I had originally planned to order shaved ice, but after seeing the portion size of the customer ahead of me, I decided it might be too much for me. So, I changed my order to cream with frozen beans. The beans were served frozen, providing a crunchy texture. The sweet red bean paste was served in the shape of the container, a unique touch. I applaud the reviewers who rated this place above 3.5, as their taste buds must be exceptional.

Many people were eating shaved ice, but I was also hungry so I ordered the mixed rice set meal from the menu. It came with mixed rice, simmered hijiki seaweed, cucumber and seaweed vinegar salad, pickles, and miso soup. The mixed rice was lightly seasoned, but the side dishes had strong flavors. The white miso soup, which I hadn't had in a while, was also delicious.

The lingering summer heat made me crave shaved ice, so I decided to stop by a shaved ice shop on my way from Kitano Tenmangu Shrine to Hirano Shrine and Kinkaku-ji Temple. I arrived before the shop opened at 10 o'clock and waited in line. As soon as they opened, I went in and ordered peach and blueberry milk flavors. The ice was finely shaved and delicious. It was so cold and refreshing. When it's hot outside, this is the perfect treat.

At the entrance of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, there is a famous Japanese sweets shop. I took a break here before entering the shrine and ordered the limited-time peach shaved ice for 900 yen. I could hear the sound of ice being shaved from the kitchen, so I thought it might be coarse, but it turned out to be like powdery snow. The thin peach-colored syrup was thick and juicy. I finished it without getting a brain freeze and didn't get tired of it. There was also extra syrup, which made me happy. The fruit-based shaved ice ordered by other customers also looked delicious. Thank you for the meal.

It had been 3 years since my last visit, but since I arrived early on a weekday, there was no line and I was able to enjoy my time leisurely. I had the mango and kiwi shaved ice, which was as fluffy as ever, and it filled both my body and soul. It was a bit disappointing that there were no mango chunks, but it was very delicious.

Kita no Tenmangu Shrine's adjacent sweets shop. You can have a meal and enjoy some sweets at this versatile shop. On weekdays, you can usually find a seat without waiting, even on the day of the Tenjin-san market. However, the service is quite slow. Around 10:30 am on a weekday, the shop was about half full. The customers were steady, but it didn't reach full capacity. [What I had] Lemon squash ¥600. It seemed like a pour-it-yourself menu, but surprisingly, it took 20 minutes from ordering to being served...(^_^;) There were various other things that happened, but I'll skip them here. It's not a bad shop, but... Thanks for the meal.

This shop, located about a 6-minute walk from Kitano Hakubaicho Station, is always crowded with tourists at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. Although their shaved ice is famous, I wasn't in the mood for it so I ordered the cake set. Cake Set for 900 yen includes cheesecake and a cafe latte for an additional 50 yen. It was served in about 10 minutes. The cake in the set was only cheesecake, which was surprisingly sweet and satisfying. It came with grapes and vanilla ice cream as sides, which was a nice palate cleanser. This shop is always bustling with tourists, and I would like to visit again if I have the chance.

In mid-July, just before the end of the rainy season, the temperature starts to rise rapidly, and a scorching hot season continues for about two months. During this time, one thing that you can't resist is shaved ice. In Kyoto, ice flags are displayed in front of shops all over the city. While most places offer matcha-flavored shaved ice, Furunohana is famous for its fruit-flavored syrup shaved ice. I visited the shop around 1 pm, and the sun was blazing hot. Although the fruit-flavored shaved ice seemed refreshing, I noticed that many people around me were ordering matcha-flavored ones, so I decided to go with red beans, shiratama (mochi), and milk toppings. The shaved ice was served in a bowl, which looked tall but was actually a standard portion size. However, when you add toppings like red beans and shiratama, you need to be careful not to spill them from the bowl. The syrup, red beans, and milk were quite sweet compared to other shaved ice I've had recently. The ice was fluffy and easy to eat, and there was extra matcha syrup on the side, although the shaved ice was already generously drizzled with it. The matcha shaved ice cost 700 yen, and the milk, red beans, and shiratama toppings were 100 yen each, totaling 900 yen. Considering it's a tourist spot, the price was reasonable. However, the service from the staff was a bit lacking. They seemed inexperienced and unresponsive to orders, which left customers feeling unsure. Overall, there seemed to be some room for improvement in their customer service.

