Kyoto Chocolates

November 24, 2019

 by Ayuka Takashita and Yumika Ikeda

There are a lot of delicious things in Kyoto and many tourists enjoy these. Most people already know about famous traditional Japanese food but today I introduce tasty chocolates in Kyoto. Actually, so many stores specializing in chocolate are gathered there and these designs are unique. These are perfect products for souvenirs when you visit Japan. If you want to go to a little-known spot in Kyoto, you have check out these shops.

Chocolat BEL AMER

   Chocolat BEL AMER is opened in 2015 and it aims to make Japan-like chocolate. They are using the traditional houses as the store and these contain a small Japanese garden. On the first floor, you can buy original products what you like. There are so many kind of sweets, for example, Gateau, Four sec, or Stick Chocolat, but I recommend “Tablet Chocolat” and “Chocolat”. First one is really beautiful design and its pattern with Japanese motifs such as Ginkakuji-Temple, Arashiyama and Maiko. Packages are made of Japanese paper and it feels not only gorgeous but also has a delicate impression. Second one is the most recommend products, especially bonbon chocolats are so good. These designs look like art. Some of them are made with Japanese sake or green tea as ingredients, so you can savor Japanese things both of sense of taste and sight. Incidentally, the most popular item of Chocolat Bel Amer is kinshi masamune and it includes sake. If you,don’t usually drink, you should choose ume, it mean Japanese apricot. Of course, this apricot is a product of Wakayama prefecture in Japan. On the second floor, there is a café named Chocolat BER. You can eat all foods and drinks only this store. Popular products of this café are green tea soufflé and fondant au chocolat. The former one is served fresh and it is not too sweet and you can enjoy different taste to pour milk chocolate sauce on it. Next is the latter one. You would be surprised when you eat it because the direction is so nice. The clerk is serves this product covered with glass case and inside is full of walnut’s smoke. The glass case is removed in front of you and it smells great. This sweets is enjoyable to eat with various sauces. Other foods are really delicious, so you find your favorite one. This nice shop’s address is 66 Masuya-cho, Kitagawa, Sakaimachi-higashi Agaru, Sannjo-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city, KYOTO. You can get to there by taking the subway Karasuma Line and getting off at Karasuma Oike station. And it’s about 5 minute walk from this station.

Atelier du Munian

Munian is opened in 2009 and it is famous for chocolate truffles. This store is cooperated with Kakao tei; this is the chocolate brand. If you go there, you can see a building with a relaxing atmosphere and it has Japanese garden, too. Interior decoration reflects the chocolate wrapped foil and there is small café space. In the showcase, a lot of there are chocolate sweets, it’s MUNIAN truffle, Ganache Carre, Gateau MUNIAN, Gateau au Chocolat Blanc et Fromage, Gateau au Chocolat a la MUNIAN truffle. The most popular is MUNIAN truffle and I’m sure you have never experienced this texture before. It is bigger than normal one, but literally melt in your mouth. There are 12 flavors, including strawberry, green tea, vanilla, rose and so on. Matcha or gyokuro are good sellers because these products based on green tea but you would be satisfied with　whatever flavor you choose. The store’s address is 416, Dainichi-cho, Shijou-Agaru, Gokomachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city, KYOTO. You can get to there by taking the Hankyu Line and getting off at Kawaramachi station. But it is going to move to around Kyoto Imperial Palace, so you will have to check for the new address.

Salon de Royal

This store opened in 2012 in Kyoto and tries to combine Japanese and Western styles. Salon de Royal is the oldest of the three shops and has received a prize at Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat in 2017. Staffs in there are always try to make a space look unusual so these are beautiful and gorgeous atmosphere. When you come there, you can see colorful items inside the showcase like chocolate, cakes and macarons, Trade items of this shop are pecan nut chocolate and bonbon chocolat. First one is popular as a gift or souvenir because these are not too expensive and tastes so good. And then, the most featured chocolate is named “the Eiffel”, it is a chocolate actually in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. Any other items are really beautiful, so please go there and check out these products. Also, this shop has café space and it faces the Kamo-gawa River, so you can enjoy delicious chocolates or other sweets while feeling peaceful. Moreover, the veranda is opened in the summer season so it’s must-see. The address of this store is 502, Kamikoriki-cho, Oike-Agaru, Kiyamachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city, KYOTO. You can soon reach it by foot from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station on the Kyoto City Subway Tozai Line.

These three chocolate stores each have really unique and beautiful products and these will makes you happy. If you visit there, you can enjoy your trip to Japan even more.

