than the arcade on the left side of the entrance, which seemed to be the eat-in corner. I purchased a set of three "Gion Chigomochi" for 432 yen, tax included. I originally planned to eat it on the return Shinkansen trip but missed the timing, so I enjoyed it at home the next day. It can be kept for 7 days. The sweet consists of miso paste wrapped in sweet mochi made from rice flour, covered with "ice mochi" (dried mochi soaked in water and dried in the cold wind) and skewered with bamboo sticks. When crushed and sprinkled, it looks like frost has fallen, creating a beautiful finish. The balance of miso's saltiness and sweet bean paste is just right, not too overwhelming. It pairs perfectly with the soft mochi. The size is just right, not too big. The skewering technique is impressive. It's perfect as a tea snack and could be a nice souvenir for Kyoto enthusiasts. They offer various packaging options such as ema paper boxes or wooden boxes, with different prices and quantities to suit your needs. You can also enjoy it with matcha or coffee in the eat-in corner. Taking a break here seems like a good idea. Such encounters make traveling enjoyable.

I got some chigo mochi to go! Although it was possible to eat in, I decided to take it to go due to the current circumstances. The owner came out from the back to explain everything to me. Each package contains three pieces of chigo mochi. When I tried one, I was surprised by how light it was. The amount of sugar was just right, with a subtle sweetness that was very elegant. It was really delicious.

It contained three items similar to chimaki. It was kusamochi. When the temperature was high, it seemed like it would melt and fall off the skewer. There was a rough texture on the surface, like ice rice cakes. Inside was miso paste, a familiar taste. I thought it was a good choice to eat while thinking about the Gion Festival. Lunch -> Takeout, re-posted. Apologies to those whose comments disappeared. m(_)m

This is my first time trying it. It seems to be famous in Kyoto. I learned that it was created in the Taisho era, based on the tradition of offering "chigo mochi" to ward off misfortune and invite good luck during the Gion Festival. It's amazing that it has been passed down since the Taisho era, even though it was a modern creation. The unique texture of the ice mochi is interesting. Thank you for the Kyoto tradition.

A famous traditional Japanese sweets shop located in Kyoto city. Known for their "Ichigo Mochi". I visited their eat-in space and tried the "Ichigo Mochi Set (Matcha and Ichigo Mochi)" for 700 yen. The Ichigo Mochi consists of white miso inside, surrounded by mochi, and topped with ice mochi. The mochi is on the firmer side with a nice slightly toasted exterior. What sets it apart is the white miso inside, which adds a hint of sweetness, saltiness, and depth to the mochi. The shape is bite-sized and long, skewered on a stick. When you put it in your mouth, you unconsciously straighten the stick and take a bite. This eating style may seem childish, but it somehow brings back memories of childhood sweets, making it a fun experience.

A traditional Japanese confectionery shop located in Kyoto City. Established in 1893. Their main product is the Gion Chigomochi, a type of Japanese sweet. The Gion Chigomochi is said to originate from the Gion Festival. It is made by sweetening white miso, wrapping it in sweetened rice cake, and skewering it on a bamboo stick. It is characterized by its subtle sweetness and simple flavor. Each stick is not very large in size. Three sticks are packaged together in a pack wrapped in bamboo-like paper with three colored strips as decoration. The pack contains 40g of Gion Chigomochi.

I visited this restaurant because I saw it was open when I was nearby in January 2020. It is located facing Horikawa Street, at the entrance of Sanjo Street Shopping Arcade. The interior of the restaurant is small, but you can eat in. I ordered the Chigo Mochi Set with coffee. The Chigo Mochi is described as "sweet white miso cooked and wrapped in sweet bean paste, coated with ice mochi" on the poster. It had a subtle and elegant taste. It also came with a piece of Rakugan, which melts smoothly in your mouth with the sweetness of Wasanbon sugar. The coffee was easy to drink with a mild bitterness and acidity that didn't overpower the delicate taste of the Japanese sweets. The eat-in space has a Western-style cafe atmosphere, where you can relax and take a break. Despite being a quiet spot, I found it to be a nice space to enjoy the flavors. I would definitely like to stop by again when I'm in the area.