Near Shugakukan Station, I was drawn in by the sight of my favorite strawberry daifuku flag waving. Inside the shop, there were various types of traditional Japanese sweets such as strawberry daifuku, sakuramochi, kusamochi, mitarashi dango, sekihan, hatomochi, and hanabiramochi. The sakuramochi was adorable with its sparkling grains of fine shiratama. The saltiness of the sakura leaf was subtle, and the leaf's fragrance wasn't overpowering. The smooth and gentle sweetness of the red bean paste inside melted smoothly. The snow-viewing rabbit steamed bun was perfect for this season. The skin was slightly chewy, just the way I like it, reminiscent of sweet potato steamed buns. I definitely want to eat this again. The strawberry daifuku had a smooth and soft red bean paste that paired perfectly with the sweet and sour strawberry, resulting in undeniable deliciousness. I wonder if the mugwort daifuku and hatomochi are recommended at this shop? I'd like to try those next time.

On May 27, 2022, I went on a spring field trip to Kyoto. I visited the beautiful Rurikoin Temple, where I enjoyed the stunning view of the "blue maple" reflecting on the sutra copying desk. After that, I had a delightful "lunch kaiseki" at the long-established ryotei Yamabana Heihachi Chaya, which has a history of nearly 450 years in the northern part of Kyoto. On my way to Eizan Electric Railway Shugakuin Station, I came across the traditional confectionery shop Honke Futabado, established in 1879. I stopped by and purchased the following items: Detchi Yokan for 500 yen, Minazuki for 200 yen, two Ohagi for 190 yen each, and three Hatomochi for 150 yen each in white, matcha, and cinnamon flavors. I bought one Ohagi and three types of Hatomochi as souvenirs for my friend. The extra Ohagi and two Hatomochi were for myself to enjoy as dessert after dinner with cold tea. The Ohagi was small but had a high price tag, yet the red bean paste inside was incredibly delicious. I wished I had kept the extra one for myself (laughs). It reminded me of the "bomb-sized Ohagi" my mother used to make in the countryside when I was a child, using adzuki beans harvested from the field. The Hatomochi in white, matcha, and cinnamon flavors were rice cakes made by steaming rice flour. They were originally shaped like dove-shaped senbei crackers made to resemble the guardian doves of Miyake Hachimangu Shrine, which later transformed into a confectionery. They had a simple taste with a hint of nostalgic sweetness. I took the Eizan Electric Railway for five stops from Shugakuin Station, then boarded the Keihan Limited Express Premium Car at Demachiyanagi Station. I arrived back in Osaka exactly at 3:00 pm, concluding my solo spring field trip to Kyoto. Thank you for the delicious meal! (●^o^●)

In May 2022, a friend who visited Rurikoin Temple gave me three Japanese sweets purchased from the original Souhodo store in Shugakuin: - Minazuki for 200 yen - Ohagi for 190 yen - Decchi Yōkan for 500 yen I always associated "Decchi Yōkan" with Shiga, but it seems Kyoto also has it. I tried them right away, and they were all delicious, but personally, I really liked the "Decchi Yōkan." Compared to the ones I've had before, it had a slightly lighter color and a refined sweetness, making it very tasty. Thank you for the treat!

I bought chestnut mochi and steamed chestnut yokan at Futaba-do in Shugakuin, known for their specialties. The chestnut mochi had a smooth red bean paste filling with a normal level of sweetness. The outer mochi layer was thin, allowing the filling and chestnut inside to be faintly visible. The steamed chestnut yokan had a unique balance between the red bean paste and agar. It was not overly sweet, and had evenly distributed pieces of chestnut that were easy to cut. Overall, there was nothing particularly noteworthy, but it was delicious.

It's hard to believe that we're already halfway through the year and I haven't even tried the Chiyono-wa yet, but I can't resist these sweets. I stopped by a local shop and chose the black sugar and white varieties. Matcha is also a popular choice. The size is a bit small, and the texture of the dough is soft and chewy. The red beans are cooked just right. While Kyoto is famous for its Yatsuhashi, this Mizuki is also delicious, especially the outer layer. From traditional to more casual shops, Kyoto has a variety of wagashi shops scattered throughout the city, each with its own unique characteristics. Be sure to try them out and compare!

I explored the area around Shugakuin and entered a traditional Japanese sweets shop. They are famous for their dove-shaped rice cakes, so I bought some. I got the plain white, cinnamon-flavored tea white, and matcha flavors. They tasted like simple rice cakes and had a good texture. They also had chestnut rice cakes, strawberry daifuku, and more lined up. The shop was made of wood and had a traditional Japanese atmosphere.