Japanese Sweets of Kyoto origin

by Kanae Hamano & Shiho Fujinami

Do you know about the Japanese sweets called, wagashi? Wagashi is a whole category of confectionary made using traditional production techniques in Japan. In addition, Kyoto is famous for wagashi, as there are many well-established Japanese sweet shops throughout the city.

About Wagashi

Wagashi is a term used to differentiate traditional Japanese sweets from European-style confectionary, which first made its appearance in Japan after the Meiji period. Wagashi includes mochigashi (Japanese rice cake), youkan (azuki bean jelly), manju (sweet buns) and senbei (rice crackers). Wagashi rarely uses oil, fat, spice or dairy products in comparison with European-style confectionery. Instead, grains, beans, starch and sugar are its main ingredients. Also, green tea is commonly used to make Wagashi. Finally, wagashi is closely associated with the four seasons of the year. This is because it is often used for annual functions and as gifts in Japan.

History of Wagashi

In 1800, an envoy from China, named Kentoshi, brought some sweets to Japan. One of those was danki, which was a fried sweet with persimmons, chestnuts, and apricot with black sugar. It was the first time for sugar to come to Japan. In modern times, Japanese people eat yokan with Japanese green tea. But originally, yokan from China contained mutton and was eaten with meat soup. When the Chinese envoy brought yokan to Japan, Japanese people avoided eating meat. So, the Japanese substituted azuki (red beans) for the mutton. In the latter half of 1500, Christian culture had begun to take root in Japan. At that time, kasutera (Japanese sponge cake), was brought in by Portugal. Once in Japan, these sweets spread all over the country. These are the origins of wagashi.Below are some famous wagashi shops in Kyoto.

Mangetsu (満月)

The first shop is Mangetsu, which is a famous shop founded in 1856. It specializes in making Ajarimochi, which is a specific type of manju. Manju itself is a traditional Japanese sweet made by wrapping flavored ingredients, such as azuki bean (red bean) jam in kneaded dough made from wheat or other ingredients. Ajarimochi, however, is baked and it consists of sweet bean paste sandwiched between chewy dough. The bean paste in Ajarimochi is tsubuan (mashed sweet bean paste) made from Tanba dinagon azuki , which is a local red bean of a large grain. It also happens to be very delicious and very affordable. Just one piece costs 108 yen. It is wonderful that you can taste something so delicious, yet so inexpensive. In addition, there are sets of 10 pieces for 1,188 yen, 15 pieces for 1,836 yen, 30 pieces for 3,456 yen, and so on. The expiration date is only five days from the date of manufacture, and it is possible to store it at normal temperature. We recommend you to buy it as a souvenir, but it should eaten soon.

Mangetsu（満月）

 

 

 

 

Tsuruyayoshinobu (鶴屋吉信)

In 1803, this Japanese confectionary store was founded in Kyoto. It is famous for yokan, which is like a bar of gelatinous sweet bean paste. One of its main characteristics is that its design and taste are associated with the 4 seasons. They are also iconic of Kyoto confectionary, so you can experience Kyoto by eating yokan. This shop is famous for not only yokan, but also kyokanze, which is a Japanese sweet shaped like a spiral, giving an image of water ripples. The black part is Ogura bean paste and the light-colored part is a type of candy called murasame. It is a wagashi which allows us to enjoy its texture. One piece is sold for 260 yen. It is a representative wagashi of this shop. The taste of Kyokanze changes with the seasons, so you can enjoy the taste of each season when you visit in Kyoto at different times of the year.

Tsuruyayosinobu（鶴屋吉信）

 

 

 

 

Toraya (虎屋)

This shop was founded in Kyoto in the late Muromachi period (1338-1573) and has been in business for five centuries. Currently it is opening stores in Tokyo, too. They are famous for their yokan. They offer many flavors, so you can get your favorite taste. In addition to Yokan, they also sell monaka (red-bean-paste-filled wafers), baked goods, and green tea. Each monaka has a nicknames, for example Yasaka, which is the most basic one. It is made by stuffing sweet bean paste into chrysanthemum shaped leather. ‘Yasaka’ means flourish and because the chrysanthemum flower is a noble and congratulatory flower, so it was named Yasaka (弥栄). Therefore, if you celebrate someone or some event, I recommend you to purchase it.

