As a child, I used to be called to my grandparents' house to eat "shiso mochi" often. I found it and came to try it (*⁰▿⁰*). The combination of shiso's aroma and saltiness followed by the sweetness of the red bean paste goes well with coffee (lol). Taking a bite brings a moment of happiness (*´꒳`*). It's a taste of nostalgic memories (´༎ຶོρ༎ຶོ`) and it's delicious d(￣ ￣) ===========

I have loved shiso mochi since I was a child, and when I became an adult, I planned to eat all nine pieces in a box by myself. As an adult, when I visited the store again after a long time, I was happy to see that shiso mochi was still available. Our children wanted strawberry daifuku, so I suggested having chimaki for Children's Day, but we ended up buying each of our favorite sweets. The strawberry daifuku was really delicious, and my eldest son said he would prefer it over cake on his birthday. As for me, I chose shiso mochi. The refined red bean paste wrapped in shiso with the perfect amount of salt was incredibly delicious, with a taste that hasn't changed. It made me feel very happy. I hope it never changes.

I went to get some chestnut ohagi. Unfortunately, they were sold out on the first day in the afternoon, so I bought shiso mochi and chestnut mochi instead. The shiso mochi had a nice fragrance, a crispy texture from the shiso leaf, a gentle softness from the mochi, and a well-balanced sweetness and flavor from the red bean paste. The chestnut mochi had a chewy texture with a gentle and delicious taste, with sweet bean paste inside the chestnut paste. The next day, I arrived before 10 am and successfully got the chestnut ohagi. It had red bean paste wrapped in mochi made from glutinous rice, and unlike chestnut mochi, it melts in your mouth, leaving a refreshing taste. It's easy to see why it's so popular. I definitely want to eat it again next year.

The shiso mochi is delicious! Perfect balance of flavors, and the aftertaste is refreshing!

Sesame mochi. Just as I imagined, the chestnut daifuku stole all the moisture in my mouth.

The combination of sourness and sweetness is delicious.

I went there for the first time in 2 years and 6 months. About a month ago, I wanted to buy chestnut rice cakes, but they were sold out. So, this time I got 2 revenge chestnut rice cakes (195 yen each) on 05/02. Before that, I went to pick up 3 reserved strawberry daifuku (210 yen each) and they were bigger than I expected, and the strawberries were very delicious on 04/29. The specialty of this shop is "shiso mochi" (115 yen), but today the popular item seems to be the strawberry daifuku, which was sold out. I wanted to eat it, so I made a reservation. The strawberry daifuku is only available until May 1st, but I couldn't go on that day, so I asked if I could pick it up on the 2nd, and they said OK. I also got the Fukichi (white bean paste) (220 yen) and the flower rabbit. The flower rabbit is a wheat flour confectionery wrapped in a dough kneaded with white bean paste and one chestnut. I like white bean paste, so this might become my favorite shop. NO.517

"Sagayoshi" is located about a 10-minute walk from the north exit of JR Saga Arashiyama Station towards Kyoto city. It is a traditional Japanese sweets shop located along Shin Marutamachi Street. The shop's glass windows often display the names of seasonal Japanese sweets. Although this shop is not featured in gourmet magazines, I decided to give it a try since there are not many Japanese sweets shops in the area. Inside the shop, there were various types of Japanese sweets available. The staff seemed a bit surprised or maybe not too welcoming, probably because they are used to seeing only locals. I bought about 4 different types of sweets and tried them at home. Unfortunately, they were all just average. It seems that I should stick to buying from more well-known shops. The specialty of this shop seems to be the "Shiso Mochi". By the way, for daifuku lovers, I recommend Yonemitsuken near Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

I took a bike ride to Haradani-en. That evening, a state of emergency was declared. This spring, with the COVID-19 situation, the area was less crowded than usual. The paths in the garden were empty compared to previous years. Even though events like catering were canceled this year, I found Sakura mochi by Saga Yoshiko at the shop. The mochi had a subtle sweet red bean paste filling with a hint of salted cherry blossom on top, and the skin was moist. The ingredients were all natural, true to Kyoto's traditional style. It was a delightful experience amidst the blooming cherry blossoms and other flowers in the garden, with the sound of birds chirping in the background. I hope that next year, when COVID-19 is under control, more people will be able to enjoy the beautiful flowers at Haradani-en along with these delicious traditional sweets.

