Can’t decide on a Souvenir from Kyoto? Try Ajari-mochi!
Many of the visitors who come to Kyoto wish to take a little piece of the charming city back with them, often in an edible form. Of course, I’m talking about souvenir snacks. There are tons of places to find Kyoto style snacks to take back with you, but how do you choose among the hundreds of different treats which tastes best or which is most representative of Kyoto?
Well, I’ll let you in on a secret. Okay, so it’s not really a secret since it’s one of the most popular Kyoto souvenir sweets. It’s called ajari-mochi, and it’s sold by an old shop called Mangetsu that’s located in the Demachi-Yanagi neighborhood of Kyoto.
Nowadays, you can find the ajari-mochi all over the country, and it often ranks as one of the top selling sweets at department stores. However, I set out to try out the ajari-mochi at its birthplace. The original store, which has been around since 1868, is almost hidden in a residential area. The outside of the store speaks to its history as it’s build in a traditional Kyoto style.
Upon stepping inside, I found that the inside of the store was quite busy. But thanks to the efficient and well-mannered workers, the whole process went by smoothly. Showcases displayed large gift boxes lined with Kyoto-style parchment ready to be gifted to eager mochi eaters. While I waited, I enjoyed the beautifully maintained interior that spoke of the success that the store has seen throughout its years. An adjacent room had a charming window close to the ground that peeked out into a mini garden.
When I opened up my ajari-mochi, I noticed that the dough was no ordinary mochi; it was made with egg and powdered sugar in addition to rice flour then baked. This gave the dough a wonderfully aromatic yet chewy texture. The adzuki beans inside went perfectly with the mochi. But as with all sweets that I like, the ajari-mochi disappeared before I knew it.
If you are at a loss for which Kyoto souvenir to buy, you can never go wrong with some ajari-mochi! You can find it in the souvenir stores around Kyoto station, so give it a try!