TSURUYA YOSHINOBU is a long-established Japanese confectionery store in Kyoto that was founded over 200 years ago and is located on the first floor of COREDO Muromachi 3. Their representative confectionery is Yuzumochi, which makes use of the flavor of yuzu, and Kyokanze, which features a Kanze water pattern, but the recommendation this time is Tsubara Tsubara, a Japanese confectionery that looks like a dorayaki folded in half.

You may not be familiar with the word "Tsubara Tsubara," but it comes from a poem written by Otomo no Tabito in the Manyoshu: "When I think of the reedy plains, tsubara tsubara, I think of my hometown."

"Tsubara tsubara = deeply, to one's heart's content" is a song that expresses how, when one is lost in thought, various thoughts of one's hometown come to mind. Taking this sentiment into account, the craftsmen have carefully selected the ingredients and baked the cake with great care.

<Kyoto Confectionery Master TSURUYA YOSHINOBU > Tsubara Tsubara 237 yen (tax included)

The half-moon design makes it easy to hold with one hand and enjoy. The baked skin is filled with mochiko (rice flour), giving it a chewy texture. The clean-looking package design, which was renewed this year, is also a highlight!

Kuzumochi is a Japanese sweet with a cool appearance that is perfect for the hot summer, but did you know that there are actually differences between the Kansai and Kanto styles?

In the Kansai region, kuzuko (arrowroot starch) is used to create a clear, chewy texture, while in the Kanto region, fermented wheat starch is used as the main ingredient to create a milky white, chewy texture. Kanto kuzumochi is the only fermented food in the Japanese sweets world, and is characterized by its deliciousness and healthiness.

FUNABASHIYA Original Kuzumochi Cup 500 yen (tax included)

FUNABASHIYA-ya's "Original Kuzumochi" was founded in 1805 in Kameido, a downtown area of Tokyo, and is, of course, Kanto-style. For over 200 years since the company was founded, they have maintained traditional methods, naturally ripening without additives, and do not use any preservatives. It takes 450 days to make, but it only lasts for two days. It should be stored at room temperature, and is delicious even if you chill it for 1-2 hours before eating. Please enjoy "a fleeting moment of bliss."

There is a wide lineup, from 6 slices in a cup for one person, to boxes containing 24, 36, 48, and 60 slices. It may seem like a lot, but the simple flavor and unique elasticity will have you addicted, and you'll find yourself eating it all in no time.

The shop also offers "kuzumochi coffee." The roasters at Mikado Coffee developed a blend that matches the sweetness of the brown sugar syrup. Its less bitter and more refreshing taste goes perfectly with kuzumochi!

HAKUZA NIHONBASHI is a gold leaf specialty store located on the first floor of COREDO Muromachi 1. In addition to tableware, interior items, accessories, and cosmetics, the store also offers a wide range of food products, including gold leaf for cooking, cakes, and jellies.

One of the most popular foods is the "Issun Kintsuba/Koban Kintsuba," a collaboration with Eitaro Sohonpo, a long-established Japanese confectionery store in Nihonbashi. The Kintsuba was created just as Hakuza, a Kanazawa-based confectionery store, was opening in COREDO Muromachi, and is exclusive to HAKUZA NIHONBASHI. You won't find it in Kanazawa or at Eitaro Sohonpo!

＜HAKUZA NIHONBASHI＞ 1-inch gold tsuba/oval gold tsuba 1,566 yen (tax included)

Its greatest feature is its original oval shape. As the name "kintsuba" (gold tsuba) suggests, which comes from the tsuba of a sword, Eitaro Sohonpo has maintained a round shape since the Edo period, but the kintsuba available only at HAKUZA NIHONBASHI uses a special mold and is finished in an oval shape in honor of Nihonbashi, a long-established financial district.

Kintsuba, made using a method that has been handed down unchanged since the Edo period, has a refined sweetness that brings out the natural flavor of red beans. The fragrant aroma of the product, baked in sesame oil, is irresistible.

The taste is the same, but half is left plain and the other half is wrapped in gold leaf for a more dazzling look. The visual is so striking that it makes you want to say, "You're so mean," and it makes a great gift!

Nippon Department Store Nihonbashi Sohonten on the first floor of COREDO Muromachi Terrace, which sells a selection of food and miscellaneous goods from all over Japan, has a corner that features Oita City's specialty products, and one of the most popular Japanese sweets among them is Bungo Meika Yaseuma.

＜Nippon Department Store＞ Bungo specialty confectionery Yaseuma 5 pieces 756 yen (tax included)

"Yaseuma" is a local dish that has been loved for a long time in Oita Prefecture. It is made by rolling out kneaded wheat flour flat, boiling it, and sprinkling it with kinako and sugar before eating.

Hoping to make it accessible to as many people as possible, they decided to make it into a bite-sized Japanese sweet. Bungo Meika Yaseuma, a semi-fresh confectionery with a mochi-like texture, was born, made with soybean flour made from home-roasted and home-ground soybeans, wrapped in gyuhi paste and filled with bean paste.

There aren't many places selling it in Tokyo yet, so it makes a great, slightly unexpected souvenir.

The restaurant and bar "Suigian" can be found as you descend the stairs leading to the basement of Fukutoku Garden. In this space where you can feel the traditional culture of Japan, you can enjoy the flavors of each of the 24 solar terms and 72 seasons.

This course includes a tea room experience, allowing you to fully enjoy the charms of SUIGIAN. After tasting the seasonal course meal, you will move to the tea room and enjoy sweets and matcha green tea in the traditional manner of the tea ceremony. Experience the Japanese spirit of hospitality through all five senses.

Full course with tea room experience
Hyakukawa Chayu
Appetizer, first meal, soup, second meal, grilled dish, main course, main dessert, matcha tea
29,700 yen

*The tea ceremony etiquette will be explained in detail by a tea ceremony instructor, so even those without experience can feel free to join in. Support is available in both Japanese and English.