I came to Ginza Matsuya to buy pickles from Uchida Tsukemono in Kyoto, but I also bought 3 of my favorite Nishi-Ko (300 yen each) at Shino Wakuden. When it comes to Shino Wakuden, I immediately think of the high quality of their bento boxes, but unfortunately, you can't buy bento boxes at the Tokyo store. However, Shino Wakuden has another charm - a lotus root cake called Nishi-Ko. Nishi-Ko has a unique texture from lotus flour and a refined sweetness from wasanbon sugar, making it undeniably delicious. The jelly-like texture is especially good in the summer. This time, I also bought 3 retort pouches of softshell turtle (1000 yen each). It's more like a soup than a stew, and it doesn't solidify easily. It has a refined taste and is delicious.

On June 30th, which marks the halfway point of the year, a purification ritual called "Nagoshi no Harae" is held in Kyoto to cleanse away the sins of the past six months. On this day, people eat azuki beans for good luck, in hopes of safely navigating the rest of the year. One traditional sweet made for this occasion is the "Sasanoka" wrapped in bamboo leaves, similar to "Nishiko". This treat is made of kudzu with large azuki beans, giving it a refreshing taste. The green bamboo leaves add to its beauty, and the delicate sweetness makes it a delightful treat. Wishing for everyone to stay healthy and happy for the rest of the year! (-人-)

And now, the highly regarded souvenir shop of Wakyuden, a high-class traditional Japanese restaurant in Kyoto, loved even by the Tuna Police. When it comes to Wakyuden, I'm not into traditional Japanese sweets, but their Sea Bream Sandwich is just amazing! (*ˊᗜˋ*)♡ It consists of toasted bread with sea bream, mayonnaise, shiso leaves, and plenty of pickled turnips. The seasoning with a hint of mirin and soy sauce is so refined and delicious. As someone from Kanto region not familiar with pickled turnips, I found the texture to be great and it paired well with the mild sea bream. I can only imagine how happy the sea bream must be when prepared this way... You can only buy this on the third Saturday of each month (Sandwich Day!), and there are even months when it's not available at Matsuya, making it quite rare. Every time I eat this, I think to myself, "Ah, this is the charm of Kyoto... how wonderful." It's a sandwich that lets you drift off into a dreamy world (*´﹃｀*)

The other day, I saw it introduced on TV. I don't usually go to department store basements, but I was curious so I went. It's like a small version of a sasamaki (was it filled with dango or mochi?) from the Izumo region. When you peel back the bamboo leaf, you'll find something sticky. It has a slight bamboo leaf scent. Scoop it up with a spoon and put it in your mouth. It's jelly-like. Not too sweet and delicious. I heard it's served as a water fruit in traditional Japanese course meals, but at home, I had it as a snack with some coarsely ground coffee from City Roast.

Seasonal limited edition sweets seemed to be my type, so I decided to purchase them. "Yuzu" is a chocolate-covered yuzu fruit. I'm not a fan of orange peel, but surprisingly, this was delicious. It had a hint of sourness from the yuzu and the chocolate was not too sweet. However, the price is a bit high, so I might hold off on buying it again. "Wataboshi" is a sweet and sour steamed bun filled with young peach buds. It was wrapped in white bean paste and tasted elegant and delicious.

I came to buy lotus root cake at Seiko. I also got the seasonal limited edition bamboo chestnut. The Seiko is softer than the sample at the store, making it difficult to cut and eat with a fork. It has a scent of bamboo because it is wrapped in bamboo leaves. The texture is very smooth and melts in the mouth. This is best eaten in the summer. It has a refined taste. The seasonal limited edition bamboo chestnut is made of chestnut base with kudzu. It also has a bamboo scent because it is wrapped in bamboo. The bamboo flavor is stronger than the chestnut. This one is firmer and has a solid shape compared to Seiko. It can last for 2-3 days. It is a refined sweet treat, perfect for souvenirs.

Continuing from "Hiring Treasure Pavilion," we are a bit late due to technical difficulties with the computer (electric abacus). Today, we are finally able to present the "Mid-Autumn Festival Story," which has faded in color. The "small and large" items worn at the waist are common to the Hiring Treasure Pavilion. As a specialty of Akina, we selected the "lotus seed mochi" with chestnut filling, priced at 2,484 yen. In ancient times in Japan, the "Chestnut Moon" is celebrated on the 13th day of the 9th month, while the 15th day of the 8th month is known as the "Sweet Potato Moon." The "Moon" on the 16th night is located in the fourth mansion of the White Tiger, the "Subaru Mansion," where the "Star of Longevity" is also nearby, making it a special "hazy moonlit night." The taste of the "lotus seed mochi" is exceptional. While Hiring Treasure Pavilion uses "lotus seeds" and Purple Field Wakudan uses "lotus root," both eventually grow into "lotus roots," bloom lotus flowers, and return to "lotus seeds" again. The "Moon" also endlessly repeats the cycle of "waxing and waning." Everything, from the ebb and flow of the tides to the fluctuations of temperature, the cycle of prosperity and decline, and the rise and fall of different eras, is just like this.