This is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop located about a 10-minute walk from JR Saga Arashiyama Station. I came across this shop during a visit to Haradani-en and decided to try their Sakura mochi, a type of sweet rice cake perfect for cherry blossom viewing. The mochi was soft and moist, with a smooth red bean paste filling that complemented the chewy texture perfectly. I had never heard of this shop before, but it seems to be a well-established local confectionery shop that also offers other seasonal sweets. I would love to visit the shop in person if I have the chance. The shop is located along Shin-Marutamachi Street, about a 10-minute walk from the north exit of JR Saga Arashiyama Station towards Kyoto city. The shop's window displays the names of seasonal sweets, showcasing the variety of treats they offer throughout the year.

I recently received these strawberry daifuku from my friend deub52, who I have gotten close to outside of Tabelog. The strawberry daifuku has a nice balance of sourness and sweetness from the strong-flavored strawberries, covered with a thin layer of white bean paste, and the simple mochi dough is not too thick, making it easy to eat. Overall, it feels like you are enjoying the sweetness of the strawberries themselves, very fresh. The fukumame daifuku is a limited-time product only available around Setsubun, with a distinct taste of beans. The red bean paste is coarse, with a refreshing sweetness. The black bean daifuku also has delicious black beans, with the same red bean paste as the fukumame daifuku, but the beans on the outside are different, giving it a rich flavor. All of them have real mochi dough. I'm not a big fan of daifuku with gyuhai because it's too refined and the sweetness of the gyuhai bothers me, so I don't like it very much. In that respect, this one is good. And the mochi dough is not that thick, so it's easy to eat and you could easily eat several of them. In deub52's neighborhood, this is apparently a staple item, and indeed, anyone who tries this daifuku would surely smile. I would love to eat this every day too. Thank you, deub52.

I tried the "Sagano's Ancient Road" from "Gokasho Saga" at the local supermarket event "Miyako Monogatari". "Gokasho Saga" is a confectionery shop located in Sagahirohara Gosho No Uchimachi. Established in 1970. It seems that "Shiso Mochi" is popular, but at the event, only "Sagano's Ancient Road" was available for sale. According to the back of the box, "The ancient road of Sagano, which is called Chiyono Kodo, passes through the forest of Tokiwadai in Uzumasa Village and comes out to the southeast of Hirosawa Pond. It is now a village road, but in the past, it was a highway from the Imperial Palace to Sagano." I have been to Sagano Arashiyama, but I have never been to Kitasaga at all. It seems like a place filled with wildness and elegance. "Sagano's Ancient Road" (1,500 yen) is a simple confectionery with red beans packed tightly in a yokan, rolled with mochi kneaded with mugwort. Simply put, it's like turning a mugwort mochi into yokan? lol Since it is a fresh confectionery, it lasts about 3-4 days. The mochi is quite soft, gooey, and sticky. Even looking at the cross-section, it seems like it's about to overflow with its gooey texture. The glossy reflection of light also stimulates the appetite, and it looks very cool in this season. Tasting it, the green of the mugwort spreads all at once in the mouth, followed by the mellow flavor of the red bean paste, and finally the warmth of the red beans. The sweet bean paste is slightly subdued, but still has a strong presence. The mugwort skillfully neutralizes it to prevent it from becoming overly sweet. It is a product that combines elegance with a solid sweetness, with a rich and enjoyable texture. It would be nice to pair it with cold hojicha. The charm of mugwort is perhaps best brought out in traditional Japanese sweets. That's what I thought. However, I'm not sure about the proper way to eat it. It seems quite difficult to cut this mochi with a toothpick lol. I would rate it around 3.5, but it is not possible to measure the true value of the store with just one item, so this time, no rating.