I tried Toraya's wagashi, black grape flavor. It looks simple but cute (lol). It's made of amber and white bean paste. The amber on the outside has a black sugar flavor. It's elegantly sweet and delicious! I'm curious about trying other wagashi too.

Following the visit to Karyo, I also visited the Takashimaya store. In July, they were selling a traditional sweet called "Suizen Murasaki Take Mochi - Beni." I tried it out, and it consists of a thin red bean paste wrapped in kudzu. The chewy kudzu is delicious (*¯꒳¯*)

I purchased "An Paste" and found bottles of "Chunky Red Bean Paste" and "Black Sugar and Maple Syrup". They had an elegant taste. I didn't have many chances to eat chunky red bean paste before, but this one is excellent. It can be used in various ways, and of course, it goes well with butter. It can be used on toast, rice cakes, sweet porridge, shaved ice, and more.

I happened to be shopping at Takashimaya and passed by Toraya in the basement, where I saw Inoshishi Mochi and decided to try it. I have tried various other brands before, but this was my first time trying this one. The mochi in the Inoshishi Mochi was incredibly delicious. There is nothing more to say. ★Momiji Yaki with Red Bean Paste (540 yen) - A confectionery that evokes the feeling of autumn. ★Inoshishi Mochi (540 yen) - A mochi made with a blend of soybean flour, dried persimmon, and sesame, wrapped in sweet red bean paste. ★Shin Midori Medium-sized Yokan (1512 yen) - A yokan with a natural color and a pleasant bitterness. This is my top recommendation. ☆Additional note: My way of eating yokan is to let it sit in the air, allowing the surface to harden with sugar, enhancing the flavor and texture. Enjoy it with tea for a delicious experience.

In the hot summer, I want to enjoy some visually refreshing traditional Japanese sweets. Last year, I bought the "Goldfish" from the prestigious shop Genkichiyoan. This year, I found a similar goldfish-themed sweet called "Summer Pond" from Toraya at Kyoto Takashimaya store before heading to the Gion Festival. It cost 573 yen. When I opened the package, I found a small case inside. The description mentioned that the sweet represents goldfish swimming in a pond under the summer sun. The goldfish was beautifully crafted with red and white patterns and open eyes. The water part was made of amber jelly, with a firm texture and sweetness. The goldfish itself was made of white bean paste, offering a delicate and refined flavor. In terms of the presence and visual appeal, I think this is the best summer sweet I have ever had.

"Jojogin is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop with a long history. Their sweets, such as Nasubi Mochi, Kuzuyaki, Hatsuhotaru, and Wakaba no Kaori, are all consistently delicious. The fillings are perfectly sweet, not too overpowering. Hatsuhotaru was first introduced in 1984, while Wakaba no Kaori dates back to 1931. Kuzuyaki was created in 1907, and Nasubi Mochi in 1642. The quality and variety of their sweets make me wonder when I'll be able to enjoy them again."

①Sunshine Tiger ②Tiger's Ferocity ③Enjoyable Spring Scenery The "Sunshine Tiger" is made with kyuho, "Tiger's Ferocity" with potatoes, and "Enjoyable Spring Scenery" is made with sweet potatoes. The "Sunshine Tiger" may not look like kyuho on the outside, but the kyuho is quite elastic and combined with the outer caramel layer to create a very pleasant texture. Personally, I think this dish is a hit.