It was crowded even during the lunchtime of the three-day weekend. I waited for about 10 minutes to enter the restaurant. The food was served about 15 minutes after ordering. I had the hot pot udon, and the taste was just okay. It seems like the specialty of this restaurant is sweet desserts. Many people were enjoying the Instagram-worthy shaved ice.

After enjoying delicious Japanese food, I visited the famous long-established restaurant Furunohana near Kitano Tenmangu Shrine because it was hot and humid outside. I wanted to try their peach shaved ice, but unfortunately, it will be available starting next week. So, I decided to go with the mango shaved ice (800 yen including tax). The shaved ice had a generous amount of mango syrup on top, with some small pieces of fruit mixed in. The finely shaved ice had a powdery snow-like texture, light and fluffy. As I ate, I had to add more syrup as it started to run out, but towards the end, it became a bit watery. Overall, while it wasn't the most amazing shaved ice I've had, it was decent and worth the price. It's a good option to cool down while exploring Kyoto in the hot weather.

Next to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, there is a shop known for its peach shaved ice. However, since it's not peach season yet, I decided to try the banana shaved ice this time. I topped it with sweet red bean paste...so sweet! Bananas are already quite sweet on their own, but adding the red bean paste made it even sweeter haha. If you enjoy sweet treats, definitely give it a try.

Next to Kyoto Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, there is a shop that I visited recently, recalling the time I waited in line for nearly 3 hours to eat there about 20 years ago, as featured on a local Kansai information program. The atmosphere inside the shop remains the same as it was back then. The high ceilings and traditional Japanese house style create a calm and cozy space. I ordered a peach shaved ice with white balls on top. The scent of peaches was amazing from the moment it was brought to me! When I tasted it, my mouth was filled with the delightful aroma and sweet-sourness of peaches, it was fantastic! Peach shaved ice is something that you don't come across often. Even inside the shaved ice, there was peach syrup, allowing you to enjoy the taste of peach until the very end. It's definitely worth a visit! I would love to go back at least once more this season.

Today, I visited a dining spot near Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. It's called "Ippuku Dokoro Furukono Hana" and it seems to be popular among worshippers for shaved ice in the summer and sweet sake in the winter. The restaurant is located in a renovated sake brewery that has been around for over a hundred years, giving it a charming atmosphere. Inside, there are large wooden tables lined up. I checked out the menu which included udon, cold sweet sake, and dessert options. The shaved ice menu had a variety of flavors to choose from. I decided to order the Fruit Shaved Ice (peach). It seems like shaved ice season starts around mid-July. The portion was quite generous, like a mountain of shaved ice for one person. The shaved ice was fluffy like fresh snow, and the thick layer of peach syrup was delicious. The intense peach flavor with occasional bits of peach flesh added a nice texture. I enjoyed the popular shaved ice at the restaurant.

I have been wanting to visit this place for a while. Due to COVID, the wait time was about 10 minutes to get in. I ordered the Uji Kinmokusei and peach shaved ice. The shaved ice was fluffy and had a mix of trendy and traditional flavors. The Uji Kinmokusei paired perfectly with the ice. It was delicious and easy to eat. The peach flavor was also tasty and authentic. However, personally, I feel that peach and ice don't really go well together. More rich flavors like strawberry or mango would be a better match. In any case, the quality of this place at this price point is excellent.

I have a feeling that I can eat as much shaved ice as I want. It was raining, but humid, and I wanted to take a break so I visited this place. The peach shaved ice seemed to be the most popular, but it wasn't available yet due to the season. I had the black honey milk flavor. The price was reasonable, and the atmosphere inside the shop was very homey. There were also regular customers from the neighborhood. It was a bit sweet, but I would like to try other fruit flavors as well. Rated 3.4 stars. Black honey milk shaved ice for ¥650.