Toraya(虎屋）

 

 

 

 

Shop Information

Mangetsu (満月)

Address Imadegawa Marikouzidori, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-city, Kyoto prefecture

Phone number: 075-791-4121

Business hours: 9:00-18:00

Nearest station about 7 minutes on foot from Keihan Demachiyanagi station

 

Tsuruyayoshinobu (鶴屋吉信)

Address Imadegawadori Horikawa Nishi, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-city, Kyoto prefecture

Phone number: 075-441-0105

Business Hours: 9:00-18:00

Nearest station about 10 minutes on foot from Kyoto subway Imadegawa station

 

Toraya (虎屋)

Address 415 Hirohashidono-cho, Ichizyokado, Karasumadori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-city, Kyoto prefecture

Phone number: 075-441-3111

Business hours: 9:00-19:00 (weekdays)

9:00-18:00 (weekends, holidays)

Nearest station about 7 minutes on foot from Kyoto subway Imadegawa station

Demachi Futaba - Traditional Sweets Shop

by Misaki Horita & Yusa Inoue

What kind of Japanese food are you interested in? There are many Japanese foods that are popular among many foreigners in Japan, for example, sushi, udon noodles, tempura, flour-based foods, andso on. Certainly, these Japanese foods are very tasty and highly popular among foreigners. However, many foreigners do not know about Japanese confectionery culture. Meanwhile, there is a store in Kyoto that has been specializing in Japanese confectionery for almost 200 years. Founded in 1823, it is called Demachi Futaba, and it is located in the Demachiyanagiregion of the city. Since then, the store has been making Japanese confectionery by traditional methods. This store has been chosen as the most delicious Japanese confectionery for the fourth consecutive year at the Japanese Confectionery Competition in Kyoto. Also, this store has been given many awards at the Japanese confectionary competition in Japan.

Rice Cake with Beans

Because Demachi Futaba is so famous, there are often long rows of people waiting in line to buy their products, even on weekdays. There are usually 10 types of items for sale on any given day in Demachi Futaba. The most popular item is a rice cake with beans. This Japanese confectionery has lots of sweet bean paste inside the rice cake. And the rice cake is covered with big black beans. The white color of the rice cake and black color of the beans create an excellent color balance. Also, the texture is so soft that it feels like a cheek of a baby. However, rice cakes have elasticity. The taste is very elegant. This rice cake with beans uses good quality rice with salted beans that balance the sweet bean paste. This rice cake with beans has a very good balance of taste all around.

A rice cake with beans

It is one of the most wonderful Japanese sweets among the many in Japan. Therefore, all people can enjoy the rice cake with beans of Demachi Futaba, from children to old people alike. However, as soon as you buy this sweet, you must eat it right away. These kind of Japanese sweets don’t keep for a long time. So, it may not be suitable as a souvenir for someone the day after. This short shelf life is because this Japanese confectionery is using a delicate technology. It is an advanced technique of craftsmen who have developed it over many years. I recommend eating your freshly bought rice cake with beans on the banks of the nearby Kamoriver. Eating a rice cake with beans while watching the beautiful view next to the river is particularly special. This Japanese confectionery can also be bought at department stores in Kyoto Station. However, you cannot buy it in other places except Demachi Futaba and department store in Kyoto station. Therefore, we can understand that craftsmen value the quality of rice cake with beans.

Enjoy with the Five Senses

There are many types of Japanese sweets other than bean cake in Demachi Futaba. For example, pink-colored sweet rice cake wrapped in a cherry leaf, rice cake stuffed with sweet adzuki paste and wrapped in an oak leaf, three color dumplings, and so on. The appearance of rice cake with beans is very simple. However, these other Japanese confectioneries are more colorful and beautiful than a simple rice cake with beans. They are especially popular amongst women, and can be enjoyed with eyes in addition to our tongues. The colors of pink, green and yellow stimulate our appetite.

Three color dumpling

Furthermore, this shop also has seasonal Japanese confectionery. A lot of foreigners can experience the aesthetic qualities of the four seasons of Japan. If there are no seasons in your country, we would like you the experience the seasons of Japan through the Japanese confectionery of Demachi Futaba. This store is a special place for foreigners who are interested in Japanese food culture. Please visit to experience the appearance, flavor, seasons of Japan.

Information of Demachi Futaba

Demachi Futaba is one of the most famous Japanese confectionery stores in Kyoto. So, this store can have long lines, even on weekdays. You should except to stand in line for at least 15 to 30 minutes. But it is no matter, as you will surely will be satisfied with the taste, appearance, flavor of the sweets. A lot of people say, it is worth lining up for. And the price is also reasonable. I think easy for anyone to buy sweets there, so it is popular among all generations. And although Demachi Futaba is a little away from the center of Kyoto, it is still easy toaccess because it is very near the train station and the bus stop.

In sum, Demachi Futaba is a place where you can learn Japanese traditional Japanese confectionery culture. If you are interested in Japanese confectionary culture, you should go to Demachi Futaba.

