In September 2023, after having lunch at "Hirosawa," I visited Nijo Castle for the first time in a while. There were many tourists from overseas! After taking a walk around the castle, I took a break at "Chanou Nijo Castle Store," located near the exit. They had Nijo Castle limited edition golden soft serve ice cream and castle rice cakes, but I was too full, so I just had cold green tea. The cold green tea was very refreshing on such a hot day. Thank you for the meal!

Enjoyed visiting Nijo Castle in the morning!! As I was finishing my tour, I came across a shop selling ice cream. I was drawn to the picture on the sign and decided to buy one. Disappointing!! The actual ice cream looked nothing like the picture...haha. It reminded me of a similar experience I had in Kanazawa before. A sheet of gold. Perhaps reflecting the soaring price of gold!! I wish they had put more effort into it. Despite that, it's a popular tourist spot. I felt ashamed that I couldn't bring myself to spend 1980 yen for it when I had 1000 yen. Thank you for the meal. It was still a good experience. Next time, I'll adjust myself to spending 1980 yen.

I found a restaurant I wanted to visit in Kyoto! I made a lunch reservation. When I asked my friend in Kyoto for recommended spots near the restaurant, they told me that the "Nijo Castle Illumination" was happening! It was a rainy day, but the illumination was very beautiful. There were not many people, so I was able to enjoy it slowly. There were also some food stalls, and I bought pickles and limited edition canelés. At "Chanoh-Ai," I had their famous soft serve ice cream. I bought the "Golden Soft Half." Even though it was cold, I couldn't resist ice cream. I had a great time walking around enjoying the autumn leaves and illumination. Thank you for the meal!

I was tired so I looked for a place to sit inside Nijo Castle and found this place. It's next to a souvenir shop in the same building. The soft serve ice cream with Kanazawa-like gold leaf (1000 yen) might be good for those looking for a photo-worthy treat. I chose the Uji matcha soft serve (400 yen). Kyoto's matcha sweets are usually rich and aromatic with a slightly bitter taste, but this one was different. It was thin. The matcha flavor, cream, and sugar were all light. The cream lacked richness, and the texture was icy and crunchy like frozen milk. The most disappointing part was that it wasn't sweet at all (there was a hint of sweetness). Sweets with less sugar are popular, but this was just not sweet enough. It was like an accident-level soft serve. I wanted something sweet but ended up feeling unsatisfied. The saving grace was that the cone was a regular sweet sugar cone. And it had a baked Yatsuhashi stick in it, which was a nice Kyoto touch. The matcha soft serve was a big disappointment for all in my group. I recommend trying something else here. It's a popular spot for tourists, and this could leave a bad impression. Hopefully, it was just a one-time mistake.

I ordered the Yuzu Green Tea Ice for 580 yen. I thought it would have a stronger yuzu flavor since it's advertised as "yuzu", but it's not really that noticeable. In fact, it's not much different from a regular bottled tea. Oh no... If that's the case, I won't be ordering it again. I'll just buy from a vending machine next time (laughs).

I went to Nijo Castle in Kyoto for sightseeing instead of temples. I really like this kind of atmosphere. However, even though it's already September, the heat is still unbearable. After walking around the castle and seeing most of it, I found a souvenir corner and this shop. I decided to go in to cool off. After looking at the souvenirs, my son and I couldn't resist having some ice cream. We also ordered some iced coffee and were very satisfied. The ice cream itself may not be anything special, but when you eat it in Kyoto, the matcha flavor tastes different. Thank you for the meal.

Even though it was night and hot, I felt thirsty so I looked around and found "ousu". I'm happy to have something that is typical of Kyoto. It tastes even better because it doesn't have any added sugar. It's great that they are open at night for events. Although they said it was for indoor dining only, the drink was served in a sturdy cup and helped me stay hydrated after sweating.

After breakfast at Koen-tei, I felt a bit unsatisfied so I bought a Golden Soft Mini for 1000 yen. The soft serve ice cream comes with edible gold leaf on top. There is also a designated spot for taking photos, catering to tourists. The taste is just like regular soft serve ice cream. It's a bit pricey but could be nice during hot weather.