I visited the plum garden at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine on my way back from sightseeing and had lunch at a restaurant in a former sake brewery. The interior of the restaurant, with its beautiful wooden ceiling beams, is spacious. Thanks to avoiding the peak lunch hours, we were able to dine without a reservation. It seemed like a couple was cooking in the kitchen, while three female staff members were managing the dining area. It was a heartwarming lunch experience. I ordered the hot tofu set meal today.

On this day, we first visited Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. We received items such as daifuku plum and celebratory chopsticks, small-sized shimenawa, and a one-cut carving of the zodiac ox as offerings. For lunch, we decided to have a quick meal at a nearby restaurant. We sanitized our hands at the entrance of the restaurant. The interior was set up to maintain social distancing, with tables spaced out and not fully occupied. My husband started with a beer, and we were served complimentary edamame as an appetizer. I ordered the oden and mixed rice lunch set, while my husband chose the nabeyaki udon on this cold day. The oden included daikon radish, satsuma-age, chikuwa, and konjac, all tender and flavorful. The mixed rice was slightly soft, accompanied by miso soup, blanched greens with enoki mushrooms, and pickled Chinese cabbage. The nabeyaki udon arrived steaming hot, with pickled Chinese cabbage on the side. My husband wished for shichimi spice to add some heat, but only shichimi with sansho pepper was available. He enjoyed the udon, warming up and breaking a sweat as he finished the meal. We skipped dessert this time as we had plans to visit another place later. The convenience of being able to enter without a reservation after visiting the shrine was appealing. Thank you for the delicious meal!

When I visited Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and tried the shaved ice at this nearby place, I encountered a surprisingly refreshing shaved ice with a unique texture. The shop closes early as a dessert shop, so there were times when it was sold out. The friendly staff carefully shave the ice, creating a simple yet delicious shaved ice. The powdery snow-like texture makes you wonder if it's really ice. They offer a variety of syrups, with peach being especially popular during the season. I would love to go back to try their shaved ice with the flavor of the old flowers, which can only be enjoyed in the summer.

After the distant New Year has passed, in the latter half of January, I remembered that I had not yet visited a shrine for the New Year. I searched around and found out that on January 25th, there was the Hatsutenjin at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, with a bustling festival. Thinking that I might also be able to see some plum blossoms at Kitano, I decided to go, knowing it would be crowded. When I arrived at the parking lot near Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, I walked to the main gate and saw many festival stalls lined up, with various languages being spoken, mostly Chinese. I realized I had forgotten my mask, but it was too late to go back, so I resigned myself to it and made my way to the main hall, passing by the 30% blooming red plum blossoms and the stalls. The line for the main hall's bell was long, but I waited my turn and completed my visit. I also decided to check my fortune for the year and drew a "daikichi" (great blessing) fortune. For finances, it said, "If you have patience, your future will be very good." Patience? And for wishes, it said, "Good luck, but many wishes may not come true. Let us pray." Many wishes may not come true? What kind of great blessing is this! Feeling a bit down, I decided to take a break somewhere. I noticed a Japanese cafe called Furunohana near the gate, so I went in to take a look. It was a traditional Japanese-style cafe, but it seemed popular and convenient for everyone. I was seated at a large shared table and looked at the menu. Feeling a bit thirsty, I strangely found the sweet fruit mitsumame appealing, reminiscent of my childhood, so I ordered it for the first time in decades. The clientele in the cafe was mostly elderly, quite different from the packed Castella Do Paulo next door! After about 15 minutes, the fruit mitsumame was brought to me. It was a combination of agar jelly topped with strawberries, kiwi, orange, shiratama, and red kidney beans. The colorful display resembled a traffic light, drizzled with black syrup. The sweet fruit mitsumame was delicious, but the unique crunchiness of the red kidney beans brought back memories of the texture from my childhood! I recalled that as an adult, I tended to eat anmitsu with soft red bean paste, but recently, I realized I had mostly been eating Western sweets, and the only Japanese sweet I had was Uji Kintoki. It had been a while since I had agar jelly, and for some reason, my teeth and tongue still remembered the taste! After my aunties finished waiting in line for the restroom, I discreetly used it and then got up from my seat. The fruit mitsumame, after a long time, was delicious! I had to walk back to the parking lot... Thank you for the meal!