▼Location▼ Located along the former Route 170, about 350m from Kintetsu Horyujiyama Station towards Rokumanji, on the right side. ▼About the Shop▼ This shop sells various traditional Japanese sweets in the Gokoucho area, south of Horyujiyama Station. They offer mochi-based sweets such as daifuku, seasonal sweets, and also have a branch in Yamamoto. ▼Menu▼ They mainly sell mochi-based sweets like daifuku and dango, as well as seasonal sweets. ▼Food Consumed▼ ▽Kashiwa Mochi (Pack of 3) - 390 yen (As of May 2022) A pack containing three kashiwa mochi. These simple-sized kashiwa mochi have a nice hint of oak flavor. The mochi has a good chewy texture with a subtle sweetness. The smooth red bean paste inside also has just the right amount of sweetness. The balance of oak flavor, mochi texture, and red bean sweetness creates a simple yet delicious taste. ▼Impressions▼ (As of May 2022) This traditional Japanese sweets shop is located after passing through the Ginger Mall shopping street heading south from Kintetsu Horyujiyama Station. Hagi Tsuki, which also has a branch in Yamamoto, specializes in mochi-based sweets like daifuku and dango, as well as seasonal sweets like sweet potato and mikasa. I have visited this shop several times in the past, and this time I tried the kashiwa mochi, which I found to have a simple yet delightful taste. I personally enjoyed the texture of the mochi. I would like to try their seasonal sweets in the future when I have the chance.

Located south of Hyotan-yama Station, just beyond the bustling shopping district, is Shugetsu, a shop that offers a wide variety of sweets. They had many sweets available, including the seasonal favorites: Strawberry Daifuku (200 yen) and Chocolate Daifuku (150 yen). I tried the Strawberry Daifuku and was pleasantly surprised by the chewy texture of the mochi and the subtle sweetness of the red bean paste. The strawberry had a nice balance of tartness and sweetness. My family tried the Chocolate Daifuku and found them to be small but satisfying, making it easy to eat multiple pieces.

I have been wanting to eat strawberry daifuku for over a month now, and finally, the chance came! The atmosphere of the shop is like an old traditional Japanese sweets shop, located in the shopping street near Hyotan-yama Station, so it seems to have quite a few customers. The strawberry daifuku I was looking for was there! It was small and cost 200 yen per piece. It was tiny! But I bought it because I had been craving it for so long. And guess what! It was incredibly delicious! The mochi part was soft and stretchy, and the red bean paste was rich yet refreshing in flavor. And the highlight was the strawberry inside! It was so tasty! Despite its small size, it felt substantial when held. It disappeared in one bite, but the balance of mochi, strawberry, and red bean paste was perfect, making it a truly delicious strawberry daifuku!

There was a Japanese sweets shop located in the view from the window of Western-style restaurant Yamakawa. I stopped by on my way back because it's a place I rarely visit and I couldn't help but be curious. I bought 3 strawberry daifuku for 200 yen each and 3 pieces of Uchimono for 120 yen each. I took them home and cut them. Strawberry daifuku is my favorite Japanese sweet because the combination of white bean paste and strawberry acidity is perfect. Uchimono is also a soft rice cake with white bean paste inside. They are affordable Japanese sweets! They are also great as souvenirs. I wish there was a shop like this near my house. They probably won't be selling strawberry daifuku anymore at this time of year. It's a shame that I couldn't upload this during the time they were being sold due to the influence of the coronavirus. Thank you for the meal!

There are other branch stores of a traditional Japanese sweets shop in Osaka. I was interested in the muscat daifuku, but since I couldn't eat it right away, I opted for anman and kintsuba instead. The sweetness was mild, and they were subtly sweet Japanese sweets. (^o^)

This is a small traditional Japanese sweets shop that offers a variety of seasonal sweets, from water-based sweets to wagashi. The shop is called "Hyotan-yama" so there may be other branches as well. When you enter the shop, you are immediately drawn to the bright golden-colored freshly baked pudding in the showcase. I bought one of those along with two grass mochi sweets that looked deliciously refreshing. The pudding seemed to be made with very simple ingredients, such as eggs and sugar, resulting in a simple yet tasty flavor. The caramel topping was quite sweet. The grass mochi had a chewy texture typical of mochi, and the mugwort aroma was subtle but pleasant. The sweet red bean filling had a nice light taste. The shop seems to always have seasonal sweets available, such as the fruit daifuku mentioned on the signboard, showcasing a commitment to traditional Japanese sweets.