Access

Keihan Railway, Demachiyanagi station. It’s a 7-minute walk to the west. Cross the Kamoriver and Kamo bridge

Kyoto city bus, Aoibashi Nishizumie bus stop. It’s 2-minute walk to south. And Kawaramachi Imadegawa bus stop. It’s 3-minute walk to northwest.

Opening time:              8:30
Closing time:           　　17:30
Regular holidays:    Tuesday, the fourth Wednesday
Seats:            　　Only takeout

Malebranche

by Saki Hiorta & Mai Taniguchi

Malebranche is a famous Japanese Western-style confectionery shop in Kyoto. Malebranche was originally built in 1982. The main store is on Kitayama Street, in the north part of Kyoto. The name ‘Malebranche’ comes from Nikolas Malebranche, a well-known French philosopher from the 17th century. In general, this shop is best known for its delicious Mont Blanc cake.

Malebranche Products

Malebranche offers its customers many delicious and wonderful products, many of which are various kinds of baked confectionery, such as:

  • Cha no Ka Langue de Chat Cookies
  • Green Tea Confectionaries
  • Mont Blanc Baked Confectioneries
  • Mont Blanc Baked Cakes
  • Kyoto-style Sable Cookies

CHA no KA

Cha no ka is a type of langue de chat style cookie in which strong green tea is used. It is made by a Malebranche team that takes great care when selecting tea leaves used in the manufacturing process. They call the method ‘Kyoto Quality’, and they use carefully selected tea from the Uji region of south Kyoto, famous for its green tea. First, its producers grow the tea leaves, and the Malebranche team goes straight to the farmers to buy the best tea. Second, to make strong matcha (powdered green tea) from the tea leaves they selected. When making matcha, much depends on the weather and a number of other conditions. They have found special method for that. Third, they strive to make Cha no ka with a clearness of color, a depth of taste and a great flavor combining matcha and white chocolate with a sincere heart and refined method. Finally, they wrap each individual cookie immediately to keep freshness and special design. Only then is the Cha no ka ready to be sold to customers.

Green Tea Confectionaries

Malebranche specializes in using green tea to make many of their products. These products are kept cold, like Fondant Chocolat and chocolate cake, as it is perishable. Therefore, it must be eaten soon after buying it. Malebranche staff visits tea plantations on a regular basis to select and purchase tea leaves for their products. This product is made with a lot of dark tea from Uji, a famous tea-growing region in the south part of Kyoto. It is also popular product.

Mont Blanc Baked Confectioneries

This product’s name is Malon de Male. These confectionaries have the flavor of chestnut and the smell of rum. Mont Blanc has a strong image of being a cake, but these are in fact baked confectionaries, which are original creations of Malebranche.

Mont Blanc Baked Cakes

This kind of baked and confectioneries can only be purchased at the main Malebranche shop on Kitayama Street. It recommended as a gift or souvenir, as it is carry to easy.

Kyoto-style Sable Cookies

Malebranche also makes and sells Kyoto-style sable cookies in five different varieties: milk chocolate and matcha, plain sugar, strawberry and white chocolate, chestnut and milk chocolate (autumn season only), and pumpkin and white chocolate (autumn season only). We can enjoy choosing and tasting these many flavors. They express the season of Kyoto with important smells and flavor. Malebranche delivers season-by-season the face of Kyoto.

Seasonal Events and Products

Visiting many Malebranche Spring is the name of an event that happens in the Spring. Customers can collect a series of stamps at various Malebrance shops. They must visit at least three of sixteen stores in Kyoto and Shiga. Then, if they buy products of over 500 yen in each one, they can get one stamp for each store. If they collect three stamps, they can receive a present of something sweet, like a special cheese cake or cheese ball, or some baked cheese sweets.

Ryo Cha no Ka

This is the summer version of Cha no Ka. The original Cha no Ka is made with chocolate, which too easily melts in the summer heat, so Ryo Cha no Ka has chocolate blended into other ingredients and baked until it becomes crispy. It will not melt, so it is perfect for the hot summer months.

Autumn Two

In the autumn, Malebranche uses chestnuts and sweet potatoes to make some unique fall confections. Chestnut and sweet potato are mixed with butter, which creates a very smooth cake in which you can taste most of the original taste of the ingredients. It’s delicious.

Christmas Products

At Christmas time, you can buy Jingle Bells Chocolate at Malebranche. It is a caramel chocolate cake. It made of chocolate-flavored sponge cake with caramel cream and chocolate chips, and there are strawberries, caramel cream, and chocolate on the top of the cake. This cake is made for both kids and adults, so it is good for a family.

