Kyoto Best Sweets & Snacks 2024: Recommended Souvenir Shops and Restaurants
Kyoto, a representative tourist destination in Japan, is popular among foreign tourists for its elegant atmosphere. Known as a gourmet capital, it boasts numerous eateries ranging from long-established high-end restaurants to stylish cafes. One of its characteristics is the abundance of Kyoto-specific foods, such as kaiseki cuisine served at tea ceremonies since ancient times and dishes using Kyoto vegetables.
Being able to buy souvenirs everywhere is also unique to Kyoto, a popular tourist destination. While "souvenir" might evoke the image of "something you buy for yourself as a memento of your trip," the Japanese concept of "omiyage" strongly implies "something you give to others." It's common to distribute them to a large number of people at workplaces, and sweets and snacks unique to the area are popular.
In this article, we'll introduce Kyoto's desserts and sweets that are perfect as souvenirs!
If you are interested in Kyoto's Foods, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy Kyoto's Foods as much as possible.
Takashi Nakadomari
Kyoto Best Sweets & Snacks 2024: A Plethora of Unique Desserts & Sweets
Kyoto is filled with delicious desserts and sweets, ranging from traditional Japanese confections to new treats incorporating trends. Kyoto-specific sweets that incorporate Japanese flavors like Anko (sweet bean paste) and matcha are popular among foreign tourists as they offer an easy way to experience authentic Japanese tastes.
Uji tea from Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, one of Japan's leading tea-producing regions, is known as a high-grade tea. There's even an episode of it being highly praised by the famous shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu during the Muromachi period (1336-1568). Desserts and sweets using "Uji matcha," which is powdered Uji tea, are well-received as souvenirs.
If you are interested in Kyoto Traditional Foods & Sweets, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy Kyoto Traditional Foods & Sweets as much as possible.
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Kyoto Best Sweets & Snacks 2024: 5 Must-Buy Desserts & Sweets
First, we've gathered the must-buy classic desserts & sweets when you visit Kyoto. We've picked out confections that use Kyoto-specific ingredients and flavors from long-established shops loved in Kyoto for many years. These are sweets that every Japanese person has likely received as a souvenir at least once.
These can be purchased at their respective direct stores in Kyoto, as well as at various locations such as Kyoto Station, shopping buildings, and tourist attractions. We've carefully selected 5 classic Kyoto souvenirs that we'd like to recommend to foreigners!
Nama Yatsuhashi
source：Syogoin official website
When Japanese people think of Kyoto-specific sweets, many imagine "Nama Yatsuhashi." Nama Yatsuhashi is a soft sweet made by steaming a dough mixed with rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon. When this dough is baked until crispy like a hard cookie, it's called "Yatsuhashi," and both are classic Kyoto souvenir sweets.
Nama Yatsuhashi, with its mochi-like texture, is also popular with Anko filling. There are various other varieties, including those filled with fruit-based Anko like lemon or peach, and Kyoto-specific matcha Anko. Famous long-established Yatsuhashi shops include "Shogoin Yatsuhashi Sohonten" and "Honke Nishio Yatsuhashi." They can be purchased at their main stores in Kyoto city, as well as at Kyoto Station and department stores.
These classic Kyoto sweets, loved for a long time, are perfect as souvenirs!
Kyobaum
source：Official website
"Kyobaum" is a baumkuchen made with Uji matcha and soy milk. It's a popular new standard among Kyoto sweets. Using 100% domestic wheat flour and carefully selected Uji matcha, it's finished by hand by craftsmen without using machines. Its moist texture with the rich aroma of Uji matcha is popular among children and the elderly alike.
There are three Kyobaum stores in Kyoto city, and each store's limited-edition package design is also attractive.
When buying Kyobaum, try the "Kyobaum Soft" that can be eaten at the Kiyomizu store, Arashiyama store, and Kyoto Tower Sando store. It's a bite-sized Kyobaum topped with rich soft-serve ice cream, which you can scoop with Yatsuhashi. You can choose from matcha, soy milk, or mixed soft-serve ice cream.
