Kyoto famous confectionery shop known for its Cloud Dragon and White Cloud Dragon. I have received it a few times and it is sold in the Meibutsu Hyakusen at Takashimaya Osaka. I bought the seasonal limited edition Persimmon Yokan 1/2, which can only be purchased in Kyoto. The sliced persimmon fruit on the surface is beautifully arranged, giving it a transparent and elegant appearance. It has the true flavor of persimmon, with a mild sweetness that was delicious.

Delicious Kyoto confectioneries can be found in various genres such as chocolates, bread, and ramen, but traditional Japanese confectioneries stand out with many long-established stores. Among them, my personal favorite is Tawaraya Yoshitomi. While their rolled cloud dragon manju is popular, our family's top choice is Kyoto's Yae manju. The moist and chewy skin paired with a subtly sweet filling offers a unique and delicious taste. Highly recommended for souvenirs or tea snacks.

As I age, I realize how much my taste preferences change. I used to never eat sweets, especially traditional Japanese sweets, but lately I've been enjoying them from renowned shops. Today, I tried their steamed buns and they were amazing. The moist texture of the dough and the balance of the sweet bean paste were exceptional. The deep sweetness was truly a delightful experience. It's clear that there is skill and craftsmanship behind this. Thank you for the delicious treat.

Tawaraya Yoshitomi is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop founded in the 5th year of the Horeki era (1755). The main store is located in Kamigyo-ku, and has been serving as the official confectioner for the imperial court for generations. They offer a variety of delicious traditional Japanese sweets, and you can't go wrong with any of them. This time, I bought some chestnut manju from Kyoto. It's a seasonal limited edition item, priced at 194 yen each or 1080 yen for a box of 5. A box of 10 costs 2160 yen. Since I was only going to enjoy them at home, I bought 10 individual pieces. The chestnut paste filling even has chopped chestnuts in it. It was a delightful seasonal treat that I enjoyed.

This is one of the traditional Japanese confectionery shops in Kyoto. Today, I came here to buy myself a snack. After looking around at various traditional Japanese confectionery shops, I decided to go with the "Yae" for 120 yen each. It has a chewy texture with sweet bean paste that is not too sweet. It may be small, but it's easy to eat. It can last for about 3 weeks. This is a lesser-known traditional confectionery, and they also offer boxed versions, so why not consider it as a souvenir? ＼(^-^)／

I purchased a gift to give at the end of the year and into the new year. I couldn't choose delicate Japanese sweets that last for more than 10 days, so I bought a longan that looks festive for the new year. When I shared it at work, it was well received as a perfect snack for a little hunger.

"It's like a refreshing version of 'Unryu'." What I found at this shop that day was a stick-shaped confectionery made with wood strawberries. The renowned Kyoto confectionery shop 'Tawaraya Yoshitomi' has a signature confectionery called 'Unryu,' and what I purchased this time was a similar Japanese sweet called 'Harugasumi,' which has wood strawberries added to the sweet bean paste. Wood strawberries generally refer to raspberries or blackberries, but the ones used in this confectionery are raspberries. The sweetness of the sweet bean paste is enhanced by the raspberry flavor and subtle acidity, resulting in a refreshing aftertaste. While the classic 'Unryu' is not overly sweet, those who prefer a refreshing taste may want to try 'Harugasumi' at least once.

I came to enjoy the Gion Festival and the Ato Matsuri, and made a purchase at Daimaru of a festival-exclusive item (available around July 1st to July 24th). I was curious about the limited edition items and fresh Japanese sweets that I had never seen before, but since I planned to walk around afterwards, I chose the "Hoko Meguri" (Sanjō) here. I bought it last year too, but sometimes I get tired of the large size of Sanjō halfway through eating it, so this smaller size is easier to eat. The dough is also pleasantly soft and delicious! Moreover, being a Gion Festival exclusive, the surface of the dough has a clear Gion-san brand mark on it! Each one has different fillings, so you can easily compare and enjoy them all at once (laughs). Naginata Hoko/ Funaboko (black bean paste/ mochi filling), Yasaka Mon (brown sugar strained bean paste), Gion Chimaki (white bean paste), Komagata Chochin (matcha bean paste). The expiration date is 5 days, so it's not long-lasting as a souvenir, but I hope you enjoy eating it while feeling the lingering atmosphere of the festival!

