Founded in 1689, the traditional and renowned "Hanbei Fu" has relocated and opened a new store facing the Gojo Bridge at the Kawabata Gojo intersection. The new store, a three-story building that used to be an apparel shop, features a variety of fu and yuba products categorized neatly, including raw fu, baked fu, intricately designed fu, and convenient frozen sliced fu. They also offer a wide selection of packaging suitable for souvenirs and gifts. I purchased the popular "Awafu (519 yen)" and "Sasamaki Fu (249 yen)" while listening to the detailed explanations from the staff. The Awafu, which I have tried at several Japanese restaurants before, has a chewy texture created by wheat gluten and rice flour, with a subtle wheat-derived flavor. It pairs well with condiments like miso, salt, and soy sauce, and is low in calories, low in fat, and rich in protein. The store also sells various other types of fu, including yomogi fu, sesame fu, and decorative fu, as well as miso for tadaku. The Sasamaki Fu is a fu bun filled with sweet red bean paste wrapped in bamboo leaf, with a hint of bamboo fragrance. The delicate flavor and texture of the fu dough complement the balanced sweetness of the red bean paste. The spacious store with friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere is a must-visit for fu enthusiasts. Although the store currently only sells products, the fu course menu "Mushi Yoi Ryori" continues to be served at the old "Fufufuan" across from the old main store. Despite being a 320-year-old establishment, Hanbei Fu is adapting to modern tastes with fu sweets and a new store featuring "Cafe Fufufuan" on the third floor. If you're interested, be sure to pay a visit.

Halfbeard Fu Main Store Kyoto Fu Shop's Hanafu at the location across the Gojo Ohashi Bridge from JR Gojo Station (East).

On December 29, 2022, we held a family gathering. Our grandchildren came from Kuwana City and Nagoya City. Our second son's family also joined us from Kyoto. They recently had their second son in May, and it was a joy to introduce him to everyone. Our second son's wife brought a special gift of Kyoto-style seitan from Kyoto's Higashiyama Ward. This seitan has a long history, originating from the techniques learned by the first Tamaki Hanbei in the Imperial Palace in 1689. The seitan, made without using bonito broth, is a traditional protein source for vegetarian monks in Zen temples. It comes in two flavors, ginger and sansho pepper. We added the sansho pepper seitan to our family gathering dishes. The seitan has a firm texture from wheat protein and a rich umami flavor similar to kombu broth. The hints of spiciness from the sansho pepper added a nice touch. It paired perfectly with the local Sakagawa Sake Brewery's fresh unpasteurized sake, Junmai Daiginjo Tenichi. It was our first time trying Kyoto-style seitan stew, and it was delicious. Thank you for the gift. It was a delightful meal.

After having a meal at Hanbee in Gojo, Kyoto, I visited their new building called "Hanbee Fu Gojo Building". The 3rd floor is a tea room called "Chaho Fufufuan" and the 1st floor is a retail store. I bought some rolled fu and manju made from fresh fu. I took them home and enjoyed them chilled. They were cold, smooth, chewy, and delicious. I could eat as many as I want. They were so tasty. Thank you for the meal!

I received fu manju two days in a row. They were chewy and not easy to bring back as souvenirs, so they will make a nice memory to eat when I come to Kyoto. Compared to Fuka-san, which I visited the day before, the Kyoto vibe is not as strong, but the menu seems to be more varied.

Sweetness-controlled red bean paste inside. The mochi gluten has a smooth texture. It tastes amazing when eaten chilled. *Purchased at the natural supermarket FriendFood in Kyoto.