大和0045
Yatsuhashi Experience: Originally, I preferred "smooth red bean paste," so I never bought Yatsuhashi for myself because the stores only sold "chunky red bean paste." However, I happened to come across a store selling smooth red bean paste Yatsuhashi in Arashiyama, and bought it. From that moment on, during my biannual trips to Kyoto (always during a three-day weekend), I would hire a taxi driver named T from Yasaka Taxi for the entire three days of my stay. He was born and raised in Kyoto and very knowledgeable about the city. One day, I asked him to stop by a store selling smooth red bean paste Yatsuhashi, but he didn't know any. He took me to several stores that day, but none of them had it. He promised to research it for next time. On my next trip, T told me that it's very rare to find stores selling smooth red bean paste Yatsuhashi. He found out that out of the 14 companies making Yatsuhashi, only two sell smooth red bean paste, one of which is Nishio, near Kiyomizu Temple where the famous Daisho sensei always goes. He also mentioned that people in Kyoto rarely eat Yatsuhashi, and prefer smooth red bean paste over chunky red bean paste, which is more popular in the Kanto region. This conversation gave me the impression that Yatsuhashi, mainly made with chunky red bean paste, thrives as a souvenir for tourists and is not deeply rooted in local Kyoto cuisine. I used to buy Yatsuhashi from Nishio before, but the elderly man who used to be there every day has stopped coming due to old age, which made me feel sad and reluctant to visit. However, during this visit, after visiting Kanesenryo, while killing time before checking into Yuzuya Ryokan, I happened to explore the Gion shopping street on Shijo Street, and entered this store by chance. They offered various samples, and after tasting 2-3 flavors, they even served me tea. As someone who can't resist buying something after tasting, I ended up purchasing the basic Nikki (5 pieces for 250 yen), the autumn limited edition Aki (sweet potato and chestnut, 10 pieces for 600 yen), and the Happy Halloween pumpkin Yatsuhashi for 480 yen. △□ Nikki 5 pieces 250 yen: I ate it when I was a little hungry, and even though I usually dislike chunky red bean paste, I found it delicious. The expiration date was October 18th (it was October 16th at the Gion store I visited later).