In the midst of a packed schedule, Nijo Castle was a sight to behold with its impressive size. It took some time to explore due to its vastness. It was my first visit to Kyoto, and I found the summer heat to be quite intense! I took a break at a rest area and enjoyed a famous soft serve ice cream. It was green tea flavored, not too sweet, and absolutely delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I returned the bike and arrived at Nijo Castle. The stamp I previously pressed for Nijo Castle, one of the Hyakumeizan castles, had been eroded by the red stamp of Ako Castle on the back of the paper, so I came to press it again. First, I took a break and... maybe because it's a weekday, it's not crowded. It was around 2:25 PM and about 30% of the customers were there. I paid 250 yen for a green tea ice with my card and sat at a table in the back. As expected in Kyoto, it was surprisingly cold but delicious! After cooling off a bit, I wandered around and then headed back.

It might just be a difference in taste, but I was surprised by the intensity of the matcha. It was my first time at Nijo Castle. Unfortunately, the main castle was under repair so I couldn't see the exterior, but the second enclosure was impressive enough. There was a food court-like shop near the exit that sold souvenirs. It seemed to specialize in tea, but they also sold seasonal Japanese sweets. It was surprisingly hot for early April, and I was walking around in a long-sleeved shirt, so my throat was dry. I prioritized getting a drink and ordered a cold "ousu" tea (priced at 480 yen including tax). The shop had a casual atmosphere, so I didn't pay much attention to the setting. The tea came in a plastic cup, which was a very casual style for serving matcha. When I tasted it... it was incredibly strong. I had imagined it would be similar to the lightly flavored bottled teas you can find at discount stores for around 560 yen for a 500ml bottle, but it was actually about three times as concentrated as "strong tea." I was really confused if this was really "ousu" tea. I slowly finished it and didn't want to waste the ice, so I (which might have been inappropriate) refilled the plastic cup with the mineral water I had on hand and took a sip. It was still strong (like a song by Chiharu Matsuyama). Finally, after finishing an unexpected second cup, I returned the cup and headed back to the subway. I had experienced a matcha tea at a castle rest stop that could be considered a "menu scam" due to its intensity. Thank you for the meal.

This was my second visit to Nijo Castle on December 14, 2021, but this time the main focus was on the light-up display, and the garden itself was too dark to see properly. I had to take a break at this shop before due to feeling unwell, and this time I bought some "jokamochi" as a souvenir. This chewy confection with sweet bean paste filling never disappoints. The family crest design is really nice.

On the second day in Kyoto, the first destination was Nijo Castle. I had actually been to Nijo Castle the day before, but only to see the garden during the night event called Nijo Castle Night Banquet, so I didn't enter the buildings. I believe that seeing the fusuma paintings and the carvings on the transoms is essential when visiting Nijo Castle, so I decided to come back and explore the interior properly this time. Nijo Castle is a World Heritage Site and it's truly impressive. The Kara-mon gate is stunning. To enter the castle grounds, you need to go to the left, but of course, we went to the right. There's a large rest area on the right. A rest area right at the beginning - how unfitting. I mean, we just wanted to have some soft serve ice cream. It's not like we were tired or anything. The large rest area has a cafe. That's where the matcha soft serve ice cream was waiting for us. It's from a tea cafe called "GREEN CAFE STYLE Chanoai" located in Kamitoba. We couldn't pronounce it correctly at first, but it's "Sanoa." The highlight was the gold soft serve ice cream. The regular size costs 1980 yen and the mini size costs 1000 yen. It's soft serve ice cream wrapped in gold leaf. The regular one has matcha soft serve with freeze-dried strawberries that look like fully bloomed cherry blossoms as toppings, along with a cookie or rice cracker with a tiger illustration, and wrapped in gold leaf. The mini version has vanilla soft serve with gold leaf wrapping. The waffle cone comes in red and white two-tone. It's amazing. I've had gold soft serve ice cream before in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, but this one is more extravagant with the addition of red. Nijo Castle, a national treasure and important cultural property. There were other delicious options too. The Uji matcha zenzai, which is matcha soft serve with rice balls and sweet red bean paste toppings, looked tempting. There's also the Uji matcha float, a drink made with authentic stone-ground Uji matcha topped with matcha soft serve. Of course, they also serve matcha and green tea as drinks. But we were there for the simple matcha soft serve. It's made with plenty of their famous Uji matcha. You can choose between a waffle cone and a regular cone. We opted for the cheapest regular cone because it's our favorite, not because it's cheap but because we think it's the most delicious. The matcha soft serve we received was darker in color compared to others I've had before. Even though there's milk mixed in, giving it a milky white hue, you can still see the difference in color. And it's firm. I like firm soft serve ice cream. I could eat soft serve ice cream even in the dead of winter. And it seemed like many others felt the same way since there were a lot of people buying soft serve ice cream while we were enjoying ours. Oh, I wish someone would buy the gold soft serve ice cream so I could see it in person. After finishing our treat, it was finally time to visit Nijo Castle as originally planned. Kyoto has many places where you have to take off your shoes, so it's important to wear proper socks to avoid embarrassment. The socks I wore were mostly the tabi socks provided as amenities in traditional inns. I always make sure to bring them back home. When it comes to actually taking off your shoes, I usually don't plan for it, so the socks I wore that day were -

