Enjoy the fascinating red bean paste sweets in Kyoto! From the best to the most popular, see them all at once!

One of the ingredients that come to mind when thinking of Japanese sweets is, without a doubt, anko (red bean paste).
Anko (sweet bean paste) sweets are not only limited to wagashi, but can be transformed into a variety of forms and flavors, such as tsubu-an, koshi-an, and shiro-an.
Of course, there are many such sweets in Kyoto. This article will introduce the charms of Kyoto's anko (sweet bean paste) sweets, ranging from the best of long-established shops to unique modern arrangements!
Anko (red bean paste) lovers will love it, and even if you don't like red bean paste, this may change the way you look at it.

 

Table of Contents

Bean cake - Demachi Futaba

Kano Aya - Tsuruya Yoshinobu

yokan for coffee - toshoan

■Fruit Yokan (NEXT 100 YEARS) - UCHU wagashi

Dekichi Yokan - Ichijyoji Nakatani

■ Summary

 

 

Bean cake - Demachi Futaba

Have you ever heard of "Demachi Futaba" located near Demachiyanagi Station? It is a Japanese confectionery shop with a history of more than 100 years, dating back to 1897, located in a shopping street near the Kamo River.

This store is visited by many people, including locals, and offers a wide selection of royal bean and yomogi rice cakes.
Even on weekdays, tourists from Japan and abroad visit the restaurant, and it is not unusual to see long lines of people waiting in front of the store.

I'm not sure what to expect from Demachi Futaba,
The taste is exceptionally different from other Daifuku shops.
The best of both worlds.
The reason for its popularity is that it is just "delicious," with many high evaluations such as the following.

So why are they so much better than other Daifuku shops? Here is a summary of some of the reasons.

The secret to the deliciousness of the ingredients

The secret to the great taste at Demachi Futaba is the careful selection of ingredients.
For example, they use "red peas" to accentuate the texture, and they source the best from farmers in Biei and other parts of Hokkaido.
Other ingredients include Tokachi red beans for the "an" and new Shiga Haniage glutinous rice for the mochi.
The rice cake itself has a sweetness of its own with a firm texture. The reason for the delicious taste is the use of carefully selected ingredients.

○The manufacturing process is also very particular.

Even if you just focus on the ingredients, the taste will vary greatly depending on the method of preparation. At Demachi Futaba, the ingredients are made in the same way they have always been made in order to bring out the best flavor of the ingredients. Habutae glutinous rice is steamed and then pounded twice to give it a chewy texture. The rice is then steamed, and the rice is rolled out quickly to ensure that the flavor is not compromised. The strong attention to detail in these methods of making the mochi is what makes them so high quality.

 

One of the most popular products of Demachi Futaba is...

The most popular item is the bean cake.
Mame-mochi (bean cake) is a specialty here, and the sweet red bean paste and the firm, elastic rice cake make for a delicious taste that sets it apart from others.
Another key point is that the saltiness of the red peas enhances the sweetness of the dish.

At Demachi Futaba, it's not just bean cakes,
Daifuku
Tanba Chestnut Rice Cake
Yomogi Mochi
There are also a variety of other products, all of which have different tastes.

Here are some reviews of Demachi Futaba!

The rice cakes were so soft and chewy! It was too delicious. I had never had such delicious Daifuku before and was very impressed.
The beans are plentiful and abundant. The rice cake was fluffy and very tasty!
The "koshi-an" (sweet bean paste) inside is too elegant and delicious.... I can't believe I can enjoy such a texture in Daifuku....
We had Tanba chestnut rice cakes. The chestnuts were big and chewy. It was delicious.
The sweetness of the bean paste is exceptional. The sweetness is elegant and smooth. The rice cake itself is also very sweet, and is a superb product.
Daifuku is so delicious! This store makes you think "Daifuku is so delicious! The bean cakes are delicious.
Is this a rice cake! Too exquisite, words cannot describe it.
I had wondered why an ordinary restaurant was so popular, but after my first visit, I was convinced. I was convinced after my first visit. It was delicious.
The bean daifuku was the best. It was worth the long line. I want to come back to buy more.
There were also many foreign tourists. All the Daifuku are delicious and much talked about. I am glad I could come.

 

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

■Demachi Futaba
Address: 236 Seiryu-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: about 6 minutes walk from "Demachiyanagi" station

 

 

What is Yokan

By the way, do you like yokan?
Yokan, a traditional Japanese confectionery, actually originated in China. Such yokan has a long history and has now spread to people of all ages in Japan.

First, let's look at yokan, a traditional Japanese confectionery.

What is somoso yokan?
Yokan is a confectionery made by adding sugar and agar to red bean paste, then kneading, boiling, and steaming the mixture. Depending on the amount of agar, there are hard yokan bricks and water yokan with less agar. There are also several other methods of making yokan, such as adding kudzu or wheat flour.