Revisited: The popular Lake West wrapped in bamboo leaves is a delicacy, but it has a problem with shelf life. The solution to this is the lotus mochi. It is said to have improved shelf life by adding agar to Lake West. It is a confection made with lotus powder extracted from lotus roots, giving it a smooth texture, and carefully kneaded with Japanese brown sugar syrup. It comes in a plastic container sealed for freshness, so you can enjoy it whenever you like. The expiration date is 3 months. It has a smooth, slippery texture, and the natural sweetness of Japanese brown sugar is delicious. It has a higher quality feel than warabi mochi and is highly recommended.

After visiting another store inside Matsuya Ginza, my companion and I happened to pass by a store front and were intrigued by their seasonal limited edition sweets. We decided to stop by for a visit and ended up purchasing some chestnut yokan. I occasionally shop at Wakuden, as they offer elegant and refined sweets that suit my taste. When we warmed up the chestnut yokan at home and tried it, the delicate flavor and sweetness of the chestnut were truly delicious. I would definitely consider using it as a gift in the future due to its exquisite taste.

In Kanto, it may not be very famous, but in Kansai, "Seiko" is well-known. The first time I tried it was at Wakuden for a sweet treat. It's a lotus root confection. As it's getting hotter, I felt like having a refreshing Japanese sweet, so I bought some. I also noticed "Kisui" wrapped in bamboo leaves, so I decided to compare the two. - Kisui: It was my first time trying it, and it was very soft and jelly-like with a good texture. It had a subtle apple scent at the end. (Not much bamboo leaf scent) - Seiko: A sweet made of lotus root and Japanese sugar. It had a gentle sweetness, a chewy texture, and the flavor of lotus root. It was wrapped in two bamboo leaves, so the scent was also nice. Both sweets look almost the same, wrapped in bamboo leaves with only the color of the string being different. When opened, Kisui is transparent, while Seiko is brownish, so they are easily distinguishable. Although the taste and texture are different, both have a refined finish typical of a high-class Japanese confection from a traditional restaurant. I preferred Seiko. In the summer, Japanese sweets tend to be a bit heavy, so Seiko was easy to eat and delicious.

Representing the famous product of Kazuki Den, "Renkon Kashi Seiko," this confectionery uses lotus root starch called renko powder, mixed with wasanbon sugar and wasanbon syrup, and wrapped in two sheets of fresh bamboo leaves. The shape of wrapping the bamboo leaves is carefully crafted to bring out the unique texture. This process cannot be done by machines, as it requires delicate handiwork. The fresh bamboo leaves have a preservative effect, and the confectionery contains no preservatives or additives. Seiko has a jelly-like texture, a subtle sweetness, and a pleasant aroma of bamboo leaves, making it a gentle confectionery that you sometimes crave. It has a shelf life of 3-4 days, so it can also be a good gift. I heard that lotus root also has anti-inflammatory properties, so I bought "Seiko" for a friend who has been feeling under the weather, and got some for myself as well. Seiko 5 pieces for 1,836 yen. Thank you for the delicious meal.

First visit in February 2021 (No.2445) I love Murasakino Wakuden, and whenever I go to Kyoto, I always visit one of the group's locations. However, due to the current situation, I can't go to Kyoto, so I purchased the winter tradition product here! Yuzu (small) 1944 yen. It is a confectionery made by simmering yuzu peel that has been softened with yuzu juice and wrapped in chocolate that is formulated not to compromise the fragrance. The sales period is from November 1st until sold out, and it is a short-lived product. However, Murasakino Wakuden + winter = "Yuzu fragrance" is ingrained in my memory, so I always crave it every winter. Despite the small quantity and the high price, it is a delicious product with a refreshing yuzu fragrance that spreads in your mouth. Thank you for the meal.

The elderly gentleman prefers tiny dried whitebait over regular whitebait, particularly enjoying the extremely small ones measuring less than 9mm. He believes that small things are the most beautiful. He fries the tiny whitebait in sesame oil, seasons it with soy sauce and sake, and serves it with vegetables like radish greens to create a delicious dish. He also enjoys a dish called "chirimen sansho," which is cooked sweet and salty with Japanese pepper. However, he dislikes the chirimen sansho from the eastern region where the chicken crows. He once purchased a bag of chirimen sansho from a famous store for a high price, only to discover that it contained an ingredient called trehalose. Despite the differences in size and production methods, he found the taste of this particular chirimen sansho lacking the freshness of the traditional Kyoto style.