Ajari Mochi
source：Official website
"Ajari Mochi" from the long-established Japanese confectionery shop "Mangetsu" is a traditional taste loved in Kyoto for over 160 years. It's a Japanese confection made by sandwiching "Tamba Dainagon Azuki," a high-grade red bean from Kyoto, between a dough mixed with mochi flour and egg, and then grilling it on an iron plate. Its chewy and moist texture is appealing. The light-tasting Anko is popular among foreigners as well.
Incidentally, the name "Ajari" means "monk" or "master," originating from the sound of ancient Indian Sanskrit.
It's convenient that you can buy it not only at the main store and Kinkaku-ji store in the city but also at easily accessible places for tourists such as department stores in the city, gift shops in Kyoto Station, and inside the Shinkansen ticket gates. Note that only cash payments are accepted at the main store and Kinkaku-ji store.
Cha no Ka
source：Official website
"Cha no Ka" from MALEBRANCHE, a Western confectionery shop founded in 1982, is a langue de chat that allows you to enjoy the rich taste of matcha. Langue de chat is a traditional French baked confection characterized by its crispy and flaky texture.
"Cha no Ka" is a Kyoto-style arrangement of langue de chat using specially blended Uji tea from carefully selected tea leaves. It's sandwiched with white chocolate full of milk flavor. The kanji characters "京" "茶" "菓" pressed on the surface are said to express Kyoto's culture.
The main store in Kyoto city has an attached cafe where you can enjoy freshly made desserts and limited-edition sweets. The Mont Blanc shaved ice using natural ice, available only in the hot season, is also recommended!
If you are interested in Matcha Sweets, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy Matcha Sweets as much as possible.
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Kyoto Best Sweets & Snacks 2024: Recently Popular and Trending Kyoto Souvenirs
Kyoto also has many new desserts and sweets that incorporate trends. There are various types, such as those that maintain the goodness of traditional confections while arranging them in a modern way, or those that stylishly express Kyoto-ness. They are also characterized by the use of carefully selected Kyoto-produced ingredients.
Here, we'll introduce three popular sweets that have been trending recently. These are recommended even for foreigners who are not accustomed to eating Japanese sweets. The colorful and beautiful packaging is perfect for souvenirs.
Let's take a look at these new Kyoto sweets sensations!
UCHU wagashi "ochobo"
source：Official website
"UCHU wagashi," which offers Japanese confections that fuse tradition and novelty, has the concept of "Japanese sweets that excite people or make them happy." They propose "contemporary Japanese sweets" that could become a new culture 100 years from now.
Their flagship product "ochobo" is a cute, candy-like, bite-sized rakugan. Rakugan is a traditional Japanese confection made by solidifying various shapes with sweetness added to powder of rice, beans, etc., using sugar and starch syrup. "ochobo" is characterized by fragrant flavors of matcha, Hojicha, and jasmine tea. Using high-grade Wasanbon sugar, it has an elegant sweetness that's easy for foreigners to eat.
In addition to the main store in Teramachi, it can also be purchased at Kyoto Isetan, a department store directly connected to JR Kyoto Station.
SHUKA's Seed Confections
source：Official website
"SHUKA," a new sweets brand created by a long-established Japanese confectionery store, offers bean and nut confections that make the most of the ingredients' flavors. With the concept of "adding a hand to nature's blessings," these are Kyoto's new specialty snacks that allow you to feel the natural deliciousness of various "seeds."
Recommended are the confections using Mizuho Dainagon Azuki. Mizuho Dainagon Azuki is a precious red bean cultivated only in certain areas of Kyoto Prefecture. The more you chew, the more the natural sweetness of the beans spreads, becoming addictive. Cacao and pistachio are also popular among foreigners. They pair well not only with Japanese tea but also with coffee and wine.
The main store in Kyoto City also has a cafe space. With a shelf life of about 30 days, these make perfect souvenirs.
RAU's Cream Sandwich
source：Official website
"Nami-Nami" by "RAU," created by experienced patissiers and chocolatiers, is a cream sandwich with chocolate bars and cream sandwiched between crispy sablé cookies. The wave-like shape of the sablé is inspired by the "Kawara roof," a roof often seen in houses in Kyoto and France.
Various creams such as vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, and matcha are sandwiched between three types of sablé: plain, chocolate, and sesame. The sesame + matcha cream sandwich includes amanatto, a traditional Japanese sweet made by candying beans.