History of Yokan

Yokan originated in China. The word "kan" in yokan is read as "atsumono," and in China it has long been used to refer to soup made by boiling sheep meat. In the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, Zen monks introduced yokan to Japan, but since Zen Buddhism prohibited the eating of meat according to a precept, they substituted wheat or kudzu flour instead of sheep meat. As time went by, sweetness was added to the yokan and it became the form of yokan in Japan today.

Here are some recommended yokan in Kyoto.

 

Kano Aya - Tsuruya Yoshinobu

Tsuruya Yoshinobu" is a long-established business founded in 1803.
Tsuruya Yoshinobu has recently become popular for its yokan called "Fruit Sai.
This is a lovely-looking dish that combines dried fruit and yokan.

The product was launched in February 2021 with the aim of making the enjoyment of yokan more fashionable and elegant, and is popular among young women as a souvenir because of its color and cuteness.
The yokan is shaped like a tablet and features dried fruits and nuts for a fun texture.

The three flavors are as follows
light crimson
→Yokan made with strawberries, cranberries, pistachios and surikohaku.
The sweet and sour strawberry flavor and soft and crisp texture are irresistible.

smack dab in the middle of a noh play forming the final third of a kyogen
→Strawberry, cranberry, pistachio and a little bitter chocolate are kneaded into the yokan.
It has a chocolatey taste, complemented by sour and sweet flavors.

generation after generation
→Orange, sweet summer orange, cranberry, pistachio
Soft white yokan with a refreshing taste of orange and amanatsu citrus.

 

 

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

Tsuruya Yoshinobu (main store)
Address: Horikawa Nishiiru, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: Short walk from "Horikawa Imadegawa" city bus stop

HP:https://www.tsuruyayoshinobu.jp

 

 

yokan for coffee - toshoan

Anko (red bean paste) shop "Toshoan" was established in 1950.
Yokan has a strong image of being served with green tea, but this product overturns that image.
As you can see from the name "YOKAN FOR COFFEE," it is not a coffee-flavored yokan, but rather a yokan that pursues a flavor that matches coffee. We recommend pairing it with fruity coffee in particular.
The koshian-based yokan dough has added figs, apricots, and walnuts, and their crunchy texture and refreshing aftertaste enhance the flavor of the coffee.

 

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

■To Shoan
Address: 1F Miyako Ichibankan Sanjo Horikawa, 709 Shimohachimonji-cho, Horikawa Sanjo Shimogitaeru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Access: about 1 minute walk from "Horikawa Sanjo" city bus stop

HP:https://www.toshoan.com/

 

 

■Fruit Yokan (NEXT 100 YEARS) - UCHU wagashi

UCHU wagashi, which continues to create innovative wagashi in Kyoto, will sell "Fruits no Yokan (NEXT 100 YEARS)," a refreshingly sweet white yokan.
Fruit jelly made from peaches, grapes, and sweet summer orange is combined with white bean paste with egg whites, and each piece is carefully handmade. It is perfect to be served chilled in summer or with a cold drink.

 

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

UCHU wagashi (Teramachi main store)
Address: 307 Nobutomi-cho, Teramachi-Dori Marutamachi Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City
Access: about 5 min. walk from "Kawaramachi Marutamachi" city bus stop.

HP:http://uchu-wagashi.jp/?mode=f3

 

 

Dekichi Yokan - Ichijyoji Nakatani

What is Dechi Yokan?

Have you ever heard of "Dechi Yokan"?
Dechi Yokan is a Japanese confection eaten in the Kinki region, and in Kyoto and Shiga Prefecture, it is a steamed yokan wrapped in a bamboo skin.
Dechi" means "half a man.
The name "dechi yokan" comes from the fact that apprentice apprentices bought it as a souvenir when they returned home from their training in the bush. (There are various theories depending on the region.)
Bamboo bark was used because of its antibacterial properties and its ability to stay fresh on long journeys. The fragrance of the bamboo is also transferred to the yokan, giving it a subtle aroma that is irresistible.

○What is "Dechi Yo-kan," a famous Ichijoji confectionery?

Located near Shisen-do in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Ichijyoji Nakaya is a Japanese confectionery about a 6-minute walk from Ichijyoji Station.
The store carries on the tradition of the old days, and "Dechi Yo-kan," a local specialty of Ichijoji, has become popular.
Dechi yokan has been passed down through three generations, and it is said that it was originally brought by young Ichijyoji villagers during the Edo period when they went to the Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Shiga Prefecture to carry portable shrines for the festival, instead of a lunch box.
Dainagon azuki beans purchased from Tanba are slowly roasted for one day, then mixed with high quality white sugar and rice flour to make a sweet bean paste, which is then poured into a bamboo skin and steamed.
Compared to other stores' Dechi Yokan, it is characterized by its thickness, and this thickness is the secret of its deliciousness.
The thinly spread dough allows for better heat penetration, which transfers more of the flavor of the honmadake bark throughout the dough to the yokan.
It looks elegantly shiny and has an exquisite firmness. It is not too sweet and has a light flavor.