"It's the perfect souvenir for the Year of the Tiger." That's what I thought when I came across this limited edition mini yokan at Toraya in Kyoto. Visiting Kyoto at the end of 2021, I wanted to buy a sweet treat that was fitting for the Year of the Tiger as a gift, so I decided to visit Toraya, a shop with "tora" (tiger) in its name. The "Kogata Yokan [White Miso and Black Soybean Kinako]" that I purchased caught my eye. Toraya's "Kogata Yokan" is a small, classic yokan that is also available at other locations, but the "White Miso" and "Black Soybean Kinako" versions are regional specialties made with ingredients unique to Kyoto. The "White Miso" uses Nishikyo white miso from Hondamiso Honpo, a long-established miso specialist founded in the first year of Tenpo (1830), while the "Black Soybean Kinako" incorporates roasted kinako made from Kyoto-grown black soybeans and Ootsuru soybeans. The size is perfect for enjoying alone, and the taste is elegant and highly recommended. In Kyoto, there is a traditional New Year's wagashi called "Hanabiramochi," which is a half-moon-shaped mochi filled with burdock and miso-flavored anko. Toraya also offers this, but it is a perishable fresh confection. On the other hand, the "Kogata Yokan White Miso" that I purchased is easy to carry around and has a longer shelf life, making it an ideal souvenir for the New Year, especially for those traveling a long distance. It's rare to find yokan with a mild white miso flavor and a fragrant kinako flavor like this elsewhere. Additionally, the packaging of these yokan features artwork by Kyoto-born Japanese painter Yukika Kamisaka, making it a suitable gift for someone of higher status. When you visit Kyoto, I recommend considering this Toraya yokan.

I purchased two items, Mikan Senbei and Rakuyo no Michi. The Mikan Senbei had a unique shape resembling a mandarin orange, but the flavor was a bit lacking. The Rakuyo no Michi, with sweet potato and red bean paste, was delicious and a classic choice at the shop.

Today, I wanted to try the "Choyo" sweets, which are only available for 3 days (7th to 9th), so I also bought some other items. I purchased 5 items: 1) Choyo: yokan-style sweet with chestnut paste, 2) Gokoriki Manju: sweet potato with black sugar paste, 3) Chrysanthemum Sake: sweet potato cake with sweet red bean paste, 4) Chestnut Flour Mochi: sweet rice cake with chestnut paste, 5) Steamed Chestnut Yokan. The Choyo (1) is a Kansai region exclusive, and I heard that there is a different version for the Kanto region. The poppy seeds were a nice touch (rating 3.9). I generally like sweet potatoes, so I enjoyed the Gokoriki Manju (2) with its fragrant black sugar paste (rating 4.0). The Chrysanthemum Sake (3) is similar to the usual kinako sweets from Toraya during this season, but since it's limited edition, I decided to try it, and it was okay (rating 3.7). I can't recall exactly, but I don't think they used sweet rice cake in the Chestnut Flour Mochi (4) last year. The addition of sweet rice cake gave it a new texture and it was quite good (rating 4.1). The Steamed Chestnut Yokan (5) was average. I still prefer the one from Shougetsu (rating 3.7).

I saw on Twitter and became interested in "Shosho," so I made a reservation to purchase it. "Shosho" consists of black sugar amber jelly and millet yokan. The black sugar flavor in the amber jelly was delicious. Personally, I rarely find an amber jelly that makes me go "wow," but this was the best I've had recently. I also liked the slightly grainy texture of the millet. The "Kasuisen Manju" is made of kudzu. According to Toraya, Kasuisen is a term that represents kudzu. I like the texture of kudzu, so I enjoyed it.

I bought some wagashi from "Toyara" for the first time in a while. I got four items: Iwakosu-nami (mochi with azuki bean paste), Suisei-nami no hana (kudzu and green bean paste), Ike no natsu (amber), and Asa no hikari (millet and white bean paste). Overall, I wasn't very impressed this time. I usually like the texture of mochi, but I didn't enjoy the texture of Iwakosu-nami. The best one out of the four was Suisei-nami no hana. It had a good texture and the sweetness of the bean paste was just right.

This time, I purchased three types of wagashi: "Haru no Yume" (Spring Dream), "Yako no Tama" (Night Light Ball), and "Kusa Ankou Mochi" (Grass Sweet Bean Mochi). "Haru no Yume" contains white koshian sweet bean paste, "Yako no Tama" contains koshihikari rice and small red bean paste, and "Kusa Ankou Mochi" contains mochi and gomashio sweet bean paste. All of them were delicious with just the right amount of sweetness. Among them, "Yako no Tama" was particularly good with poppy seeds on the surface, giving it a slightly spicy flavor.

