When it comes to Kansai-style taiyaki (fish-shaped cake filled with sweet red bean paste), Gasshokugo is the place to go. Before departing, I bought some souvenirs, but decided to add some more sweet treats. Their red bean and white bean fillings are uniquely delicious. The warmth of the taiyaki never changes, and the texture of the red bean paste is delightful. The packaging from Takashimaya adds an extra touch of class. When I reheated the taiyaki at home, the red bean filling was a big hit with my family. ♡

At Kyoto Takashimaya, there is a long line for their popular taiyaki due to the influence of the NHK morning drama "Come Come Everybody". The representative taiyaki here is the opening day taiyaki, made with red beans from Hokkaido for the "red" flavor and silk tofu from Hokkaido for the "white" flavor. Both are priced at 95 yen including tax, which is more affordable than in the drama, making it a popular choice!

No matter how many times I eat it, the deliciousness never gets old. On this day, I had 3 red and 1 white for 95 yen each. Also, I tried the "Clear Sky Sweet Bean Paste" for 380 yen (available from December 7 to January 11). The prices are reasonable and the taste is excellent. I love this place! This time, I bought some sweet bean paste. It's a limited-time offering and I used it to make "Ozenkai" for my mother. It was so delicious!

"Sometimes I crave the food from Gozako. This food has different names, which is interesting. I used to call it 'daifuku' or 'kaitenyaki'. In Tokyo, it seems to be called 'imagawayaki' more often! As for Gozako... it apparently started in Himeji. It's rare to have so many different names for the same wagashi. I always buy 3-4 at a time and freeze them. Before eating, I heat them up in the microwave. The skin is moist and has a nice aroma of wheat. The filling is also hot. I enjoy eating them in this state. I'm currently out of stock in my freezer, so I plan to buy some soon. My rating from my visit in March 2016 (the restaurant's rating at the time was 3.09): Overall: 3.5, Food/Taste: 3.5, Service: 3.5, Atmosphere: 3.5, Value for Money: 3.5, Drinks: 0.0"

When it's cold, there is a strangely sweet treat that always has a long line. Today was no exception! It seems like everyone is in the same boat (lol). Even with the long line and people buying in bulk, the turnover is good, so no worries there. This time, I bought red bean paste for 85 yen and white bean paste for 85 yen. Here's my review: The red bean paste is filled with plenty of Hokkaido red beans in a fluffy pancake. It's not too sweet, so you can easily finish it even with the generous amount of paste. The white bean paste has a subtle sweetness with a lot of white bean paste in a fluffy pancake. It's even lighter than the red bean paste. Overall, even if you're not a fan of sweet treats, if you like beans, you might enjoy it! The volume of the paste is great and it's affordable. The fact that there's always a line means you can always get it fresh, which is nice. You can also buy in bulk and freeze it, which is convenient for older customers who often buy a lot. It's also great for gifts, and it's a popular spot for a reason. It's a shop that's beloved by the common people.

After shopping at Takashimaya, I decided to buy some sweet treats at the basement floor on my way home, as per my husband's request for Japanese sweets. I ended up going to "Gozasoro" for the first time in a while. I bought their signature item, the "Gozasoro" (80 yen each), with two red bean and two white bean fillings. The mochi-like outer layer is thin and the fillings are generously packed inside. Both flavors have a gentle sweetness, so you can easily have two of each. I never thought white bean would be this delicious, but the smooth texture and mild sweetness of the white bean filling at Gozasoro made me prefer it over the red bean. The taste remains consistently delicious every time.

Born in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, the specialty of Onazakou is their taiyaki. You can also buy it at the basement floor of Kyoto Takashimaya. They offer two flavors: red bean paste and white bean paste, each costing 80 yen. The red bean paste is made from the typical black beans. The skin is soft and the surface is moist. The dough is thin and has a chewy texture. It is filled with a generous amount of red bean paste that overflows from the skin, giving it a substantial weight. The red bean paste is made from beans produced in Tokachi, Hokkaido, without any preservatives or additives. The natural sweetness and the distinct taste of the beans are evident in the paste. Despite being affordable, it is satisfying to eat and popular among customers. Its simple and timeless taste appeals to everyone and never gets boring.