Other than yokan (bean jelly), other Japanese sweets are also delicious.

Famous Sweets Shisen Mochi

The "famous confectionery Shisenmochi" was made in memory of Ishikawa Jozan.
A soft and chewy gyuhi skin wraps the "koshi-an" and "yuzu-an" (sweet red bean paste and yuzu citron bean paste), giving the confectionery a gentle texture.
The moist and fine koshi-an (sweet bean paste) is flavored with Nikki, which is also a perfect match. Yuzu (Japanese citron) is kneaded into the paste, so you can also enjoy its fresh aroma.

Ichijoji Shimokamatsu Musashi

Musashi Miyamoto, the two-sword swordsmith who dueled with Yoshioka Ichimon. Musashi, too, came to know the depth of the tea ceremony in its gentleness and severity through his contact with Koetsu and Myoshu-ni, and was comforted by their knowledge of the tea ceremony.
This manju is made in the shape of the "tsuba" of Musashi's sword, in memory of his cherished "state of stillness and tranquility. There are two types of manju: one with chestnut-flavored koshi an (sweet red bean paste) and the other with grains of sweet red bean paste.

bracken rotunda

Zaru Warabi" is Nakaya's original strawbaked rice cake inspired by Zaru Tofu.
The surface is coated with a not-too-sweet Hokkaido fresh cream coating, a perfect match for Hateruma's black mitsu.

Dainagon Tofu Yokan

Tofu yokan looks like a simple water yokan, but it is popular for its mouthfeel and deep flavor, just like the “sesame tofu” served in Japanese-style restaurants. If you want to enjoy the refined taste of bean paste, this is the one for you.

 

The shop is located in the center of the city!

Surprisingly, Ichijoji Nakaya also carries Western-style confections, which can be enjoyed along with Japanese sweets.
For example, "silken green tea Teirimasu.
This product is a healthy soy milk sweet that has been introduced in many media such as "Matrix de nakueru houkokusho", "Moshi moshi tours", "Miyaneya", "Zoom in Saturday", "Ikinari kogane densetsu", "Vivid", and "Hanamaru Market".
The ”Teriramisu,” which is poured into a box of Kami-Seikagashi with the image of a dry landscape garden, is a refined product containing not only white bean paste and soy milk, but also high-quality fresh cream, fromage blanc, and a generous amount of "Yanagisakuraen's green tea," which is the key ingredient in the taste. It is a very elegant dish.
in addition
Three-colored bean tart
Cake with white miso and nuts
Nakaya Roll
Soy milk pudding
and others, all of which are a wonderful fusion of Japanese and Western styles.

 

Here are some reviews of Ichijoji Nakatani!

I stopped by a popular sweet shop. Dechi Yokan", a local confectionery of Ichijoji, is still popular. It is a good place to stop by on the way back from Shisendo or Hachidai Shrine. There is a café space in the back of the store, and recently, "silken green tea Tirimasu" seems to be popular. I bought a Dechi yokan to take home. The yokan was wrapped in a bamboo skin and inside the yokan was Niwa azuki beans. The yokan is kneaded together with rice flour, wrapped in a bamboo skin and steamed. I enjoyed the aroma of the bamboo while eating it.
I found it on the way back from Shisen-do, famous for its beautiful garden, and stopped by. I bought one of their famous yokans. The process of kneading rice flour and Tanba azuki beans, pouring it into a bamboo skin, and steaming it is said to have been kept unchanged since the time of its creation. It was delicious.
Unlike ordinary yokan, it is characterized by its thickness. Although it is only about 1 cm thick, it was used as a lunch box during the Edo period and is delicious with a texture similar to rice cake.
The yokan is not too sweet and has a rustic flavor. The rice flour had a nice, chunky texture.
Ichijyoji Nakatani, famous for its dekichi yokan, was originally a Japanese confectionery. It now offers Western-style confections as well. The dechi yokan with the aroma of bamboo is still my favorite.

 

 

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

Nakatani, Ichijyoji
Address: 5 Hananoki-cho, Ichijyoji, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: about 6 minutes on foot from Ichijyoji Station on the Eizan Dentetsu Eizanhon Line

HP:https://www.ichijouji-nakatani.com/

 

 

■ Summary

Did you find a candy that interests you?
Please be sure to pick up these red bean paste sweets, which are perfect as souvenirs or as a little sugar fix while sightseeing.