I visited this restaurant in the fall of 2022. It is located a short walk from Ginkaku-ji along the Philosopher's Path. The restaurant has a quiet and unassuming exterior, but the elegant and friendly lady inside made my visit enjoyable. I bought some sweets to enjoy later, including beautifully crafted traditional Japanese sweets and some snacks to take home. The flavors were unique and delicious, especially the steamed cake shaped like a mountain. I also tried the popular wheat and buckwheat flour boro snack, which had a sweet and nutty taste. The matcha-flavored senbei crackers were a standout, with a perfect balance of sweetness and crunchiness. Overall, I was impressed by the quality and flavors of the sweets and snacks, and I look forward to visiting again in the future.

So mysterious!!! It was my first time, and I was like, huh? What's this appearance? Will it be tasty? I thought it would be lightly salted rice crackers, but when I tried it, it was slightly sweet and oh, unexpectedly soft! I underestimated it as a weak snow scene, but it turned out to be moist! What is this! Is it starch syrup? The texture is amazing! As a result of this elaborate setup, I found it more enjoyable than regular sweet snacks, and above all, it was elegant and felt like an incredible creation(!?) - I was genuinely impressed!

On Sunday, I visited Mokuan, a traditional Japanese sweets shop. There was only one type of sweets displayed in the showcase in front of the store. There was one group of customers ahead of me. I purchased three types of wagashi (Japanese sweets). They were handed to me in a beautiful box made of water lily amber candy stones, and when I asked, they also provided a bag for free. I enjoyed them at home. The seasonal sweets were a delight for both the eyes and the taste buds. They make great souvenirs when walking around Nanzen-ji Temple and Ginkaku-ji Temple. Thank you for the delicious treats. I have also posted a YouTube video about exploring Higashiyama, including this shop. Please search for "mog and mog" to find it.

Located a 30-35 minute walk from Mototanaka Station is the Japanese confectionery shop, Ryokuan. Operating in a nostalgic Kyoto-style building, this cozy Japanese confectionery shop mainly targets local residents. While it's quite a distance from the station, it's not impossible to walk from Ginkaku-ji Temple, making it a nice stop during sightseeing. On this visit, I purchased popular items like Hanashōbu. These traditional Japanese sweets are not only visually appealing but also have a rich and classic sweetness from the sweet bean paste that everyone would enjoy. The texture is soft and smooth, making it delicious even for those who don't like hard textures! If you want to purchase classic Kyoto sweets around Ginkaku-ji Temple, be sure to visit Ryokuan. Thank you for the meal! *Instagram food account https://www.instagram.com/shunsuke.naka/ (Over 10,000 followers!)

The wagashi I purchased this time were the following 6 items: ① Warabimochi (510 yen), ② Yanagi Sakura (464 yen), ③ Hanami Dango (453 yen), ④ Kasugano (432 yen), ⑤ Sakura Mochi (432 yen), ⑥ Hanafune (432 yen). Overall, they have an exquisite level of sweetness. The softness of ① mochi is also excellent. The texture of the dango in ③ is also very good. Perhaps due to the location, even after 5:30 in the evening, there were still wagashi available. On this day, only "Hanafune" in ⑥ was sold out (I had reserved it in advance), so it's good from my perspective that even if you suddenly decide, you seem to be able to buy them.

I purchased the following 5 items: ① Wakakusa (mochi skin, chunky sweet bean paste) ② Uguisu Mochi (double-layered mochi, smooth sweet bean paste) ③ Warabi Mochi (smooth sweet bean paste) ④ Shimomoe (sweet potato paste) ⑤ Ume ga Kaoru (taro, smooth sweet bean paste). All 5 items had a nice texture of ingredients like taro and double-layered mochi, and the sweet bean paste had a moderate sweetness. In item ④ Shimomoe, if this were a snow mochi, the filling would probably be egg yolk paste, but this had nightingale paste (green bean paste), so "Shimomoe" was very good, and I will definitely come back here.

My wife and I took a spontaneous trip to Kyoto. We stumbled upon a traditional Japanese confectionery shop called "Matsumae." Their specialty is a 432 yen stick cookie, about 3mm thick and 60mm long. The perfect balance of firmness and crumbliness creates an excellent texture. As you bite into it, you'll experience a subtle yet robust soba (buckwheat) flavor that gradually unfolds in your mouth. The simple and rustic charm of this treat really hit the spot. It can last for about three months.

My wife and I spontaneously visited Kyoto. We stopped by a traditional Japanese confectionery shop called Tenten Yūshū. The "Kogarashi" costs 432 yen, a sweet resembling a dragon wrapped in smooth red bean paste, combining moistness and smoothness perfectly. The nutty aroma of soba and the refreshing red bean paste make it delicious. It is best consumed on the day of purchase. The "Yukimochi" costs 432 yen, a small fresh confection about 30mm in diameter and 25mm thick. Inside the coarse mochi exterior is a smooth red bean paste with a delicate sweetness that melts in your mouth like snow. This sweet treat is also best consumed on the day of purchase.

