I bought five pieces of baked chestnut sweet for 216 yen each at a Japanese confectionery shop that specializes in chestnuts. The shop uses domestically grown chestnuts. The baked chestnut sweet is designated as a traditional Kyoto confectionery by the Governor of Kyoto Prefecture. The craftsmanship of the artisans is amazing. The white bean paste contains crushed chestnuts, which are baked to a golden brown. It is very delicious. I paired it with strong tea, and the chestnut aroma lingers.

This time, I visited "Wakana-ya Oike Honten" located in Oike, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City. This establishment was founded in 1927. The name "Wakana-ya" was chosen by the previous owner who loved the sound of the koto, from the koto music piece "Wakana no Sato". I purchased some chestnut sweets, "Kuri Mikasa" and "Kuri Mochi", as it is currently chestnut season. The combination of smooth red bean paste and chestnut in the Kuri Mochi was delicious. I would like to purchase them again. Please note that although the name of the restaurant differs on Tabelog, it is currently known as Wakana-ya. Thank you for the meal.

On the day before October 12th, in the 4th year of Reiwa, Boss visited the Okane Jinja shrine to return some money. Located in a residential area with a view of Nijo Castle, it seems to be quite popular. On the way back, we stopped by the TEAM main store. Honestly, we are not interested in Japanese sweets, so we passed on it, but Boss once again handed a souvenir to his wife. The gift was "Hokkori Mochi," a thin-skinned mochi with a chewy texture. There seems to be some filling inside the sweet bean paste, but it's hard to tell what it is. We also shared some with our parents, who said, "It was delicious!" Thank you for the meal.

At Wakana-ya, the famous specialty "Kuri Ami" is a must-try, but there are also other affordable chestnut sweets available. This time, I bought "Kuri Manju," regular and seasonal versions of "Yaki Kuri Kinton," and a bonus "Yaki Imo," totaling four items. It's great that you can buy them individually depending on the product. The "Kuri Manju" is a reasonably priced steamed bun filled with chestnut paste for just around 100 yen. The "Yaki Kuri Kinton" is available year-round, but the seasonal version uses chestnuts with skins on, resulting in a richer chestnut flavor compared to the regular one. As for the "Yaki Imo," it's a seasonal product made with sweet potato paste. It was my first time trying it, and the strong taste of cinnamon was a bit overwhelming for me. By the way, the name of this store, "Wakana-ya," is listed as "Kuri Ami" on Tabelog for some reason. I plan to request a correction, but I hope they will fix it.

I went in the early afternoon on a public holiday! There were a few customers here and there. I bought some roasted sweet chestnuts and roasted sweet potatoes to take home. Both were seasonal limited edition sweets, I believe. The prices ranged from 150 to 250 yen, which is quite affordable and nice! The sweets are small in size, perfect for those who just want a little bit of something sweet. The roasted sweet chestnuts had a strong chestnut flavor! They were moderately sweet and super delicious! I highly recommend them! The roasted sweet potatoes had a strong cinnamon taste, which I didn't really like... You can also find them at souvenir shops in train stations, so you don't have to go all the way to the street-side shop.

I bought multiple pieces of "Yaki Kuri Kinnto" for souvenirs, priced at ¥200 each. They looked cute and the taste matched the quality of the ingredients. They were slightly sweet, so they would go well with matcha or a stronger hojicha. They had a variety of products with chestnuts as the main ingredient. There were also sweets that seemed perfect for Hinamatsuri (Doll's Festival) or cherry blossom viewing. The service was polite, leaving a good impression as expected from the main store.

A traditional Japanese confectionery shop located by the Imperial Palace where there are plenty of chestnut sweets. I suddenly felt like eating chestnut sweets... so I had the baked chestnut sweet potato and the Tamba chestnut red bean jelly♪ Both were delicious, but I realized that I really prefer the chestnut sweet potato (lol). The baked chestnut sweet potato with its fluffy texture was quite addictive☆ Thank you for the meal!

During a year-end shopping trip to Kyoto, I stopped by Ritsuami in Gion. This traditional Japanese confectionery shop specializes in sweets made with chestnuts. I particularly enjoyed their sweet chestnut treats, which feature large chestnuts with their skins still on, giving the sweets a refined sweetness and a rich depth of flavor. The inclusion of the chestnut skins adds a unique touch, allowing you to savor the full flavor of the chestnuts. Kyoto is truly a treasure trove of such sophisticated sweets, and I envy the variety available in this region.

[About the purchased Japanese sweets] - Moist Chestnut Cake 1 piece 200 yen (excluding tax) It was a delicious moist Japanese-style chestnut cake. I would like to have it again. - Kurayamaji (Crisand) 1 piece 150 yen (excluding tax) Dorayaki - Baked Chestnut Kinako 1 piece 200 yen (excluding tax) - Kimimaru 1 piece 110 yen (excluding tax) An wrapped in buttermilk dough - Baked Sweet Potato 1 piece 130 yen (excluding tax) Sweet potato bun with cinnamon flavor - Soft Rice Cake 1 piece 100 yen (excluding tax) Chewy rice cake with cinnamon flavor [Various information about the shop] - Credit card payment is available (with PIN input). - "Wakana-ya Honke Co., Ltd." was established in 1927 (Showa 2) and operates directly managed stores "Wakana-ya" and "Ritsuami," as well as selling at famous department stores nationwide. (Excerpt from "Visit to Companies in Kyoto")

"Kuri Ami" priced at 270 yen (tax included) is a simple sweet red bean paste. I prefer "Shibuguri" but the combination of "Kuri Natto" and "Kuri Ami" is perfect for gifts.