On March 28, 2020, I visited Nijo Castle with my son who loves castles. However, feeling unwell, I entered the castle but had to wait for my son at a nearby shop selling cafe au lait. The menu at the shop offered various Kyoto-style sweets that I would have loved to try if I was feeling better. My son returned from exploring the castle and suggested coming back when I felt better to enjoy the soft serve ice cream here. Unfortunately, due to my condition, we had to leave Kyoto early, leaving me with a sense of regret over the trip. I hope to return to Kyoto when both myself and the city are in better shape, to enjoy the castle and sweets here with a clear and happy mind.

It takes over an hour to explore the vast Nijo Castle. Feeling tired from walking, I craved something sweet and bought a white rice dumpling sweet soup for 680 yen (tax included) along with a coffee at a rest area, where I ate it. It was a self-service system, so I had to line up to make my purchase, but since it was a slow period, I didn't have to wait long. The white rice dumpling sweet soup had a lot of broth. The light white rice dumplings floated while the chestnuts and red beans sank. Since it was a café in a tourist area, I didn't have high expectations for the taste, but it was actually quite delicious.

I visited the shop to take a break because I was tired from walking. I ordered matcha soft serve, which turned out to be surprisingly large and heavy. The soft serve had a deep bitterness characteristic of authentic matcha. It was definitely different from matcha soft serve in Ishikawa, and I enjoyed it. Thank you for the delicious treat!

Today I am traveling in the Kyoto and Osaka area. On the first day, I visited Toji Temple and then went to Nijo Castle. After touring Nijo Castle, I stopped by "Sanoa Nijo Castle Store" to quench my thirst. I tried the intriguing matcha beer. The bitterness of the matcha and the bitterness of the beer combined to create a deep and flavorful taste. The hojicha soft serve ice cream was delicious.

Seasonal Limited Edition After enjoying a morning at "Koun-tei" in Nijo Castle, I went for a walk to cool off. While walking, I came across the words "Gold Soft"! It can only be eaten at Nijo Castle, so I decided to buy it (lol). Among the soft serves I've had so far, it's by far the most expensive one! According to reviews on Tabelog, it was priced at 1,200 yen per cone, but now it's 1,980 yen! Could it be that gold has gone up in price recently?! The soft serve flavor is matcha. This soft serve is sure to be Instagram-worthy!

I don't care about the taste, I just want to cool down. I randomly entered Nijo Castle. Just walking around was too hot. It's a weekday, but there are quite a few Japanese families with children. The seats are almost full, with people coming and going. Must be tough on weekends. Uji matcha latte.

The most popular choice is the Kaun matcha soft serve, which is transformed into a hojicha soft serve with various toppings. While it is a delight for tourists, the presentation is too messy, making it hard to see the main soft serve underneath the large eight-layered bar, which looks delicious. This diminishes the joy of the experience.