Toraya has various locations in department stores, but I particularly like the one at Kyoto Takashimaya. The products they sell are not much different from other stores, but the customer service here is always pleasant. I once received pushy service at another store, but here they always provide a good experience, so I prefer coming to Toraya. This time, I tried the rum raisin yokan. Toraya often collaborates with Pierre Hermé and offers innovative products, but this one seems quite unique. The raisins have a strong presence, almost overpowering the white bean paste, giving it a completely new flavor. It's not bad, but actually very delicious! It's more like a Western confectionery. Toraya's products may be a bit pricey, but I love how they always surprise me with both deliciousness and creativity.

I got a collaboration wagashi with Pierre Herme, a popular topic. I got the "kinton" and "mochi" wagashi. The mochi had a stronger taste of Ispahan's acidity. Both were delicious. I also got the "chestnut flour cake" and "moonlight feast". These are classic wagashi for this season. The chestnut flour cake had a good chestnut flavor, and the moonlight feast had a nice texture on the tongue.

I tried the confectionery from Toraya called "Sawabe no Hotaru," which was inspired by the fireflies in the area. It was the perfect season to see fireflies, so I decided to purchase it. Inside the sweet potato paste, there was red bean paste, and the color and taste were truly impressive. However, it was a bit pricey, so it's not something I can have regularly. When considering the price, it makes me hesitate, especially when it's the same cost as a cake of the same size. Nevertheless, indulging in such high-quality confectionery that reflects the changing seasons is a nice treat once in a while.

Tora-ya is now known nationwide, but it is originally a traditional Kyoto confectionery shop. They have multiple stores, but it is convenient to visit their store in Takashimaya. Their fresh sweets are recommended over their yokan. Their bean paste flavor and taste are on par with other popular Kyoto confectionery shops, making them suitable for tea ceremonies. Takashimaya also occasionally sells confections from Ujitsuki and Michiki, so it's a good idea for tourists to check their website before visiting Kyoto.

I had a strong image of yokan being too sweet, but it was delicious with just the right amount of sweetness.

The droplets under the moonlight are delicious with white bean paste filling.

Twice a year, during the equinoctial week, you can buy a precious ohagi that is only available at the store. There are usually three types: in Kyoto, they have kinako, while other stores have white bean paste. Both stores offer red bean paste and brown sugar paste. This is a world that not even Matsuko knows about, but she praised it highly. Reservations are possible. I want to buy it again next year and the year after. Next time, I want to try the white bean paste limited to the Kanto region. "Brown Sugar Paste" (tax included 281 yen) 4.5 - The appearance is smooth and perfectly round, which adds an elegant touch. - The rice grains are incredibly moist and chewy, yet you can still feel each individual grain. It's amazing. - The brown sugar paste is incredibly smooth. It's so soft that it collapses when touched. Brown sugar usually has a strong sweetness, but this one has a distinct brown sugar flavor that is elegant. - Although it's a bit expensive for an ohagi, it's more like a high-quality confectionery, so it's not a problem at all. "Red Bean Paste" (tax included 281 yen) 4.4 - The mochi rice is also divine. - The red bean paste is grainy, but the skin doesn't linger in your mouth. It's not watery, but it's moist. I really think Toraya's red bean paste is delicious, and you can fully appreciate its goodness. - Ohagi is a masterpiece that overturns the common concept of being a simple snack. - Delicate and reminiscent of high-quality confectionery. "Kinako" (tax included 281 yen) 3.9 - The fragrant and high-quality kinako spreads in your mouth the moment you taste it. - Inside, there is red bean paste. - The goodness of kinako, red bean paste, mochi rice, and each ingredient stands out. - It's really delicious, but compared to the other two, it may have a lower rating. However, I believe it is undoubtedly the pinnacle of kinako ohagi.