When it comes to New Year in Kyoto, I think of "Hanabiramochi," so I happened to buy it here. Also, because it looked delicious, I bought some "Hatamochi" (Nikki) as well. The Hanabiramochi had a light sweetness, not too sweet, and was delicious. But above all, the Hatamochi was amazing! It had a simple yet incredibly delicious taste! The chewy texture, gentle sweetness, and the fragrance of Nikki. I definitely want to buy Hatamochi again next time. Also, the Yomogi Dango looked really delicious, and I heard the Decchi Yōkan is a specialty, so I definitely want to buy them next time.

10 pieces of mochi for ￥==========

Chestnut rice cake for 170 yen.

It's average.

If you mention Iwakura Genshi, I've heard of that before, even though I haven't met him. At the entrance associated with Iwakura, there is the Miyake Hachiman Shrine. After visiting this shrine, you can enjoy traditional Japanese sweets at the "Hatobou" shop right in front of Shugakuin Station. In addition to "Hatobou," they also recommend warabi mochi and teishoku yokan. Hatobou comes in three flavors: plain white, moss green matcha, and brown cinnamon. The "dove-shaped" mochi brings happiness with its simple and nostalgic taste. The chewy texture is just so comforting. Simple mochi sweets like this always bring back memories once a year.

I received these cute dove-shaped shinko (rice cake) dochi from my friend in Kyoto. They have a subtle flavor of cinnamon, and come in matcha and white flavors as well. They are all very soft and have a gentle sweetness. They go well with both green tea and roasted green tea. Beautiful wagashi is nice, but these everyday traditional sweets are also wonderful. I would love to try their Chinchin youkan if I have the chance.

Near Shugakuin Station, there is a shop with a traditional feel that has been in business since the days when this area was still fields and farms. The road next to the shop leads to Miyake Hachimangu Shrine, serving as a kind of approach to the shrine. Miyake Hachimangu Shrine is known for its association with doves as messengers of the gods, and that's why the shop's specialty is cute dove-shaped mochi. I bought plain white, brown sugar, and green tea flavors. I also couldn't resist trying the chestnut daifuku, which was soft and delicious. The dove mochi has a simple and gentle taste that you could enjoy every day. The chestnut daifuku with its smooth sweet bean paste is a refined treat that captures the flavors of the season. I also noticed a type of traditional sweet called "Chochu Yokan" that I would like to try next time I pass by.

I stopped by on my way back from the Ichijoji area. It's right near Eizan Shugakuin Station. It's located along Ohara Road. I purchased the classic "Hatobomochi" and "Decchi Yokan". Hatobomochi is a steamed rice flour sweet, and personally, I like the Nikki flavor the best. I also bought one of the remaining two "Decchi Yokan", which has a light sweetness and I have to control myself from eating the whole thing in one go. It's a simple steamed yokan. Although I didn't purchase them this time, all the standard Japanese sweets at this shop are delicious. This place doesn't get much media coverage, but the quality is really high, so I recommend it. It's a great traditional Japanese sweets shop that is perfect for the general public. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

This is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop located in Shugakuin. Their "Decchi Yogurt Kan" and "Hato Mochi" are standard items, but they also offer seasonal products. Personally, I feel that the sweetness of the red bean paste in their rice cakes is stronger than the rice cake itself, making the overall impression quite sweet. I prefer a higher ratio of rice cake to filling. The Decchi Yogurt Kan doesn't seem as sweet to me, though. It's a mystery. Recently, I came across a "Warabi Mochi" with an unfamiliar shape, so I bought it (see photo). I was motivated by the fact that it contained walnuts (I love walnuts). When I tried it, the intense sweetness of the black sugar was overwhelming, with a sticky, chewy texture. The taste of the walnuts was overshadowed... However, it's unique and not something you see often, so I decided to share my experience.

I tried the pigeon-shaped rice cakes from Futabaudo. There were three cute pigeon-shaped rice cakes in white, red bean, and matcha flavors. I was expecting them to be like uiro (a type of Japanese sweet), but they turned out to be smooth and chewy. They were not as heavy as uiro, but rather had a mochi-like texture. They had a light and subtle sweetness, and I finished them quickly. I would definitely buy them again if I'm in the area.

I received this as a gift in February 2018. It was pigeon-shaped rice cakes called "Hatsumochi". I had never heard of them before. There were four in the package, with three different colors - two green, one white, and one brown. The green ones were probably made with mugwort. They were simple rice cakes without any filling, a bit firm but quite tasty. I think the brown one might be cinnamon-flavored, which I'm not a fan of. I couldn't tell what flavor the white one was. Overall, they were a satisfying snack with good texture.

I received a gift from Kyoto, which was the Dochi Yokoan sheep kanten yokan. I'm not a fan of sweet treats, but since I received it, I thought I should give it a try. Inside the outer paper bag, the yokan looked like this. When I cut it, I could see plenty of red beans. I took a bite and was surprised that it wasn't too sweet. It had a simple and natural taste, and even though I usually don't like yokan, I found myself enjoying it. I was also happy to see that the ingredients didn't contain any unnecessary additives.

★Kyoto Wagashi Classic★ Dove Mochi