At the Kyoto Kawaramachi store, which can also be used as a cafe, there are many artistically beautiful cakes. Please try these new desserts that fuse Kyoto and France.
Kyoto Best Sweets & Snacks 2024: Recommended Restaurants Where You Can Enjoy Desserts & Sweets on the Spot
Of course, you want to enjoy delicious desserts and sweets right away! For such people, here we introduce shops where you can eat exquisite Kyoto sweets on the spot.
We've picked up three stores, including shops where you can eat classic Japanese confections like dango and dorayaki, and shops where you can enjoy cold Japanese-style desserts like parfaits and ice cream.
Some shops also offer takeout, so you can easily enjoy them while exploring the surroundings. Please stop by during your sightseeing!
Saryo Wakana
source：rurubu
"Saryo Wakana" near Kiyomizu Temple is a shop where you can enjoy dango made with 100% rice flour. The most popular "Sakufuwa Mitarashi Dango" is so particular that the shop wants you to eat it within 20 seconds after serving it freshly grilled.(Sakufuwa is the original word combined with “Sakura” and fluffy)
The "Sakufuwa Mitarashi Dango," Wakana's specialty that can be said to have "that moment as its expiration date," is my recommendation.
Another flagship product, "IRO-MOCHI," is dango topped with creams such as matcha, Hojicha, and strawberry. The colorful "IRO-MOCHI" arranged on a wooden plate is also perfect for photos. Seasonal limited flavors like sakura and rum raisin are also popular.
Other recommendations include summer-limited shaved ice and meal menus. "IRO-MOCHI" is by reservation only, so don't forget to make a reservation in advance from the URL listed on their Instagram!
[Store Information]
Address: 476-2 Shimokawara-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi
Phone: 075-551-0064
Business Hours: Lunch 11:00am-2:00pm / Cafe 2:00pm-6:00pm
Closed: None
Official Instagram
SASAYAIORI+ Kyoto Gyoen
source：Official website
"SASAYAIORI+ Kyoto Gyoen," located in the popular tourist spot Kyoto Imperial Palace Gardens, is a Japanese-style cafe run by a long-established Kyoto confectionery store founded in 1716. In the atmospheric Japanese-style interior, you can enjoy Japanese sweets centered on matcha menus.
The specialty "Fukkura Dorayaki" is popular among foreign tourists. It's a sweet where Anko or whipped cream is sandwiched between fluffy baked dough made by mixing flour, eggs, and sugar. There are various types, including those with seasonal fruit cream, ice cream, and mochi. It's also attractive that you can take it out and enjoy it while strolling through the gardens.
Shaved ice is also popular in the hot season. In addition to standard flavors like Uji matcha and strawberry milk, unique flavors like cafe au lait and "bekko ame" (Japanese caramel taste), which has been familiar in Japan for a long time, are also recommended.
[Store Information]
Address: 3 Kyoto Gyoen, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi
Phone: 075-256-7177
Business Hours: 10:00am-4:00pm
Closed: Mondays
Official Website
Nishiki Ichiha
source：Tabelog
"Nishiki Ichiha" is a shop located in Nishiki Market, a shopping street popular among foreign tourists. The interior, which gives a sense of Kyoto, is filled with desserts and drinks using carefully selected Uji tea. You can enjoy Kyoto-specific flavors such as special parfaits with a gorgeous appearance and sets of seasonal Japanese confections with Uji matcha.
The Kyoto Uji tea popcorn, which is also suitable for eating while walking, is attractive as you can choose from various tastes such as matcha, Hojicha, and genmaicha. My recommendation is the "Pop Soft," which is popcorn topped with soft-serve ice cream. The combination of crispy popcorn texture and cool soft-serve ice cream is a unique item that can only be tasted here.
Popcorn is also available in take-out packs, perfect for souvenirs. English menus are also available in the store, so foreign tourists can shop with peace of mind.
[Store Information]
Address: 210 Kajiya-cho, Nishi-iru, Goko-machi, Nishikikoji-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi
Phone: 075-253-1118
Business Hours: 10:00am-10:00pm
Closed: Irregular
Official Website
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