Another Christmas time product from Malebranche is the Hex House. It a little house made of six kinds of sweets. Its contents are the matcha fir tree tart, the crescent moon mango shortcake, the strawberry tart, the Buche de Noel, the snowman cheese tart, and the witch hat chocolate tart. It very cute and filled with dreams of children and adults with a child’s heart. It is a little expensive, but very much worth buying. There are many other beautiful and delicious products to purchase at Christmas time. However, the numbers are limited, so you should act quickly to reserve your own from the Malebranche website.

Conclusion

Malebranche products are perfect as representative souvenirs of Kyoto or Japan. All these products are made with great care and are delicious. Not only does the store have high quality sweets that taste great, but also has product events that provide visual pleasure to customers. There are over 20 store branches in places other than Kyoto. So, you can visit many places and you can try these products.

Access Information

The main shop is located on near Kitayama Station on the Karasuma subway line. It is across from the north entrance to the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. Visit their website for more information: Malebranche Kyoto

Traditional townhouse cafes

by Mai Kobayashi and Haruko Ishii

 

Have you ever been to a café in Kyoto? We’re sure you have as there are a lot of cafes in Kyoto City these days. Also, Instagram is popular now, and a lot of pictures of cafes in Kyoto appear on it. So, cafés in Kyoto are becoming more and more popular. Recently, cafes which are in many of Kyoto’s renovated traditional townhouses have become very popular! In this article, we will look at some of these renovation cafes.

Traditional townhouses used to be merchants’ houses which were built from the Edo period (1603-1868) through to the beginning of the Showa period (1926-1989). A traditional house in Kyoto is called unagi-no-nedoko which translates as ‘bed for an eel’. The meaning of this name comes from the narrow width and considerable depth of the houses, making them resemble an eel. The reason why there are many unagi-no-nedoko in Kyoto is related to the old Japanese tax system. In the Edo period, the amount of tax was decided by the width of the frontage, so many traditional townhouses had an elongated structure. The reason why traditional townhouses are being renovated more and more recently is that people who visit Kyoto can really experience the interior spaces of Japanese tradition. Also, to keep the appearance of Kyoto, activities to protect traditional townhouses are being held. As an effort to do that, entrepreneurs have renovated traditional townhouses and are building fashionable shops and cafés.

Here are some Kyoto cafes which are renovated traditional townhouses for you to try!

SARASA-KAYUKOJI

This cafe opened in 1984. The interior of this café has a first floor with counter seating and a second floor with tables and sofa seats with almost all of the furniture is made of wood. The entrance is a very small and deeply shaped, so it looks like unagi-no-nedoko and many Japanese movie posters are hung on the walls. This café’s staff are very friendly so you can have a comfortable time enjoying the atmosphere here. On top of the interior design, there is a selection of Japanese Manga to enjoy.

Sarasa opens from 12:00 to 23:30 Monday to Saturday. On Sunday, they open from 11:30 to 23:00. At lunchtime (12:00-15:00), you can eat their daily lunch which has a main dish, rice and soup. You can have dessert and drinks anytime. There is also a lot of dishes to try at dinner time (18:00-23:00). The soup rice dish is recommended! This has a mild taste. You can choose chicken or pork. At this café, you can try dishes that are favorites of a lot of Japanese people.

 

Soup rice

 

Lunch menu

 

Chocolate parfait & Season Cake

 

The café’s address is 〒604-8024 Kyotoshi-cyuouku-shinkyougoku-shijyouagaru-nakanocyo-565-13. You can get to this café by taking the Hankyu Line and getting off at Kawaramach Station. Go to Exit 6 and when you get to ground level, go right and go to Kayukoji Street (花遊小路商店街). Lunch time and dinner time are popular, so you may have to wait.

Blue Bottle Coffee

The Blue Bottle Coffee Company is from California, America. There are 10 cafes in Japan: Tokyo, Kobe, and Kyoto which only has one café. This café is a renovated traditional townhouse that is over 100 years old. The interior has a high ceiling with large windows which let in a lot of natural light in this open space. Neon lights are on exposed earth walls with bamboo. The ceiling has modern neon lights that harmonize with the nostalgic atmosphere of this old building. Leading up to the entrance there is a gravel courtyard where you can spend a special moment in the seasonal nature: fresh green from spring to summer and autumn tints that fall in autumn.

This café opens from 8:00 to 18:00. There are 44 seats in this shop so you can take a seat to enjoy the selection of freshly brewed coffee and pastries while looking at the interior. The aroma of the coffee here is very good and has a deep flavor. If you like it, you can buy the coffee beans to take home.

