As you walk along Sannenzaka, you will come across a retro-style senbei (rice cracker) shop with a charming Kyoto atmosphere. The shop is beautifully decorated with tatami mats. When you tell the old lady your preferences for firmness and flavor, she will take out various senbei from a tin can. The "Shoyu Koshiyaki Senbei" has a unique texture from being hand-baked and a delicious flavor of soy sauce. It is a renowned shop frequented by regular customers.

I had a delightful encounter at Sannenzaka in Kyoto. It was an old-fashioned rice cracker shop with a charming atmosphere. I casually stopped by and was considering which one to buy when I struck up a conversation with the shopkeeper. "Are these hard?" I asked. "Yes, they are. We use mochi rice and hand-bake them over charcoal," the shopkeeper replied. Impressed by the quality, I decided to purchase the "Oni Salad (¥600)" and also opted for the "White Soy Sauce Rice Crackers (¥680)." The shopkeeper asked if I preferred the ones with more or less burnt spots, and I chose the former. After trying the White Soy Sauce Rice Crackers nearby, I was blown away by the delicious taste and immediately returned to the shop to buy more. The kind old lady running the shop assured me that I made a good choice. I ended up buying more White Soy Sauce Rice Crackers and "Genkotsu (¥600)." If you ever visit Kyoto, make sure to stop by this shop again.

Located near Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, this traditional senbei (rice cracker) shop stands quietly on the bustling Sannenzaka street. Despite the constant flow of tourists, the shop operates quietly with a limited selection of senbei, most of which are display samples. Only three types are available for purchase, all of which are hand-baked and notably hard. I purchased the "Kurama" and "Sansho" flavors, both of which had a crunchy texture. The "Kurama" flavor had a traditional soy sauce taste, but was a bit monotone, making it difficult to eat in one go. On the other hand, the "Sansho" flavor was a masterpiece with its fantastic accent of Japanese pepper, making it easy to devour in one sitting. This variation of the "Kurama" flavor with added Japanese pepper eliminated the monotony of the soy sauce taste. As you crunch through, the flavor and aroma of the Japanese pepper spread throughout your mouth, providing a satisfying chewiness that keeps you coming back for more. A truly Kyoto-style senbei with a lively Japanese pepper flavor. Highly recommended. With few customers and no reviews on food review sites, this shop is a hidden gem.