[July 13, 2019 (at a sweets event)] I recently attended a sweets event called "Wagashi Potluck x Matcha Tea Making Experience!" organized by the sweets enthusiast "Hiroyuki," who is known as the "Sweets Maniac." This event involved bringing your own traditional Japanese sweets to enjoy with freshly made matcha tea. Hiroyuki and another organizer named "Sua" taught us how to prepare matcha tea. Participants brought various wagashi sweets, including the famous dorayaki from three well-known shops in Tokyo: "Ueno Usagiya," "Kusugawa," and "Kameju." It turned into a sort of dorayaki tasting event with additional varieties from other shops like "Suzukake" and "Yokohama Motomachi Korian Motomachi Main Store." The event was a delightful experience exploring different dorayaki flavors and textures. Hiroyuki shared his passion for sweets and how it led him to organize such events nationwide, with a total of 302 participants up to July 13, 2019. The event showcased the beauty and taste of traditional Japanese sweets, creating a memorable experience for all attendees.

I went out to the direction of Nijō Ōhashi bridge over the Kamo River today to buy seasonal Kyoto sweets. Nanao Amashundō is a historic Kyoto confectionery shop founded in 1865. This Nijō branch near the main store sells their sweets at the storefront. The Kyoto sweet I was looking for is their seasonal item, "Amanogawa" (Milky Way). Amanogawa is a limited-time confectionery sold around the time of Tanabata, and I wanted to try it after seeing it featured in an article online. I brought it home and opened it right away. True to its name, Amanogawa resembles the beautiful gradient of the Milky Way. The cross-section looks like this: a base of tsubuan (sweet red bean paste) with layers of white, light blue, blue, and purple kohakuan (transparent agar jelly). Silver foil stars adorn the confection, adding to its night sky theme. It's a very beautiful Japanese sweet that sparkles and almost feels too precious to eat. I enjoyed this refreshing seasonal sweet.

The unbeatable twin jewels of Higashiyama!

It's been a while since I had traditional Japanese sweets☆ I visited Nanao Kanshundo Nanao Store in Kyoto Shichijo. There's also a main store nearby. This one is close to the station~ I was craving for mochi! So, I ordered Kyoto Kurimochi for ¥200. I mistakenly read "栗" (kuri) as "粟" (awa) and asked for "Kyoto Awamochi? Please~", but they didn't correct me. How kind~♡ It had a large chestnut inside the sweet red bean paste! The red bean paste had a gentle sweetness and was packed tightly. The mochi was elegant with a nice chewiness and delicious. I also tried the Persimmon Mochi for ¥200. The persimmon looked cute~♪ It had dried persimmon and red bean paste. The skin was made of mochi. The naturally rich sweetness of dried persimmon is amazing, right? It's nice to have chunky red bean paste instead of smooth paste! This is different from the usual fruit mochi, it's a proper traditional Japanese sweet. I would like to try having tea at the main store next time. By the way, I wonder if Nanshundo is related to Kanshundo? I'm also looking for followers on Instagram!

During the autumn foliage season, Kyoto is crowded with an overwhelming number of people. Even around the Keihan Shichijo Station, there is a significant crowd, but my feet stopped in front of a Japanese confectionery shop facing the sidewalk on the north side of Shichijo Street. I noticed sweets themed around this season, so I felt like I had to buy something. I ended up getting a set of chestnut and persimmon-themed sweets for 864 yen, with 2 types each of 2 pieces, totaling 4 pieces. As expected of a world-famous tourist destination, they accepted credit cards for payment. It makes you wonder how many foreigners are flocking to Kyoto. On the other hand, the reality is that some are not accustomed to this payment method, so it would be better for them to adapt to PIN code payments sooner. As for the taste, the chestnut was good. You can really feel the elegance typical of Kyoto. On the other hand, there was a misunderstanding that what I thought was persimmon turned out not to be persimmon... (laughs)

In Kyoto, you will encounter traditional Japanese sweet shops wherever you walk. After having lunch, let's buy some souvenirs. Our daughter wants "kashiwa mochi", so let's stop by this shop on the way back. They have three types: red bean paste, chunky red bean paste, and mugwort. Let's buy 6 pieces, 2 of each type. Let's also get some for our grandparents. The mochi is freshly made and sticky. Be careful not to choke! It's just the right amount and tastes delicious. Thank you for the meal!

I went to buy my favorite Momoyama sweets because I heard that they were being served at Shichijo Kanchundo. It was my first time hearing about "Takenoko" Momoyama. The design on the Momoyama is carved to resemble bamboo shoots, and the white bean paste inside has real bamboo shoot fragments. However, the Momoyama was not moist and was rather dry. I didn't feel comfortable at the main store I visited before, but this place is convenient for shopping. The customer service was good.