On the 21st, it was the day of the Ennichi festival at Nishiarai Daishi. After visiting the temple, I found a traditional Japanese sweets shop while walking around. - Chestnut Daifuku: 220 yen This cute chestnut-shaped sweet caught my eye with its round shape. Perfect for enjoying with tea. - Steamed Chestnut Yokan: 205 yen Chestnut and sweet red bean paste go well together. Both were delicious.

It's about April. The rain and wind from the previous day stopped as if it were a lie, and it was a pleasant Sunday with a wide blue sky. Today, I brought my father to Nishiarai Daishi. The purple flowers hanging under the wisteria trellis are swaying. The wisteria flowers are in full bloom and seem to be happy about the rain stopping. There are many people taking photos, and the wisteria looks beautiful against the blue sky. I bought some chestnut-filled sweets called "Kuri Manju" at Nishiarai Daishi's "Yachiyo" for the first time in a while. It has been featured on TV Tokyo four times, but it's surprisingly a hidden gem. The location of the shop, behind Nishiarai Daishi, is one reason for that. Today's purchases: Chestnut-filled sweet (Tsubu) x8 @220, Dorayaki x1 @145, Chestnut Manju x4 @145. This time, I wanted to try not only the chestnut-filled sweets but also the dorayaki and chestnut manju, but the "Kuri Manju" is still the best here. The chestnut filling in the Kuri Manju is moist and delicious. I thought that a dorayaki using the same filling would be great, so I bought it. However, when I asked the shop owner, he said, "We use different sugar for it." The sweetness of the filling is the same for both the dorayaki and Kuri Manju, but the sugar used is different. The sweetness of the filling is the same, but the dorayaki is less sweet, which is not my preference. Something is different. Compared to the filling in the Kuri Manju, it feels like the dorayaki is lacking in moisture. In extreme terms, it feels dry, so the sweetness is not very noticeable. You can see the state of the filling from the photos. The dorayaki dough is hard despite using a leavening agent, and when you look at the cross-section, it doesn't expand uniformly. I am a strict critic when it comes to dorayaki. The Kuri Manju is definitely outstanding. The filling is moist and the syrup-soaked chestnut wrapped in it creates a sense of unity, with the sweetness of the chestnut harmonizing with the filling, making it delicious. This is undoubtedly the best Kuri Manju. The taste makes you want to eat as many as you want. I am a sweet-toothed critic when it comes to Kuri Manju. Lastly, a word about the "Kuri Man." It has a faint scent of cinnamon, the chestnut is firmer than in the Kuri Manju, and it uses white bean paste. But, as expected, the best here is the Kuri Manju!

Today is the 21st. It is the anniversary of Kobo Daishi at Nishiarai Daishi. Normally quiet, Nishiarai Daishi was bustling with many stalls and people. Nearby is Yachiyo, famous for its chestnut sweets. The shop was small with three customers inside, so we waited outside. We purchased chestnut sweets and chestnut buns, which were being packed in boxes. The chestnut sweets had large chestnuts inside with plenty of sweet bean paste, and the chestnut buns were filled with finely chopped chestnuts. These are must-try traditional sweets when visiting Nishiarai Daishi.

When I visit the temple to ward off evil, I always stop by this shop behind it after slipping through the grass dumpling invitation. The chestnut manju during chestnut season is especially excellent. The sweetness of the red bean paste balances well with the sweetness of the chestnut, and I stock up on them to give to my neighbors.

This time, I had a chestnut flavored manju. It looks like a chestnut too. This type is quite common. I also tried chestnut yokan and chestnut manju. It's all about chestnuts. The shop is quietly located behind Nishiarai Daishi temple. While the main street is crowded, this area has a calm and peaceful atmosphere. There are many shops with tourist prices near Nishiarai Daishi, but this one is fair and easy to buy from. I want to try various sweets here. The sweetness is just right, not too subtle.

I took a walk around the area near Nishiarai Daishi on this day. I took the train from Sakuragicho Station, changed to the Hibiya Line at Ueno Station, and got off at Nishiarai Station. It took about an hour. As I walked a little further, I found a traditional Japanese confectionery shop. It seems like it has been featured on a TV show. I decided to buy some sweets to take home. I purchased 2 chestnut-filled rice cakes and 2 sweet bean paste-filled rice cakes. When I got home, I tried them. Unfortunately, the sweet bean paste-filled rice cakes got a bit squished in my handbag, so I couldn't take a picture of them. However, the taste was really delicious. The sweet bean paste was not too sweet, and the combination of beans and rice cake was exquisite. I wish I had bought more. The chestnut-filled rice cakes were also good, with the chestnut filling complementing the outer layer nicely. I asked the shop owner how far Nishiarai Daishi was, and they told me it was just around the corner. Even though I took a detour and found this shop instead, I was glad I did. It seems that Nishiarai Daishi is quite popular, as there were quite a few people around, even though there was no event happening that day.

I had kin-tsukuri as a tea snack after dinner. The shop is located a short walk from the back gate of Nishiarai Daishi. The shop has a nostalgic and charming atmosphere. They offer a variety of traditional Japanese sweets, such as manju filled with whole chestnuts. Before trying the kin-tsukuri, I had imagined it to be overly sweet based on its appearance, but my perception changed after taking a bite. The outer layer of the kin-tsukuri had a slight chewiness, and the sweet red bean paste filling had a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness. The taste and texture were truly delicious. It paired well with cold Japanese tea, making it a satisfying tea snack.