Visited the long-established Japanese confectionery shop "Sasaya Iori" founded in 1716. A renowned shop often seen in department stores. Tried the Yuzu Haneju (¥200) - the Haneju mochi was chewy and had a distinct yuzu fragrance. It was really delicious. I'm also curious about their dorayaki, and I'm interested in checking out their store in the Imperial Palace.

I received this as a souvenir. It's only sold on limited days. Even though it's called dorayaki, it's completely different from a regular dorayaki. The skin is moist and chewy. The filling is smooth red bean paste, not too sweet. It's really delicious! I usually don't like red bean paste, but I can eat this.

I stopped by after visiting Kyoto Aquarium. Since I had walked a lot, I decided to eat in. The seating area is not large, but it's a cozy space to relax for a bit. After paying, I couldn't find the bus stop I needed to go to next, so I went back to the restaurant and they kindly helped me out. Thank you.

The professor from a university in D city visited Kyoto again and brought a set of Kyoto sweets as a souvenir. The taste of the sweets is exquisite. Also, the combination of Japanese sweets and tea is unbeatable. Strong points include the Kyoto brand and the traditional Kyoto craftsmanship. However, the high price range makes it difficult for some people to purchase.

I bought a seasonal sweet, cherry blossom pie, from a traditional Japanese confectionery shop that has been around for over 300 years. Despite the small quantity, they even saw me off to the door. The combination of cherry blossom paste and butter in the pie was delicious. I also enjoyed the single-serving kinako mochi I received as part of a stamp rally.

It's a gift, price unknown. Cherry blossoms are really nice, right? Feeling like spring (even though the pollen is tough...). The outside dough has a slightly moist texture. It's made with rice flour, not wheat flour. The cherry blossom flavor is just right. It's a refined dessert with a strong cherry blossom red bean paste filling.

"Known as a specialty of Kyoto, the To-ji Temple celebrates the 21st of every month as Kobo-san's Day. The limited-edition treat called Dora-ki is different from the usual dorayaki - it is a crepe-like thin pastry filled with sweet bean paste and rolled into a stick shape. Be sure to try this unique delicacy at the store and ask about its origins."

I asked for information in order to send "dorayaki" to someone in the Kanto region. The dorayaki is only sold for 3 days, so I confirmed if there was stock available at the store (they kept it on hold for me). When filling out the shipping label, the staff at the store served me tea and snacks! That's when I tried this "Chestnut Steamed Yokan." It was delicious, so I bought some for myself. I love chestnuts! There were plenty of chestnuts in it, and the yokan part was not too sweet and easy to eat! I usually like water yokan, but I'm not a big fan of regular yokan, so it surprised me that I bought it! It had a perfect balance of sweetness, and I thoroughly enjoyed the chestnuts (*^^*)

We received some souvenirs from a shop with multiple stores in Kyoto, so we decided to take them out and try them. This time, we had maple leaf-shaped steamed buns and two types of layered mochi. The layered mochi came in a box, with 3 pieces of each flavor, for a total of 6 pieces. Overall, they seemed to have a long shelf life, lasting at least 2 weeks, which was impressive. As for the taste, all the wagashi had a unique concept that you wouldn't find in other shops. The maple leaf-shaped wagashi had a low moisture content, with both the skin and red bean paste being dry. This could make it a bit overwhelming if the red bean paste was too sweet, but since it was not overly sweet, it didn't feel too heavy. On the other hand, the layered mochi was moister than I had expected, with a gummy, elastic texture. It was different from what I had imagined, with several small mochi pieces wrapped individually. The sweetness of the layered mochi was also mild, focusing more on enjoying the aroma. While these wagashi were not traditional, they were visually appealing and had a pleasant fragrance that made you want to try them from time to time.

I discovered a Japanese confectionery event inside the grounds of Sennyu-ji Temple in Kyoto. They were selling a special "phantom dorayaki" that caught my interest. It is only available on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of each month, coinciding with the death anniversary of Kobo Daishi on the 21st. The skin is chewy and slightly reminiscent of yokan (sweet bean jelly). I also tried warming it up in the microwave, and as someone who grew up watching Doraemon, I couldn't resist buying it. It was a unique and slightly mysterious encounter with a Kyoto-style dorayaki. (laughs)

The tightly sealed packaging of the ageless product has a comfortable grip. When you open it, a bamboo fragrance fills the air. Cutting through the bamboo skin with a knife produces a pleasant sensation and sound, along with the scent of bamboo. The golden outer layer forms a slightly firm, not too sweet, rice cake. The red bean paste inside is also subtly sweet and fragrant. It has a unique texture and feels healthy. It makes a great snack with tea. Unfortunately, my knife skills are not the best, so the cuts weren't very clean (laughs).