A further tip is, before or after you go to Nanzenji Temple, have a break at Blue Bottle Coffee. Nanzenji is the highest rank of temples in Japan. This temple is very popular with Japanese people and overseas tourists. In mid-November, you can see beautiful autumn leaves in this area.

Latte

 

The address is 〒606-8437 Kyotoshi-sakyoku-nanzenji-kusakawacyo-64. This café is located near Nanzenji. You can get to this café by taking the Tozai subway line and getting off at Keage Station (蹴上). Blue Bottle mark is a landmark for this café!

 

 

The landscape of Kyoto is different each season so you can enjoy them from the numerous cafes dotted around Kyoto. In spring, there are a lot of cherry trees and blossoms. In summer, you can relax in a café with the sound of cicadas. In autumn, colored leaves are beautiful in Kyoto. And finally, in winter, you can see snow. So, you can enjoy not only cafes in Kyoto but also the real feeling of the four seasons. We recommend you to try out these two cafes especially.

Kyoame

by Mayumi Otsuka, Mai Takezawa and Kanako Wakamatsu

If you come to Kyoto, what are you going to buy as a food souvenir? There are very popular food souvenirs in Kyoto, such as yatsuhashi, matcha, and so on. However, have you ever heard of kyoame? Kyoame is a candy and is one of the historical Japanese sweets in Kyoto. It has a pretty design and a very beautiful color, such as pink, purple, green, and yellow. Also, in Chinese characters, ‘candy’ means ‘be delighted by eating’. Therefore, you can be happy by eating the candy called kyoame.

Yatsuhashi

 

History of Kyoame

There wasn’t any such thing as candy in ancient Japan. Instead of candy, there was starch syrup (the literal translation is ‘water candy’ in Japanese) that was made with rice and malt. However, it was used only as seasoning. In the late Muromachi era (1392~1573), Portuguese explorers came to Japan, bringing their religion and culture. One of the things they introduced was white sugar. However, it was not famous among the common people at that time. It was not until the end of Edo era (1600~1867) that ordinary people found out about white sugar. However, it was very expensive, so some of them could not eat it yet, much less see it. In the Meiji era (1868~1911), Japan began to engage actively in foreign trade. In addition, the skill of making candy was developed, so many kinds of candy were produced. In this way, kyoame was born by using traditional candy-making techniques with starch syrup and the new ones with white sugar.

How to Make Kyoame

At the beginning, the kyoame craftsman makes the paste of the candy. First of all, she boils the sugar up to 110° C, which is raw material of kyoame. Then he keeps boiling the sugar until it reaches 160° C. Then, she uses a special machine to drain the candy of its water. After that, she puts the candy paste on a cooling plate and blends in the flavor and food coloring. This is the basic process of making the kyoame candy paste.

Once the candy paste is made, what happens next depends on what type of Kyoame is desired. In general, there are two methods of making kyoame. One is made by pouring the candy paste into a variety of molds. Another is done by combining some big candy parts together, which differ by color and taste, to make one big candy paste mass. The craftsman then makes the candy paste long and thin and then cuts it into small pieces. That part is very similar to European-style candy making.

The craftsman work is very sensitive because the craftsman needs to adjust his work to a variety of conditions, such as season, temperature, humidity, and so on. To be a kyoame craftsman is a very difficult job because it requires both technical skill and management skill. As proof, some kyoame craftsman have been commended for their sensitive skill by officials from Kyoto city.

Of course, making kyoame is very difficult and almost impossible for ordinary people. However, there is one kyoame store that offers visitors the experience of making kyoame themselves. So, if you go there, you can try to make your own original version of kyoame. Many kyoame stores do not use machines much, as mostly the candy is made by the craftsman’s hand.

Kyoame is popular souvenir for foreigners because the design is very beautiful and it really has the feeling of a traditional Japanese souvenir. On the other hand, kyoame is also a popular souvenir amongst the Japanese, because it is so affordable. Often, Japanese people feel guilty for receiving a souvenir that is too expensive. And in the season of school trips, students often buy kyoame as a souvenir for their family or for their seniors. Kyoame is not so expensive, but the design is beautiful, so it is easy to buy for students. In sum, kyoame is suitable as both a formal or casual gift.

Kyoame

 

Where to Buy Kyoame

In Kyoto there are several famous Kyoame stores. We would like to introduce two of them.