I have come to Daimaru Kyoto Store in Karasuma, Kyoto and decided to try Tawaraya Yoshitomi for the first time. I had the Yae for 108 yen including tax. The texture of the bun was chewy and delicious, and it paired well with the moderately sweet red bean paste. It was an elegant manju with a taste of Kyoto. Thank you for the meal!

This shop is famous for its cloud dragon, but they also have a special manju that was created when the NHK Taiga drama "Yae no Sakura" was broadcasted. The "Yae" manju comes in a pack of 5 for 648 yen. The manju has a thin skin filled with smooth red bean paste. The thin skin is chewy, similar to the skin of a full moon adzuki bean cake. The red bean paste is smooth and lightly sweet. Despite being small, the taste is great and the price of 120 yen per piece is reasonable. It's not too traditional like other Japanese sweets, making it convenient for everyday consumption. You can purchase just one piece at a time, or get a pack of 5 in a nice box, making it a great gift option. The box has a luxurious feel despite the affordable price. It also has a good shelf life, which is convenient. Another happy day!

I visited Puchimekku at Daimaru Kyoto after it opened. It's a mysterious wagashi that even the main store of Tawaraya Yoshitomi doesn't know about. I stumbled upon it by chance. Does it look like the floats and lanterns of the Gion Festival? It's a very colorful wagashi. It tastes refreshing - yokan at the bottom, domyoji in the middle, and amber on top. This is a limited edition item available until July 25th. While the "Gion Chigomochi" I reviewed recently focused on taste, this one is all about visual appeal. Consider adding it to your souvenir list. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

On July 24, 2014, the "Ato Matsuri" of the Gion Festival's Yamahoko procession was revived for the first time in 49 years! I bought the "Tsurukame <Matcha Kuri>" at a store in Daimaru underground, and while wandering around, I came across another cute confectionery shop called "Tawaraya Yoshitomi"! The name of the confectionery is also cute: "Gion Bayashi" for 972 yen. It contained 4 senbei with Yamahoko depicted on them, 3 rakugan, 1 kintsuba, and 3 kohakuto. Each of them has a different sweetness and texture, making it enjoyable to eat. I enjoyed them with my friends while doing patchwork. The Gion Festival is great because not only is it enjoyable to watch, but also enjoyable to taste.

I purchased the "Valentine" candy featured in the Valentine's Day catalog because it looked cute and the description of whiskey bonbons intrigued me. It cost 945 yen for a pack of 3 or 5 pieces. I asked the staff if the outer layer was soft like jelly, but they said it was crunchy sugar candy. The inside liquor flavors were different, so I also bought the "Kyoyasai" flavor. Kyoyasai had fruit liqueur and the taste was subtly different. As for Valentine's, honestly, I couldn't really tell (laughs) For me, I didn't really taste the whiskey flavor as much as I expected. Maybe the sugar coating was too sweet? That's why I titled this review in this way (laughs)

At the lunch meeting in Moriwaki, my mentor brought a gift of fresh tea. I enjoyed it after dinner at home. The gift included "Roji-aji Sencha Kinugami Gyokuro." The Roji-aji is a jelly made from sencha tea. It has a green tea-like flavor and is light and easy to eat as a dessert. It's perfect for hot weather.

On November 22, 2017, I received a gift from a reviewer in Gifu. The establishment dates back to the fifth year of the Hōreki era, which would have been around the time of the Tanuma era in Japan and about 20 years before the American Revolutionary War. People who received such confections at that time were probably of a high rank, like daimyo. In movies depicting old towns, tea houses are often shown, but I wonder if samurai on business trips from various domains could have obtained such sweets at such establishments. Now, this Kurimikasa contains two whole chestnuts split in half inside, a luxurious touch. Our sales director, who loves Kurimikasa but is not too fond of chestnuts, stored it without eating it. However, when I left out just the chestnuts, they mysteriously disappeared. The sweetness is just right, the texture is light, and personally, I love Kurimikasa with chestnuts. I could eat as many as I want, but unfortunately, for those of us concerned about excess calories and lifestyle-related diseases, one a day is the limit. Thank you for the treat!

Chestnut Daifuku: ==========