I got off the bus at Shijo Kawaramachi and walked along Shijo-dori to the entrance of Hanayakoji, where this traditional Japanese sweets shop is located. It's been there for a long time, unlike the shoe store that used to be there before. This time, I tried their red rice for the first time. The rice was soft and the large red beans were tender. I love red rice, so I will definitely visit this shop again when I'm in the area.

On a regular day off, there is a special sense of liberation. Enjoy a leisurely brunch at a lunch spot that is not open on Sundays, then take a casual stroll around the city. Drawn to a shoe store facing Shijo Street, I wandered into Hanayakoji. I remembered seeing Tamori-san walking around here on "Buratamori" the other day. That's when I discovered a small Japanese confectionery shop called "Hanayakoji Kohfukudo." It's a small space with a small showcase, specializing in take-out treats. The soft-looking daifuku caught my eye, especially the "fukusa" wrapped in fluffy skin. The thick layers of hana-mochi made me want to curl up and sleep. And then, I fell in love with the "Minazuki." This traditional Japanese sweet is a must-have in Kyoto during June. The way the red beans are arranged looks so artistically delicious. They offer three flavors: black sugar with white beans, matcha with green uguisu beans, and regular with red beans packed inside. The friendly female staff explained it all with a smile. It's rare to find Japanese sweets that look delicious just by appearance, so I had to buy it. I chose the regular Minazuki (around 170 yen). My companion got two matcha ones. The staff assured us that they would be fine until the next day without refrigeration. The next day at work, we enjoyed the mochi-like texture, perfect sweetness, and delicious red beans. Later, I found out that the main store is the well-established confectionery shop "Kohfukudo" in Gojo. They use carefully selected ingredients, such as the enchanting hana-mochi made with Shiga's special mochi rice and the precious Tamba Dainagon red beans. It's all about the ingredients. I definitely want to buy a lot of that chewy hana-mochi or those bean daifuku next time. How about taking a stroll around the city?