Wagashi: Shiruko (Red Azuki Bean ‘Soup’)

Wagashi: Kyoto Daimonji Theme Shiruko Red Azuki Bean Porridge 汁粉 Wagashi: Kyoto Daimonji Theme Shiruko Red Azuki Bean 'Soup' 大文字 汁粉
Shiruko is a hot, sweet soup-like dessert flavored with azuki beans and mochi that is very popular in Japan. It can be found on the menus of traditional style tea houses. I was given an elegant set of 5 shiruko in packages on the theme of the Daimonji. Daimonji is…
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Wagashi: Kyoto Daimonji Namagashi

Kyoto Daimonji Namagashi 大文字 生菓子 Kyoto Daimonji Namagashi 大文字 生菓子
More Daimonji! The biggest of the big characters of the late-summer mountainside bonfires is ‘dai’, literally ‘great’ or ‘big’. Here it is on a sweet, soft and chewy tea ceremony confection.…
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Wagashi: Daimonji Okuribi Senbei and Kompeito

Wagashi: Daimonji Senbei and Kompeito 京都 大文字 送り火 せんべい こんぺいとう Wagashi: Daimonji Senbei and Kompeito 京都 大文字 送り火 せんべい こんぺいとう
Daimonji: A festival like non other in the entire world! Daimonji, literally means ‘great (big) character’. On a mid-August night massive bonfires are burned on 5 mountainsides surrounding Kyoto in the form of Chinese characters and pictograms to guide the visiting spirits back to the other world. Tawaraya Yoshitomi uses…
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Wagashi: Daimonji and Chofu

Daimonji and Chofu: Pay Your Taxes in Wagashi! Coming Soon: Daimonji
It’s chofu, a waffle wrapper with gooey gyuhi inside — and it has a ‘大’ branded on it. What the heck is this all about?…
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