Do not miss! When I pass through Nishiki Market I nearly always stop at Fujino Tofu and get a bag of tonyu, or soy milk doughnuts. These soy milk doughnuts are the best, especially in the cool and cold seasons. These doughnuts are best enjoyed hot and you can get them piping hot. There are usually quite a few people, often kids on their school trip to Kyoto, lined up at the shop, waiting to get their bag of doughnuts.
How do soy milk doughnuts taste?
These doughnuts are a bit more chewy on the inside and slightly crunchy outside than the average ‘non-Kyoto’ doughnut. They are slightly sweet, the taste is natural, straightforward, quite ‘Kyoto’ in style. While not overtly sweet I find them completely satisfying due to the richness of the soy milk.
Again, these should be eaten hot. Don’t buy them already bagged from the stall in the Nishiki Market street, go around to the side of the shop where they cook them and get them right out of the oil. Usually there are some customers standing around gobbling up hot donuts. If you take them back home or to your hotel, try reheating them in a toaster oven.
Perhaps these are a bit pricey because a bag of 12 (mini) doughnuts cost 300 yen. I suppose they use plenty of high quality soy milk but still, at this price point I expect Fujino to be selling doughnuts for a long, long time to come.
Even if you are not into the more challenging Japanese food, raw fish, fermented beans … fermented fish, and so on, these doughnuts are a healthy and natural Western inspired treat that are quite ‘Kyoto’ in taste. If you are passing though Nishiki Market, don’t miss these! You will probably smell the shop before you see it.
Properly this shop is called Konnamonjya, a really dreadful and un-Kyoto name, in my opinion. It is owned by Kyoto Tofu Fujino, a Kyoto tofu shinise that also makes a lot of new and inventive soy based products. They have a tofu cafe near Kitano Tenmagu Shine were you can try everything from tofu roll cake to tofu hamburgers.
— More Shop Photos and Map Coming Soon —
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I think this is the one I’ve tried before, I probably could eat the whole bag myself!
Perfect timing! I’m going to Kyoto over the upcoming 三連休 and was planning making a stop at the Nishiki Market. Any other recommendations for quick eats at the market?
Altough I grew up on Krispie Kreme doughnuts, which are more like sugary melt-in-your mouth crack, I love the Kyoto tonyu version just as much! I always make a stop a Nishiki Market to pick some up whenever I’m in town. These doughnuts have just the right amount of sweetness to be satisfying. Unfortunately, their size makes it so easy to finish off a wholebag in like 3mins!
Tried these today, and enjoyed them (and the kimpira gobo nikuman) a lot! Thanks for the heads up!
These look delicious… I can’t wait to travel to Kyoto and try them!
Do you have any idea how they are made, in case I can’t wait that long?
Best wishes!
Those look delicious!!!
I’m not a donut fan but these would make a convert of anyone. The description about eating them on a cool, Kyoto day is right on. Nothing beats the frosty chill better than a shared bag of these little gems right after they’ve come out of the fryer. Perhaps what I like best, besides the cloud-like texture, is that they are not overly sweet. American bakery products use way too much sugar, which unbalances the taste altogether.
From the appearance alone, these babies look a little like the Indian snack commonly found in Malaysia, named Vadai. But those are savoury snacks.
It is indeed something new to me, soy milk donut. For I have no idea Japan even has any form of doughnut to call her own.
*grins* stuffed myself with some of those on Sat yums :):):):)
i tried this when i was in kyoto!! super love these donuts!! do you franchise??
Any idea if they’re vegan? No egg either?
Went to Kyoto last spring and I hunted down these doughnuts. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!
Thanks very much for the recommendation of this store. Read your blog before heading to Kyoto and tried the donuts and they were VERY good, eecially straight from the fryer. My husband and I also enjoyed the soy icecream….and later went back for another, that’s how good they were. Keep up with the terrific writings!”