I haven't been able to go to Kyoto this year yet... Considering the current situation, the state of the world, and being considerate of those around me, I have been refraining from traveling. The government has started the GoTo Travel campaign, but... I'm still a bit worried even though it might be safe. I wonder if I would be able to enjoy it with all the concerns in mind. However, instead of just saying I want to go, I have decided that it's okay for me to go to Ginza for now, and have been visiting incense shops and traditional Japanese restaurants to distract myself. Even though I usually just look at traditional Japanese sweets without buying them, I suddenly stopped in front of Wakuden. I have tried their Nishiko a few times before and I know they are delicious. Recently, I have finally started to appreciate the taste of traditional Japanese sweets. I thought about buying Nishiko, but ended up purchasing the seasonal limited edition "Wataboshi Matcha" (2 pieces for 1000 yen) instead. I carefully enjoyed it at home. The elegant box contained two round Wataboshi sweets made with white azuki bean matcha filling wrapped in soft mochi, described as "a matcha filling with a deep flavor of white azuki beans, wrapped in a soft mochi that resembles a bride's wataboshi." I was curious about the term "bride's wataboshi," so I looked it up on Google. I realized it refers to the traditional head covering worn by brides, not a wedding dress. I learned something new. As for the Wataboshi Matcha, it had such a refined taste. The matcha filling was gently sweet, not too overpowering, and the mochi was delicious. The package also recommended letting it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before eating to allow the mochi to soften further. I followed the instructions, but the mochi wasn't as soft as I expected. Perhaps I should have waited longer or it could be due to the air conditioning in the room. The highlight of this sweet was the generous amount of matcha filling in the center, making it a treat to savor the matcha. I enjoyed it with barley tea, but I wish I had proper matcha to accompany it. It gave me a faint taste of "Kyoto" and I was satisfied. Recently, I've noticed that many sweets in department store basements have calorie information displayed. Wataboshi Matcha also had the calorie content listed. Although I am aware that these sweets are high in calories, there's a difference in eating them knowingly versus unknowingly. I believe there are others like me who appreciate this information, and I am recording this review for my own reference. I plan to continue documenting similar reviews if there are calorie details available in the future. "Wataboshi Matcha" Price: 1080 yen (tax included) 100g / 254 kcal Protein: 4.0g Fat: 0.4g Carbohydrates: 59.3g Salt equivalent: 0g 1 piece (approx. 60g) / 152.4 kcal Protein: 2.4g Fat: 0.24g Carbohydrates: 35.6g

Taste? The broth isn't very strong, so it's more like a collagen supplement than a flavorful dish. It's quite expensive, but it's like hydrating with water, or rather, collagen. How can I enjoy it more deliciously and consume it? Maybe in a hot pot? It's too luxurious for everyday use at home though! Thank you for the meal!

I have purchased this as a gift before, but it was my first time trying it myself. The famous lotus root confectionery "Seiko" is pronounced as "Seiko" not "Saiko." It is a sweet made from lotus flour and wasanbon sugar. The Marunouchi store has been selected as one of the "Top 100 Sweets in Tokyo" on Tabelog, so the taste should be the same even if bought at a department store. I was excited with anticipation. After chilling in the refrigerator, the elegant sweetness of wasanbon sugar and the chewy texture were even more delicious than I imagined. This is highly recommended! I have only used it as a gift before because it looks plain, but I'm sorry for not trying it myself. From now on, I will confidently recommend it! I have Instagram. Find me at "y.catherine.y".

In October 2018, at the Ginza Matsuya store, [Nishi-ko] is a signature product of Murasakino Wakuden, which originated from the renowned Kyoto Higashiyama ryotei, Kodaiji Wakuden. It is a sweet made from lotus root starch and wasanbon sugar, with a chewy texture and smooth sweetness. It has a delicate flavor of bamboo leaves, making it a very elegant confectionery.

I bought some lotus root sweets from here, as I love them, and decided to also try the "Kuri no Kuzuyaki." I thought I could eat it right away, but it turns out you have to take it out of the bag, microwave it for 20-30 seconds, and then eat it. It became crispy and had a good flavor, but I still prefer the lotus root sweets from West Lake.

I used it for lunch this time. I was not sure what to choose, but this time I purchased Nishiko. Purchase contents Nishiko 300 yen Nishiko is a Japanese confectionery made from lotus root starch and sugar. It has a jelly-like texture similar to yokan, with a moderately sweet and refreshing taste. The store is clean and beautiful, with a variety of delicious Japanese confectioneries on display. The staff's customer service was also polite. It is a Japanese confectionery shop located inside Matsuya Ginza store.

Renkon mochi wrapped in bamboo leaves. It has a semi-transparent brown color. It is very smooth and slippery! The texture is like a cross between jelly and mochi.

I have loved West Lake since I was a child, and although there is an Isetan store in Ginza, I am disappointed that the Marunouchi store has closed. I always buy it here, as it is a high-quality treat that I want to eat in the summer. Whenever I visit Kyoto, I always go to this shop (I want to eat Uji Kinmotsu Sorbet). Thank you for the delicious meal.