Ayanokouji

The first one is called Ayano Kouji. It was founded in 1876. They have 5 kinds of kyoame and the names of each are related to traditional Japanese culture. For example, Shun is related to the change of the seasons, so you can enjoy a different taste at different times of the year. They also make specific Japanese tastes, like like plum, yuzu, kujyou welsh onion, etc.

http://www.ayanokouji.co.jp

TEL 075-351-0593

Open 9:00-18:00 (Monday-Friday)

Crochet Kyoto

The second kyoame shop is named Crochet Kyoto. Unlike Ayano Kouji, it is a very new shop, just founded in 2013. They offer 21 kinds of kyoame. All of them are flamboyant and their name is related to both Japanese and European culture. For example, Shiromuku is kind of traditional clothing that brides wear, and it’s taste is that of sakura, or cherry blossom. Another is named Antoinette, from Marie Antoinette. It is related to Europe and its taste is strawberry.

http://crcht.com

TEL 075-744-0804

Open 10:30-19:00

Kinds of Kyoame

 

Surprising Fact About Kyoame

In 2004, a company that makes fashion accessories with kyoame was established. It is called Nanaco Plus+. It reproduces traditional Kyoto confectionery with their accessories. If you go there, you can see jewelry or key rings that look just like kyoame. They want us to watch, wear, and eat kyoame. Their goal is to revive the heart of beauty and sensitivity that Japanese felt in times long ago.

Their accessories are made with real kyoame. The company invented a technique to cover the real candy with clear resin. Each piece is hand-made, so you can enjoy differences in size and design. In addition, they also sell cosmetics, such as a lip cream which smells like kyoame. In this way, traditional kyoame can be loved forever.

As you can see, kyoame is a traditional sweet in Kyoto that requires a special technique to make. There are a variety of kinds and tastes, and they have names related to both Japanese and European culture. In addition, you can enjoy Kyoame not only by eating them, but also by wearing them as accessories. Therefore, we recommend you buy a beautiful kyoame as a souvenir during your stay in Kyoto.

Ichijoji Nakatani

by Riko Nakanishi, Hinako Kinoshita and Daisuke Sasaki

Have you ever eaten Decchi-yokan? It is a cheap sweet jellied bean paste made in the Kinki district. There is a Japanese style confectionery store called Ichijoji Nakatani which is famous for this Japanese sweet. The store was established in 1935, 70 years ago. They originally made the ingredients for sugar and cereals, and started to make rice crackers and cookies in 1958. In addition they increased their confectionery menu to include cakes, tarts, tiramisu in 2002.

Delicious items on display at Ichijoji Nakatani

Decchi-yokan is a sweet jellied bean paste which is wrapped in a bamboo sheath. It makes you feel nostalgic feeling because the bamboo’s smell which has a Japanese old fashioned spreads to the sweet jellied bean paste. Ichijoji Nakatani’s Decchi-yokan is made from high quality sugar and Dainagon azuki bean laid in a stock directly from Tamba. Therefore we think that Ichijoji Nakatani’s Decchi-yokan is by far the most delicious in Japan.

We can have not only sweets but also meals. For example, there are thin wheat noodles, rice porridge, and light Kyoto-style home cooking with boiled vegetables and marinated food. Of course we can enjoy drinking some teas. The food costs 1,000 yen to 1,650 yen.

An example of a delicious traditional Japanese sweet with maccha tea at Ichijoji Nakatani.

What also want to recommend ”Kinugoshi ryokucha tiramisu”. This is the most popular item in the store. If you order this sweet on the internet, you will have to wait at least two months. This sweet has a sponge cake which is soaked in a lot of Japanese tea syrup, mousse made of soybean milk, white bean jam, cheese and powdered green tea. In addition, they have fresh cream which has a semi-sweet flavor and also boiled azuki bean, a black soybean, and hiyoko bean. I was surprised at this very tasty sweet because it looked so beautiful, just like a jewel box, to say nothing of the good taste.

Kinugoshi ryokucha tiramisu

This sweet like a tiramisu is both of Japanese and Western style. It was created when the young owner got married to a woman who the proprietress now. Since then, they have tried to make many kinds Japanese and Western style sweets. However it is not as easy as they thought. They had to learn from the young owner’s father and mother. They have made modern sweets, preserving the tradition of the store. For this reason, they can make such wonderful sweets.

Decchi-yokan with green tea.

In Ichijoji, there are lots nature such as the cherry blossoms in the spring, fresh green leaves in the summer, colored leaves in the autumn, and a snowy landscape in the winter. What is Hachidai jinja shrine which is known as the Battle for Musashi Miyamoto, Shisendou temple, Konpukuji temple, and Enkouji temple which Ieyasu Tokugawa built and printed many books there are all in the aren. Tourists never decrease to see these place all year. Why don’t you dropp in on Ichijouji Nakatani while taking in the sights of Ichijoji.