The taste of miso in the kashiwa mochi is very strong and unique. The sweet red bean paste is smooth and delicious. The daifuku with anko is tasty. The texture is closer to mizu yokan, not too chewy. Personally, I found it a bit too sweet. There are two pieces, one with a savory soy sauce flavor and one with a delicious matcha aroma. This was my favorite. ◎

Ryokuan / Setsu-mochi ☑︎ 432 yen ☑︎ 307kcal (per box) ☑︎ Domyoji ☑︎ Purchased at Shinjuku Takashimaya and Kyoto Airlines. Exciting to try Ryokuan's ue-gashi for the first time! The airline's ue-gashi varies by month, so it's always a surprise. As a fan of mochi, I'm delighted that 2 out of 3 pieces are mochi-based. The Domyoji-made outer layer is chewy with a good texture and not overly sticky. The ice-mochi accentuates the simplicity, yet eating it reveals depth. The black koshi-an filling is moist and delicious, whether eaten with the outer layer or on its own. The filling isn't overly strong, with a satisfying, mildly sweet taste.

Green An / Purple Snow ☑︎ 432 yen ☑︎ 307kcal (per box) ☑︎ Sweet potato cake ☑︎ Purchased at Shinjuku Takashimaya and on a flight to Kyoto ◎ Exciting to try the Green An's wagashi for the first time! The inflight wagashi differs each month depending on the shop, so it's always a surprise. Even though it's called sweet potato cake, the texture can vary greatly depending on the shop. This sweet potato cake had a subtle sweet potato flavor, which was a bit weak for my taste as I prefer a stronger sweet potato taste. However, the sweetness of the anko filling complements it well, making it enjoyable with its moist texture. The white anko filling inside was smooth and different from the black anko I expected. It wasn't overly sweet, making it easy to eat without feeling overwhelmed. Overall, the balance of firmness throughout was well done...

Green An / Camellia ☑︎ 432 yen ☑︎ 307kcal (per box) ☑︎ Mochi-based ☑︎ Purchased at Shinjuku Takashimaya and Kyoto Airlines ◎ Exciting to try Green An's wagashi for the first time! The airline wagashi varies by month, so it's always a surprise. Camellia is a favorite mochi-based treat ♪ Despite expecting a bit of dryness, it was surprisingly soft to the touch and had a chewy yet not overly firm texture when eaten. The anko filling was subtly sweet, with a hint of watery texture at times, but overall smooth.

A traditional Japanese confectionery shop located near the approach to Honen-in Temple. The owner, Mr. Matotomi, apparently trained at "Suetomi." I tried their highly praised sakuramochi and warabimochi. The sakuramochi, made with fine-grained domyoji rice flour and delicate sakura flavor, is exquisite. I've had wonderful sakuramochi in Kyoto before, but I think this one is even better. The warabimochi, with its smooth and sticky warabi flour texture and equally smooth red bean paste, is also superb. As the cherry blossoms along the Philosopher's Path were in full bloom, it was a perfect time for hanami (flower viewing) with these treats. They also offer fresh sweets that don't require utensils like the warabimochi, and since it's close to the Philosopher's Path, you could enjoy them on a bench during a leisurely stroll.

It was a clear autumn day, so I went for a walk with my mother after a long time! We strolled around the Philosopher's Path ❤ My legs weren't feeling great due to the morning and evening chill, and halfway through, my mother was like "Let's head back" (´･ω･`) But then, we found something while walking back! We bought... Chrysanthemum for 390 yen and Murasaki An for 390 yen. Looking forward to enjoying them at home! The chrysanthemum had smooth dough with strained sweet red bean paste! The combination of the soft dough and elegant strained sweet red bean paste made me think it must have been made for a long time! The layers were beautiful and the colors were vibrant. It had a satisfying texture too. As for the murasaki an, it had sweet bean paste in a double-layered dough! I love double-layered dough, but there was a bit of powdery residue in the aftertaste which was a bit disappointing. Overall, these were traditional Japanese sweets with a well-balanced sweetness! My mother, who doesn't like overly refined things, enjoyed them (lol).

Takeout. Ordered wagashi (Ishidake and Natsuno), and two Midori. Total was 1,080 yen.

Average Japanese sweets

Sakuramochi

I visited after a long time in June when it was raining. It's an elegant restaurant, but it doesn't feel pretentious. On this day, I made a few purchases while chatting a bit - hydrangeas, blue maple leaves, green plums, and yokan (sweet bean jelly). I brought them home and enjoyed their soft and flavorful taste. As always, delicious. Let's go buy more next time!

Visited for the umpteenth time in May 2018. Found that taking the subway to Imadegawa and then a bus from there was the easiest route. This time, I only tried the "Midori" because I had reserved warabi mochi from Tsukimochiya Naomasa the next day. Sweet, slightly spicy, and elegant. Still love it. After lunch in Jo in 2012, I took a bus to Ginkakuji. It was an express, so we passed the nearest bus stop and had to backtrack a bit to reach the small shop "Ryokuan." If you're not careful, you might miss it. I didn't see the "Boar's Child Mochi until the 22nd" on their website, so I asked about it in the shop. "Sorry, it's already sold out. It's been replaced with this camellia here. It's the same inside." They looked completely different... Not sure if it was sold out that day or for the year, but it's still on the website... Anyway, I had the camellia with autumn sweet potato jelly. Although it had to be eaten by the next day, they advised, "It might harden tonight as it gets cold. Please enjoy it today." I followed their recommendation and had the camellia on the Shinkansen. Still a refined sweet bean paste. It feels carefully made. However, my husband enjoyed the autumn sweet potato jelly that wasn't sesame or boar's child mochi. I first learned about this shop a while back from the crispy and fragrant "Midori" rice cake sweets in a magazine. I love the gentle sweetness. Packaged in small bags of two, perfect for souvenirs.