My mother came home from work and stopped me from working to ask me something. "Do you know about this?" It was a rectangular object wrapped in Takashimaya's wrapping paper. Even if she asked me if I knew, I wouldn't know what it was until she unwrapped the paper. "Is she crazy?" I thought to myself, but I answered, "Yes, I know. I will fax this (proposal document) and see it later, so please go over there for now." My mother said, "Everyone at work knows about this! Why don't we know about it at home?" I said, "Okay, go over there for a bit." My mother said, "No, you always take pictures for your food blog, right? I want to eat this right away, so take a picture now!" I replied, "Come on, even the cat wouldn't interrupt work this much! ... What's inside?" My mother said, "I can't remember the name! That's why I thought you would know as soon as you see it." I said, "I have no idea!" Reluctantly, I took a picture and unwrapped the paper, and there it was: "Gozako" (Red bean paste/White bean paste, each 80 yen). I said, "Oh! It's a drum-shaped bun!" My mother asked, "This Gozako brand seems to be famous, right?" I replied, "Yes, I know this." My mother asked, "Did you know it was a drum-shaped bun?" I said, "We don't call it that here. It's called Imagawayaki or Obanyaki, with many different names depending on the region." My mother asked, "Is this one famous here?" I said, "Yes. But it's slightly smaller than the drum-shaped bun shop that used to be in the neighborhood." My mother said, "Maybe it just seems smaller because you've grown up?" I replied, "What are you talking about (laughs)? There used to be a drum-shaped bun shop until I was in high school, right?" My mother said, "I was already an adult by then." I said, "Of course you were! Are you saying it was still there until I was in high school? (laughs)" My mother said, "I see... It does seem small... Well, my memory is not reliable." I said, "It's okay because I don't rely on it." (BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWAhVbayGv4) There used to be drum-shaped bun shops everywhere, right? They usually had an eat-in space where you could also eat Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, and, most importantly, "cold candy"! Nostalgic childhood memories... When the mischievous kids got tired from playing and their throats were dry, they would hold out their small hands with coins and say, "Dad, can I have some cold candy?" "Here you go, thank you. You're all so energetic. Drink it slowly and don't spill it." "I won't spill it! I'm not a kid!" When they got hungry after playing, they would say, "Dad, can I have one drum-shaped bun?" "Isn't it too late to eat this? Can you still eat dinner properly?" "I can eat it! But keep it a secret, Dad!"... Memories... The heart races through the past, a place of eternal memories. These types of nostalgic shops were like "Monjayaki shops" in the Kanto region, right? (Am I reading too much "Kochikame"?) In Kyoto, the drum-shaped bun shop was the top choice around me. Now, this "Gozako," with a generous amount of not-too-sweet bean paste, is delicious! I'm not a fan of "chunky" bean paste, so I only had the white bean paste. There are still "chunks" in it, but I've already eaten it. Delicious and nostalgic... Would you like one? Thank you for the meal. Note: Thanks to my dear reviewer, Princess Gokuraku Tonbo, for providing a "Quick Reference Table" in the comments section. It's very easy to understand. It's clear that this food is a national food in Japan. (Princess, Thx♥) ↓↓ http://hb2.seikyou.ne.jp/home/my-morita/ni/how_to/ni_name.htm Further note: My beloved Ma =======

It has been several years since the store opened at Takashimaya Kyoto. Nowadays, in my house, "kaitenyaki" equals a must-have. A few years ago, there used to be long lines in front of the store, but recently that scene has disappeared. As for this kaitenyaki, it costs 80 yen per piece, but it is filled with plenty of sweet bean paste and feels hefty when you hold it. The surrounding dough is thin, soft, a little chewy, and delicious. There are two types available: azuki and white bean paste, but I prefer azuki. Starting from October, this store also started selling meat buns. I plan to try them next time.

Gozakou is a chain store based in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture. It is quite famous in Hyogo Prefecture with numerous stores. They specialize in "imagawayaki" or "obanyaki". They offer both white bean paste and red bean paste fillings, but personally, I prefer the red bean paste. I'm not usually a fan of anko (sweet red bean paste), but the anko used in Gozakou's imagawayaki is not too sweet and quite delicious. The freshly made hot imagawayaki is perfect for a snack. Priced at 80 yen per piece, it is affordable and makes a great little gift.

In Japan, it is commonly known as "kaitenyaki," but for me, it's "gozakou." Originating from my hometown of Himeji City in Hyogo Prefecture, it has been a nostalgic snack for me since childhood. Whenever I went to the department store near the station, my mother would buy it for me. Now it is sold in various places, and sometimes I find myself craving it and end up buying it. What I love about it is the chewy skin with plenty of sweet red bean paste inside, all for just 80 yen. It's a great deal. I recommend eating it on the same day you buy it, but if the skin gets a bit hard after a day or two, you can toast it in a toaster until the surface is crispy and enjoy the delicious aroma.

When I go to Takashimaya, I always end up buying from this shop that I really like. It's interesting to watch the staff working quickly to make the treats while waiting in line. The treats are so filling and delicious that just eating one makes me full. They are chewy and filled with plenty of red bean paste, which is also delicious. It's like the red bean paste from Hokkaido. They cost 80 yen each, so I usually buy a lot and put them in the fridge to toast later. When you toast them, the outer skin becomes crispy and very tasty.

I received another treat again - so grateful! It's called "daifuku," "kaitenyaki," or "taikomanju," depending on the region (I prefer "daifuku"). I had a freshly baked daifuku with chunky sweet red bean paste inside. The outer layer was fluffy and the filling was not too sweet, making it really delicious. It's quite substantial, but not overly sweet, so you could easily have more than one (though one was satisfying for me). The package also includes instructions on how to reheat if it cools down. You can use a microwave or even toast the outer layer for a crispy texture. You can also freeze any leftovers (though it's best to eat them sooner rather than later).