Address

5, Ichijoji Hananokicho, Sakyouku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 606-8151, Japan

Home page

http://ichijouji-nakatani.com

Open from 9:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m. (6:00 L.O) Wed is closed.

Access

Kyoto city bus No.5, 65. A 2minute walk from Ichijoji Sagarimatu bus stop.

Eizan Electric Railway Ichijoji sta. A 5minute walk.

The Unique Taste of Kyoto Vegetable Sweets

FLAVOR`s entrance

FLAVOR`s entrance

By Minako Ueda and Ryoko Umekawa

Have you ever heard of  confections created from Kyoto vegetables? Kyoto vegetable sweets, called Kyo-yasai okashi in Japanese, are made with varieties of vegetables that are unique to Kyoto. Kyoto vegetables are produced only in Kyoto, have a delicious taste and are high in nutritional value. Kyo-yasai include locally grown carrots, burdock root, green onions and black soybeans. All of these are used in Kyo-yasai okashi. There is one shop in Kyoto that specializes in Kyoto vegetable sweets. It is called Flavor’s and was only opened last year (2011).

Flavor’s is promoting a new philosophy concerning our relationship to food and how we eat food: “locally produced, locally consumed” or “chiisan-chisho” in Japanese. So the people at Flavor’s tried to develop their menu of sweet products entirely from local produce. At first, the owners tried to sell juices made by mixing different Kyoto vegetables together. However, they then discovered that Kyoto vegetables were quite suitable for making sweets. One of their main goals is to make Kyoto vegetables famous by using them in sweets.

Vegetables, such as spinach or garland chrysanthemums, are mixed with fruits in order to dilute their bitter tastes and give them sweeter flavors. Some fruit helps draw out the essential flavor of a vegetable and make it mildly sweet. At first, the shop staff encountered some difficulties, because they discovered that the taste of the same vegetables differed from time to time because of the changing climate.

To help stop the decline in agriculture in Japan, and promote interest in growing and eating vegetables, Flavor’s holds many educational events about food with high school and university students. They are also trying to inform the public about the value of vegetables through TV, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, fliers, and signboards.

Nishiki Roll

Nishiki Roll

 

There are three very popular, best-selling items at Flavor’s:

No.1  “Nishiki Roll”

This roll is Flavor’s best-known specialty, and has become the shop’s symbol. Its dough is mixed with seasonal vegetables and fruits. Its price is ￥1575.

Assortment of Baked Confections

Assortment of Baked Confections

No.2 “Assortment of Baked Confections”

This is assortment of sweets is popular as a souvenir or gift. Its price is ￥2100～.

This assortment of treats includes Cherry Blossom Madeleine, Ginger and Honey Pound Cake, and Pumpkin and Lemon Pound Cake.

Spinach Tiramisu

Spinach Tiramisu

No.3 “Spinach Tiramisu”

Surprisingly, spinach and tiramisu go well together. Its price is ￥525 per serving.

 

 

 

 

In addition to its standard menu, many other sweets using seasonal vegetables and fruits are sold in this shop. Now, (early June 2012), sweets using seasonal tomatoes are being sold: Tomato Shortcake, Tomato and Avocado Tart and Tomato Pound Cake. So we can savor various seasonal tastes whenever the menu is changed. So it is worthwhile to visit Flavor’s in each season.

Seasonal variety is one of the great attractions of this store. The types of vegetables and fruits used by Flavor’s in one year can number anywhere from 200 to 300. This seems like a lot, but one vegetable can have many varieties. We suggest trying one sweet at different times of the year to appreciate the subtle differences in taste in different seasons.

By the way, one vegetable especially unique to Kyoto, the Horikawa burdock, is often only available in Kyoto’s high-class Japanese-style restaurants. It is very expensive and rare, but we can taste it at a reasonable price mixed in sweets in Flavor’s.

Many foreign tourists visit Flavor’s. The items that seem to be especially popular among foreign visitors are Cookies made with Kujo Green Onion and White Soybean Paste and Ginger and Honey Pound Cake.

Paying a visit to Flavor’s is a chance to experience Kyoto’s creative culture – making new products and flavors from traditional recipes. Flavor’s has many delicious sweets we can only taste in Kyoto. Please go and try these new and unique tastes!

Many kind of cakes

 

Flavor’s is located on Karasuma Street in Kyoto.You can find it about a six-minute walk from the Karasuma-Kawaramachi Station of the Hankyu Train Line.

The shop hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This store is takeout only, so there isn’t a cafe space.

HP http://www.flavors-kyoto.com/

Tel 0120-932-795

Fax 0120-932-736