Originally, this sweet was only available at Toji Temple in Kyoto! It is sold only on the 20th to 22nd of each month, coinciding with Kobo Daishi's death anniversary. I decided to order this unique dorayaki without hesitation. It's quite different from regular dorayaki! The outer dough is made without eggs, using only wheat flour, and the sweet bean paste filling is not too sweet. Eating this dorayaki was a meaningful snack time, connecting with history. Dorayaki got its name from being baked on a temple gong, and it is said to be one of the oldest traditional sweets after yokan. Thank you for the meal.

In Kyoto, on June 30th, there is a traditional event called "Nagoshi no Harae" where people purify themselves to get rid of impurities from the first half of the year and pray for health and good luck for the remaining half. On this day, traditional sweet shops in town sell a special sweet called "Minazuki". This sweet represents ice in the shape of a triangle and red beans symbolizing purification. It is inspired by the ancient Imperial Court event called "Kori no Sekku" where people consumed ice stored in icehouses to pray for summer health. I tried the Minazuki from a long-established shop that has been in business for 300 years. They had two types, plain and brown sugar, and I chose the plain white one. It had a mild sweetness and a sticky texture, which was quite delicious. This shop offers limited edition sweets for each season, so I would love to visit again. Thank you for the meal.

I didn't buy this at the store, but received it as a souvenir. It's a limited edition dorayaki that is only sold for 3 days. It doesn't look like a typical dorayaki at all. It seems to be the original dorayaki... I love sweet bean paste, so I gratefully accepted it. It's wrapped in what looks like bamboo leaves. The smell and taste give a nostalgic feeling of traditional sweets. The outer layer is layered and chewy. The sweet bean paste inside is smooth. It reminds me of Ehime's Ichiro Tart, even though the dough is different. I prefer regular dorayaki. Without the rarity of being limited to 3 days, I don't think it would be chosen very often.

On the second day of my trip to Kyoto in November 2021, I visited Tofukuji Temple first thing in the morning. This year, I entered and visited the garden right away, ending with the Tsutenkyo Bridge. By taking this reverse route, I was able to avoid the usual large crowds. It was a clever reversal of the usual order. The autumn foliage colors were not the best, but I discovered a delicious treat on the temple grounds. It was a dorayaki from Sasaya Iori. This sweet treat is different from the familiar dorayaki. It's more like a rolled dorayaki with a chewy skin wrapped around smooth red bean paste. It was quite delicious. They only make it for 3 days each month.

I visited the Kyoto Railway Museum near Umekoji Park and on my way back, I was looking for some affordable tea snacks as souvenirs from Kyoto. With limited options due to parking, having kids with me, and the rainy weather, I ended up at a shop where I had to quickly make a decision for a takeout. I bought "azuki mochi" recommended by the staff and "kinako mochi" as per my husband's request, each for two adults. Back at home, we enjoyed them with warm hojicha tea. The azuki mochi had a soft and chewy texture with a hint of black sugar flavor in the red bean paste. It seemed like malt sugar or honey was used to create a similar richness. On the other hand, the kinako mochi had a slightly different chewy texture and was satisfying to eat. We enjoyed dipping them in plenty of black honey, and they paired well with warm teas like sencha or hojicha, creating a cozy moment of relaxation.

I received kuzumochi as a souvenir (^ω^) It has a gentle sweetness from the water candy and real kuzu, with a pleasant mouthfeel. I enjoyed it with black honey on top. Japanese sweets really make your heart feel warm and fuzzy. I was reminded once again of how wonderful they are.

"I purchased something called 'Iori's Ohagi.' It was sold out online for 2 months in the spring... When I opened the box, there were ohagi covering the entire surface... I was a bit surprised as I thought there would be about 6 inside the box based on its size... When I cut and tried them, I found them a bit too sweet, but the texture of the mochi rice part was good. It was quite delicious. It also had a good amount of volume, so eating one by yourself will make you quite full."

I received a dorayaki ♡ This dorayaki has a rare cylindrical shape! Inside the bamboo skin is a chewy dough and sweet red bean paste, a traditional Japanese confection. It was created when monks at Toji Temple in the Edo period requested a snack to accompany their meals. While it looks different from the typical dorayaki, the name "dorayaki" originated from being baked using a temple gong. In the past, it was only sold on the anniversary of Kobo Daishi, but now it is available for three days each month. You can eat it as is, but it is recommended to warm it up in the microwave or oven, fry it, or even chill it. Personally, I prefer warming it up in the microwave as it enhances the aroma of the bamboo skin. This shop has been around since 1716 and offers not only in department stores but also in cafes and online shops. I would like to try their sankasu next time instead of dorayaki.

I found the Nerikiri sweets I was looking for at Isetan Shinjuku, right by Shinjuku Sanchome Station. This traditional Japanese confectionery shop in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, is known for its seasonal Nerikiri sweets. The one I tried was inspired by a butterfly laying eggs on young leaves in early summer. It seemed to be made with wheat flour, giving it a dense and rich texture on the palate.