Ishida Choeido Mochiri Bō Matcha ¥200. The cold and chewy "Mochiri Bō" is becoming a specialty of Waso Town. It is a traditional Japanese confectionery shop located on top of a tea plantation mountain. We also enjoyed the roasted green tea. Thank you very much.

I went to experience making tea soba noodles and tea picking in Waso, Tsukuba. After finishing the tea soba noodle making experience, I headed straight to a nearby Japanese sweets shop! My goal was to try the "Non-melting ice cream stick". As soon as I entered the shop, it was right in front of me! They proudly claimed that "Mochi is a specialty of Waso". The flavors available were green tea (with or without red beans), roasted green tea, hojicha, and various fruit flavors. I ordered the green tea and roasted green tea flavors, as well as some tea dumplings. The shop provided tea for us to enjoy outside on the bench or inside on the chairs. First, I tried the tea dumplings. They had a rich taste of green tea and sugar. The intensity of the flavor may vary from shop to shop, but they are generally delicious wherever you eat them. Then, I tried the non-melting ice cream stick. It was a hot day, so it had started to melt a little after some time. But true to its name, the ice cream stick did not melt. As the name suggests, it has a chewy texture like frozen rice cakes when you bite into it. The secret to this texture is said to be kudzu or agar. Recently, even Seven Eleven's mango ice cream has a somewhat similar chewy texture, but there is no comparison to the chewy and cool ice cream stick. There wasn't a big difference in taste between the green tea and roasted green tea flavors. This "non-melting ice cream stick" is also sold at the Waso Tea Cafe, but they have fewer flavors and are slightly more expensive. So, if you are interested, I recommend visiting this shop instead.

I tried the chewy stick snack in genmaicha flavor. They also have hojicha, sencha, and other flavors, all priced at 180 yen. It was my first time trying a Japanese confectionery ice cream, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like at first. But when I tasted it, it was incredibly delicious! The cool, chewy texture followed by the subtle tea flavor spreading in my mouth was amazing. Apparently, the comedian Degawa-san also tried the chewy stick snack on a TV shoot. They kindly served me tea as well, and I had a wonderful time. If you ever visit Wazuka, I highly recommend stopping by this lovely tea shop. ☺︎

This is a Japanese confectionery shop that I often visit when I go to Kazurazaka. Their frozen "mochiri stick" is highly recommended during the hot summer. Apparently, Degawa also came and tried the watermelon helmet one. Other Japanese sweets are also delicious. This time, I had red rice, kashiwamochi, and sakuramochi.

This is a famous wagashi shop in Wazuka Town, known for its tea production. I bought three types of tea dumplings at the souvenir corner of Wazuka Tea Cafe this time. It was unusual to have flavors of matcha, hojicha, and genmaicha.

After shopping at d:matcha, I visited the Ishidera tea plantation to buy some mochi sticks. I ordered matcha, hojicha, Japanese black tea, and fruit mix. The fruit mix was not only visually appealing but also delicious.

The mochi stick has a new texture.

The town of Wazuka-cho in Kyoto, which is still relatively unknown, is known as the tea-producing town. The town is filled with beautiful green tea fields, making it an exciting place to visit. I had the chance to visit a tea field before stopping by a shop called Ishida Choeido. The shop had a variety of simple Japanese sweets, and I tried three different kinds in the store. They also served tea with the sweets, which made the experience even more enjoyable.

In the peaceful and serene town of Wazuka, with its relaxing atmosphere, we visited the "Ishidera Tea Fields", one of the scenic spots in Wazuka, while enjoying new tea and picturesque cafes. Right near the tea fields, we stopped by a shop selling handmade Japanese sweets and bread. The shop had a simple yellow tent and a humble interior, where a kind elderly woman greeted us. They offered simple seating for eating in as well. They had a variety of sweets on display, including egg and soft serve ice cream. Unfortunately, the bread was sold out. We were warmly assisted and decided to get the following items to go: - Green tea rice cake (90 yen) - Grass mochi (110 yen) - Sakura and oak leaf wrapped rice cakes (100 yen each) The red bean paste inside the rice cakes had a gentle sweetness, and the oak leaf and cherry blossom rice cakes were wrapped in bamboo leaves, all with a homemade and gentle taste. We also got the recommended chilled sweet: - Green tea mochi (150 yen) This dessert had a chewy texture like mochi or sweet bean jelly, with a refreshing coolness that left a lasting impression. The delicate sweetness and green tea flavor spread gently in the mouth. Nearby, there are various scenic viewpoints scattered around, including the "Ishidera" tea fields, a designated landscape asset of Kyoto Prefecture. This simple shop is a charming place to stop by while enjoying the picturesque views. The shop has a traditional charm that has been cherished in this mountain village for many years. You can access it by taking Prefectural Route 5 from Kamocho to Wazuka Town, where there are signs near the "Wazuka Takahashi Bus Stop". Cross the bridge from there and walk north for about 5 minutes. You can also drive to the central area of Wazuka.