Title: Abundant Chestnut Sweets On the way to Nijo Castle, I stumbled upon a store that caught my eye. They had a wide variety of delicious-looking chestnut sweets at surprisingly reasonable prices. Although I didn't know much about this store when I entered (yes, I'm a novice), it seems like it has been featured in a women's magazine. One of their recommended items is "Ritsuami," which is a chestnut sweet gift set priced at 3,000 yen for 12 pieces. I wondered if it was a good deal. As I was leisurely exploring the store with my companion, a friendly staff member placed roasted green tea and Ritsuami on our table as a complimentary service. The service was excellent! And, the roasted green tea was delicious. I noticed that they also sold tea in the store, so I wondered if I could purchase that as well. The Ritsuami turned out to be like sweetened chestnuts, coated with sugar, but not as sweet as I expected. It reminded me of candied chestnuts. While it was tasty, I decided to pass on buying it. Instead, I purchased "Chestnut Yokan," "Baked Chestnut Sweet Potato," and "Soft Mochi" individually, and it cost less than 500 yen in total. They were delicious and reasonably priced! I particularly enjoyed the Baked Chestnut Sweet Potato and Soft Mochi. The Soft Mochi had a cinnamon flavor and was filled with sweet red bean paste, which I liked. Overall, the service, taste, and cost-effectiveness of this store were excellent. It's located near Nijo Castle, so if you're looking for souvenirs, I recommend checking it out.

On a Sunday afternoon, I happened to pass by and stopped by this shop. The shop is very bright and clean. Inside the shop, there is a seating area on the right side as you enter. I was offered samples of Kuriami (a sweet named after the shop) and tea. I bought Kuriami and roasted chestnut sweet. Kuriami is made by cooking chestnuts with the skin on until sweet, and then lightly coating the surface with sugar. The sweetness of the sugar on the surface is strong, but the chestnut itself is not too sweet. It was enjoyable without being too heavy. It seems to go well with bitter things like matcha or coffee. The roasted chestnut sweet has a gentle flavor. The ingredients used are chestnuts, sugar, and hand-picked white kidney beans. I'm not sure if it's because of the white kidney beans, but there are no unnecessary flavors. However, if it was just chestnuts, I think it would be dry, but there is no dryness. As a shop specializing in chestnut sweets, it seems like they are making various efforts. If I have the chance, I would like to try other chestnut sweets as well.

I stopped by this store for a little treat and also bought some for myself. There were so many options to choose from once inside, but I ended up getting the following: Kuriami cake (250 yen), moist chestnut cake (200 yen), fluffy mochi (90 yen), and baked sweet chestnut (150 yen). While my items were being packed, I was served tea and complimentary Japanese sweets. I sat down for a bit and enjoyed the cozy atmosphere. The staff even saw me off outside and said goodbye until the end. When I got home, I enjoyed my treats over a few days. The Kuriami cake was sweet and elegant with candied chestnuts. The moist chestnut cake was exactly as the name suggests, with a chestnut-flavored cake. The fluffy mochi had a nice amount of red bean paste inside and was delicious. The baked sweet chestnut was soft and had just the right amount of sweetness. I really liked the flavors of everything, and the prices were reasonable. The ambiance of the store was also nice, and I will definitely be visiting again!

I visited "Ritsuami" on Horikawa Oike Street, a little west of my errand. It is a sister store to "Wakana-ya" and some products are also sold there. The shop is spacious and new, with a clean interior. While waiting for my purchases to be wrapped, I was served tea and sweetened chestnut natto, which was very comforting. The shop is all about chestnuts, with various delicious items available for purchase. If you spend over 1,000 yen, you get a complimentary item. The roasted chestnut sweet is rich and smooth, not too sweet. The chestnut confection is luxurious and delicious, with a natural chestnut flavor. The moist chestnut cake is fluffy and light, with a gentle sweetness from the chestnuts. It melts in your mouth when chilled. All the items were delicious, especially for chestnut lovers. Address: Shimogyo-ku, Imadegawa-dori Nishi-iru, Shichiaicho 37-6, 075-253-0234. Open from 9:00 to 20:00.

These are souvenirs from the trip to Universal Studios Japan with my older sisters. It seems like this shop mainly deals with various sweets using chestnuts. Whether they knew I liked chestnuts or not... well, they probably did (laughs). Chestnut sweets named after the shop, Kuriaiya. They are chestnuts soaked in honey and coated with sugar. They look very sweet, but they are actually quite elegant chestnuts. Each piece is carefully wrapped... let's not ask about the price (laughs). Chestnut Natto, a chestnut version of sweetened natto. It has a nice crispy texture! I feel like I could eat them all at once... I'll be careful (laughs). Chestnut Kurimaru, a cute-sized chestnut bun. It's quite sweet, makes me want some tea (laughs). This shop is a paradise for chestnut lovers! See you again when we go back (laughs). Thank you for the meal!

I received a souvenir from Kyoto. My friend bought it for me along with the famous confectionery "Ajari Mochi" from the brand "Mangetsu". They said it looks similar. The shop is known for their carefully selected large chestnuts that are candied with traditional techniques to create "Kuri Ami", but what I received was called "Hokkori Mochi". It is sold individually for 97 yen each. Inside, there is sweet bean paste, and the dough contains mochi flour. Similar to Ajari Mochi, it has a chewy texture. However, this one contains cinnamon. The scent of cinnamon is noticeable. This cinnamon accent is quite nice. It's a unique twist. It might be a good idea to buy it together with Ajari Mochi (laughs). Thank you for the treat! I also introduced it on my blog.